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MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


COUNCIL  OF  PUBLICATION. 


W.  LINDSAY  ALEXANDER,  D.D.,  Professor  of  Theology,  Congregational  Union,  Edinburgh. 

JAMES  BEGG,  D.D.,  Minister  of  Newington  Free  Church,  Edinburgh. 

THOMAS  J.  CRAWFORD,  D.D.,  S.T.P.,  Professor  of  Divinity,  University,  Edinburgh. 

D.  T.  K.  DRUMMOND,  M.A.,  Minister  of  St  Thomas's  Episcopal  Church,  Edinburgh. 

WILLIAM  H.  GOOLD,  D.D.,   Professor  of  Biblical  Literature  and  Church  History,  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church,  Edinburgh. 

ANDREW  THOMSON,  D.D.,  Minister  of  Broughton  Place  United  Presbyterian  Church,  Edinburgh. 
REV.  THOMAS  SMITH,  M.A.,  Edinburgh. 


COMMENTARY  OR  EXPOSITION 


UPON  THE 


PKOPHECY  OF  OBADIAH. 


BY 

EDWAKD    MAEBUKY. 


EDINBUEGH  :  JAMES  i^TICHOL. 
LONDON  :  JAJVIES  NISBET  AND  CO.     DUBLIN  :  G.  HEEBEET. 

M.DCCC.LXV. 


EDINBURGH  : 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN   GREIG   AND   SON, 

OLD   PHYSIC  GARDENS. 


EDWAED    MAEBURY. 


IF  the  Prince  of  Denmark  marvelled  that  a  man  should  not  be  forgotten  two 
months  after  his  death,  and  expressed  but  a  faint  hope  that  a  great  man's 
memory  may  outlive  his  hfe  half  a  year,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  the  name  of 
Edward  Maebury,  who  lived  two  full  centuries  ago,  and  who  was  a  good  rather 
than  a  great  man,  should  be  unfamihar  to  this  age,  having  gone  out  of  sight  save  in 
the  title-pages  of  his  two  quarto  ^Commentaries'  now  reprinted  :*  and  these,  we 
fear,  known  to  but  a  select  few,  albeit  prized  by  them  as  of  no  common  weight  and 
worth. 

With  search  and  research  in  every  likely  quarter,  very  meagre  and  grainless 
are  our  gleanings  of  memorials  o^  this  "Worthy.  What  little  we  have  to  shew, 
follows.  As  will  be  seen  on  turning  to  the  '  Epistle  Dedicatory  '  of  his  '  Obadiah,' 
it  is  inscribed  to  his  '  worthy  friends  the  citizens  and  inhabitants  of  the  parish  of 
St  James,  Garlickhith,  London,'  \\\ih.  '  all  the  blessings  of  this  life  and  that  which 
is  to  come.'  The  '  Epistle '  is  a  loving,  a  manly,  a  winsome  one  :  and  it  is  mourn- 
ful to  read  in  it  of  other  similar  Commentaries  on  '  Zephaniah  and  Haggai '  that 
have  apparently  perished — unless  they  be  hidden  away  in  some  private  collection, 
a  thing  not  improbable,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  number  of  contemporary  manu- 
scripts of  the  same  sort  in  our  own  possession,  and  otherwise  known  to  us. 

The  '  Commentarie  '  on  '  Habakkuk  '  has  a  dedication  to  the  family  of  Bishop 
John  King,  which  reveals,  tantalisingly,  kinsmanship  with  not  a  few  historic  names. 

All  our  endeavours — and  these  have  not  been  perfunctory,  while,  being  coin- 
cident with  our  preparation  of  the  Memoir  of  Bishop  King,f  they  were  some- 
what  prolonged, — have  failed  to  find  the  '  kinsman '  link  of  our  Commentator 

*  The  '  Catalogue  of  our  English  Writers  on  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 2d  Edition,  1668,  by 

Crowe,'  by  a  slip  has  1639  for  the  date  of  the  '  Obadiah,'  instead  of  1649.     It  is  a  mere  oversight, 
t  Prefixed  to  reprint  of  his  '  Jonah  '  in  this  Series. 


VI 


EDWAED  MABBURY. 


with  the  Kings.  Nor  has  a  wearying  correspondence  and  visitation  elicited  so 
much  as  his  birth-place,  or  even  birth-county.*  Puritan  in  doctrine,  Marbury 
was  a  Royalist  in  sentiment  and  allegiance :  and  thus  is  to  be  classed  with  Thomas 
Adams  and  Anthony  Farindon,  Nehemiah  Rogers  and  Edward  Sparke,  Richard 
Maden  and, — most  loveable  of  all, — Thomas  Fuller  and  other  worthies  who  suf- 
fered for  their  fine  loyalty  to  what  they  deemed  the  right.  He  were  a  poor  bigot 
who  would  withhold  his  tribute  to  those  who  stood  true  to  the  '  losing  side  ;'  nor  is  it 
without  emotion,  even  reprobation,  that  one  reads  the  deep-shadowed  story  of  their 
'depriving'  and  beggary.  There  may  have  been,  perchance,  stem  necessity  for 
the  former ;  but  it  is  pity  that  no  provision  was  made  for  the  right  true  and 
good  men  who  could  not  conscientiously  adhere  to  the  new  order  of  things.  One 
mourns  to  find  such  men  hiding,  and  skulking,  and  preaching  furtively  :  and  how 
shall  we  characterise  the  monarch  for  whom  they  gladly  endured  all,  only  to  be 
neglected  in  better  days  ? 

We  have  said  that  Marbury  was  a  Royalist.  This  appears  from  various  authori- 
ties, e.  g.  Newcourt  in  his  '  Repertorium  Ecclesiasticum  Parochiale  Londinense,'*!* 
whither  the  reader  is  referred  for  a  painstaking  account  of  the  oddly-named 
Parish  Church,  '  St  James  Garlick-hith,'  of  which  our  Expositor  was  Rector  ;J 
and   John  Walker,    in  his    'Attempt    towards    recovering   an   Account   of    the 

Numbers   and   Sufferings   of  the   Clergy   of  the    Church   of  England 

in  the  late  Times  of  the  Grand  Rebellion.'  §  Besides  these,  it  so  happens 
that  we  have  in  our  Library  the  original  broad-sheet  containing  a  list  of 
those  who  '  suffered  '  for  their  '  loyalty  '  in  and  around  London,  and  in  it  is  found 
the  name  of  Marbury.  The  following  is  the  heading  of  this  apparently  unknown, 
and  inedited,  and  singularly  useful  paper  :  '  London  :  A  Generall  Bill  of  Mortality, 
of  the  Clergie  of  London,  which  have  beene  defunct  by  reason  of  the  Contagious 
breath  of  the  Sectaries  of  that  City,  from  the  yeere  1641  to  this  present  yeere 
1647,  with  the  severall  Casualties  of  the  same.  Or,  A  briefe  Martyrologie  and 
Catalogue  of  the  Learned,  Grave,  Religious  and  painfull  Ministers  of  the  City  of 
London,  who  have  been  Imprisoned,  Plundered,  barbarously  used,  and  deprived  of 
all  livelyhood  for  themselves  and  their  Families  in  these  last  yeeres  :  For  their 


*  We  had  hoped  to  have  traced  a  connection  ■with  the 
Marburys  of  Marbury,  Cheshire.  In  the  'Historical 
Sketches  of  Nonconformity  in  the  County  Palatine  of 
Chester.  By  Various  Ministers  and  Laymen  in  the 
County '  (1  vol.  8vo.,  18G4),  the  name  occurs  several 
times;  e.g.  James  Marbury,  p.  1G2,  and  William, 
pp.  xviii,  xix,  401,  426.  We  have  seen  'Sermons '  con- 
temporary vdth  our  Edward  by  one  Francis  Marbury, 
but  whether  a  brother  or  other  relative  does  not 
appear. 

t  2  vols,  folio,  1708  ;  an  annotated  copy  of  this  valu- 


able work  is  contained  in  the  Library  of  Guildhall,  Lon- 
don. 

t  We  may  quote  briefly :— '  This  Church  of  St  James 
(which  is  a  Rectory)  called  Garlickhith  or  Garlick-hive, 
for  that  of  old  time,  on  the  river  Thames,  near  to  this 
church,  garlick  was  usually  sold,  stands  on  the  east  side 
of  the  street  called  Garlick-hill.' — Vol.  i.  page  365. 

§  1714.  Our  copy  contains  manuscript  notes  and 
corrections,  apparently  in  the  handwriting  of  the  com- 
piler. 


EDWAED  MARBURY.  Vll 


constancie  in  the  Protestant  Religion  establisht  in  this  Kingdome,  and  their  Loyalty 
to  their  Sovereigne.'* 

In  this  sufficiently-spiced  '  Martyrologie'  or  '  Catalogue/  we  read  this  entry  : 
*  Peters  Pauls  wharfe.     M.  Marbury  sequestred.' 

This  placing  of  his  name  under  another  Church  is  explained  by  Newcourt.  '  I  can 
give/  he  says,  under  St  Peter's^  Paul's  Wharfe,  '  but  little  account  of  the  Rectors 
of  this  Church,  it  being  in  the  collation  of  the  Dean  and  Chapter,  for  the  reason 
mentioned  in  St  Anthin's  [registers  destroyed]  ;  only  that  one  Ed.  Marbury  was 
Rector  of  this  Church,  and  that  of  St  James  Garlickhith,  when  the  return  was  made 
in  1636,  the  latter  of  which  he  resigned  in  1642,  but  was  turned  out  of  this  by 
Sequestration  in  the  late  Rebellion.' f 

To  this  brief  account  Walker  characteristically  interpolates  in  telling  of  the  Se- 
questration of  Richard  Freeman,  Marbury's  successor.  ^  He  was  admitted  to  the 
former  of  these  livings  \i.  e.  St  James  Garlickhithe]  April  14th  1642,  on  the  forced 
resignation  of  Mr  Marbury.'  He  gives  as  his  authority  Newcourt,  i.  p.  367  :  but 
there  is  not  a  syllable  about  a  forced  resignation  therein,  or  in  all  the  work,  as  any 
one  may  see  for  himself.  He  continues.  '  And  therefore,  though  he  [Freeman] 
was  afterwards  indeed  sequestered  from  it,  yet  I  can  scarce  reckon  St  James's  to  his 
account,  because  I  look  upon  Mr  Marbury,  who  was  then  living,  as  the  equitable 
incumbent.'! 

It  never  seems  to  have  occurred  to  Walker,  that  Marbury  might  share  the 
scruples  of  those  fellow-Churchmen,  as  Thomas  Adams,  who  disapproved  of  double 
'livings'  or  pluralities  ;  and  that,  hence,  he  may  have  resigned  the  one  and  retained 
the  other.  Or  the  'forced '  resignation  may  have  been  of  a  far  different  sort  from 
what  Walker  would  insinuate,  inasmuch  as  Laud  presented  and  instituted  his  suc- 
cessor Freeman.  One  cannot  help  an  ugly  suspicion  that  pressure  had  been  used 
— a  pressure  quite  intelligible,  as  the  doctrinal  teaching  and  ecclesiastical 
opinions  of  Marbury  shewed  him  to  have  stood  at  the  opposite  pole  from  Laud  and 
his  school.  Marbury  had  held  'St  James  Garlick-hith  '  from  1613  :  as  we  learn 
from  Newcourt,  who  furnishes  this  memorandum  : 

'Edw.  Marbury  A.M.  18  Nov.  1613  per  mort.  Crowe  ;' 

*  This  is  a  large  folio,  nevrspaper-like  sheet.  We  +  As  before,  page  170,  part  ii.  Under  St  Peter's, 
have  a  reprint  of  it,  with  large  preliminary  and  appended  Paul's  Wharf  (page  173),  Walker  unblushingly  repeats 
matter  under  this  title :—' Persecutio  Undecima:  or  The  his  statement,  'He  was  forced  to  resign,'  again  referring 
Churches  Eleventh  Persecution.  Being  a  brief  of  the  to  Xewcourt,  p.  32{<,  whose  whole  entry  is  verbatim  this  : 
Fanatick  Persecution  of  the  Protestant  Clergy  of  the  '  Laud.  Eic.  Freeman,  14  Apr.  1642  per  Resig.  Mar- 
Church  of  England.  :More  Particularly  within  the  City  bury.'  The  double  entry  of  Marbury  under  '  St  James 
of  LoxDO-v.  Begun  in  Parliament,  Anno  Dom.  1641.  Garlick-hith,'  and  'St  Peter's,  St  Paul's  Wharfe'  by 
And  Printed  in  the  year,  1648.  Reprinted  in  the  year  Walker,  is  a  specimen  of  that  multiplication  of  'sufferers' 
1681,  and  are  to  be^  sold  by  AValter  Davis  in  Amen-  which  utterly  vitiates  his  work.  Xewcourt  distinctly 
Comer  near  Pater-Noster-Row.'  Folio,  title-page,  and  j  places  Laud  in  the  margin  (as  indeed  the  date  tells)  as 
PP-  36.  the  patron  ;  and  there  is,  as  above,  '  per  resig:  Marbury' 

t  As  before,  vol.  i.  page  528.  |  — nothing  more. 


Vlll 


EDWARD  MARBURY. 


and  under  date  1636^  the  same  authority  has  this  little  pecuniary  statement  after  a 
table  of  the  ^  income,'  shewing  the  Kectorship  to  have  been  a  considerable  one  : — 

•  More  taken  by  Mr  Ed.  Marbury  (the  then  Rector)  out  of  certain  Lands  given  to  the  Parish  for  the 
Fabric  of  the  Church  and  increase  of  Divine  Service,  £28.'* 

Our  Commentator  is  designated  ^  A.M./  and  we  have  been  fortunate  enough  to 
recover  certain  little  details  in  his  academic  career  from  Cambridge.f 

Under  'Trinity/  Cambridge,  he  appears  as  B.A.  in  1602-3 probably — and  only 
probably,  as  the  records  of  the  University  and  this  College  at  the  period  are 
defective.     He  proceeded  M.A.  1606  non  socius. 

He  died  'about  1655,'  says  Newcourt,J  where,  or  at  what  exact  date,  is  not 
recorded. 

The  only  other  thing,  besides  his  two  '  Commentaries,'  that  proceeded  from  the 
pen  of  Marbury,  is  one  of  the  elegiac  poems  on  the  death  of  Bishop  Cosin.  It 
occurs  in  an  appendix  to  a  biography,  or  rather  panegyric,  of  the  Bishop  by  William 
Barlow,  afterwards  bishop  of  Lincoln.  The  appendix  consists  of  a  collection  of 
Greek,  Latin,  English,  and  Italian  verses  in  memory  of  the  deceased,  contributed 
by  members  of  the  University.  The  title  of  the  work  is,  '  Vita  et  obitus  ornatissimi 
celeberrimiq.  viri  Richardi  Cosin,  Legum  Doctoris,  Decani  Curiae  de  Arcubus,  Can- 
cellarij  seu  Vicarij  generalis  Reverendissimi  patris  loannis  Archiepiscopi  Cantua- 
riensis,  &c.,  per  Guilielmum  Barlowum,  Sacrae  Theologiaa  Baccalaureum,  amoris  sui 
et  officii  ergo  edita.  Lond.  4to,  1598.'  The  collection  of  verses  bears  this  separate 
title  :  '  Carmina  Funebria  in  eiusdem  Venerandi  Doctoris  triste  fatum,  k  quibus- 
dam  Cantabrigiensibus,  illius  amicis,  multo  moerore  fusa  magis  qu^m  condita.'  § 
Marbury's  contribution  is  neither  better  nor  worse  than  the  others.  English  tears 
do  not  fall  pathetically  in  archaic  verse.     Let  the  reader  judge  : — 

'  In  obitum  D.D.  Cosini  viri  doctiss.  & 
vtriusq.  legis  peritissimi,  Carmen  lugubre. 

Coniunctis  6  flende  tuis,  6  flende  Britannis 

Flende  viris  doetis,  docte  Cosine  iaces  : 
Grata  viri  pietas,  facundro  gratia  lingaae, 

Ingenium,  virtus,  inuiolata  fides, 
Cum  grauitate  lepos,  &  cum  grauitate  venustas, 

Larga  manus,  vita3  lumina  dulcis  erant. 
Pro  quo  dum  Pallas,  dum  clarus  certat  Apollo, 

Neutrius  (inquit)  erit  Mors,  mihi  prseda  iacet 
Terra  tegit  terram,  tellus  tellure  cadauer  ; 

Enthiusjl  ast  coeli  spiritus  arce  sedet. 

Ed.  Mahbuey.' 


*  Aa  before,  vol.  i.  pages  366,  367. 
f  I  have  again  to  acknowledge  gratefully  the  unfail- 
ing help  of  C.  H.  Cooper,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge. 


J  As  before,  vol.  i.  p.  528 

I  Cooper's  Athcncc  Cantab,  ii.  231. 

II  Qu. ? 


EDWARD    MAEBURY.  IX 


Of  the  Commentaries  now,  after  so  long  a  time,  reprinted,  little  need  be  said. 
Each  bears  witness  to  the  author's  statement,  that  he  '  had  done  little  or  nothing 
herein  without  consulting  the  best  authors,  both  ancient  and  modern.'  *  He  proves 
himself  to  have  been  famiUar  with  the  Fathers,  Greek  and  Latin,  as  well  as  with 
the  Schoolmen,  and  the  Philosophers  and  Poets  of  antiquity.  He  works  in  with  no 
little  skill  his  quotations — never  overloading.  Throughout  also  he  evidences  that 
he  had  added  to  the  other  '  that  light  which  God  by  his  Spirit  revealeth  in  my 
understanding,  to  discern  what  his  will  is.'  f  There  is  a  rich  odour  of  spirituahty, 
as  from  hidden  spices,  in  most  unlooked-for  places.  If  we  compare  Marbury  with 
Bishop  Pilkington  on  '  Obadiah '  J  he  has  far  more  substance  ;  if  with  Rainolds,  § 
more  sprightliness  ;  if  with  John  Ellis,  ||  more  grace.  In  his  '  Habakkuk  '  he  stands 
almost  alone,  in  so  far  as  English  commentary  is  concerned.  It  excels  his  '  Obadiah,' 
being  thoroughly  expository,  suggestive,  '  savoury,'  sparkling  as  the  dew  on  the 
grass  with  luminous  and  refreshing  thoughts,  and  pulsating,  like  a  living  human 
heart  rather  than  a  printed  volume,  with  holy  passion  and  fervour.  Hitherto 
both  ^Commentaries,'  on  their  rare  occurence,  have  fetched  extravagant  prices. 
And  so  we  pay  willing  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  good  Royalist  Rector  and 
Commentator. 

ALEXANDER  B.  GROSART. 

Liverpool. 


♦  Ep.  Dedy.  of  '  Obadiah.'  f  Ihid.  J  15G2.  11613.  111641. 


TO   MY  WORTHY  FRIENDS 

THE  CITIZENS   AXD  INHABITA:N:TS  OF  THE  PAKISH  OF 
ST  JAMES,  GAKLICKHITH,  LONDON, 

ALL  THE  BLESSINGS  OF  THIS  LIFE,  AND  THAT  WHICH  IS  TO  COME. 


I  HA  YE  not  without  good  cause  inscribed  this  com- 
mentary unto  yon  :  First,  those  sermons  were 
preached  amongst  you  ;  secondly,  some  of  you  have 
heretofore  often  importuned  the  publication  of  this 
and  some  others  of  my  labours  ;  thirdly,  you  were  my 
first  fruits,  and  therefore  the  first  commencement  of 
my  labours  in  this  kind  doth  properly  belong  to  you. 
As,  then,  it  is  justly  dedicated  unto  you,  so  I  desire 
it  may  have  your  favourable  acceptance,  and  pass 
under  the  convoy  of  your  worthy  names.  I  have  by 
me  an  exposition  of  three  other  of  the  small  prophets, 
viz.,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  and  Haggai,  which,  to- 
gether vrith  this,  are  hcensed  and  intended  for  the 
press  ;  but  the  charge  of  printing  being  great,  and  the 
number  of  buyers  of  books  in  these  times  (if  we  may 
believe  the  stationers)  very  small,  I  thought  fit  to  send 
forth  this  as  Joshua  did  the  spies,  to  see  what  encour- 
agement the  rest  may  happily  find  to  follow  after  it. 
I  am  of  Saint  Austin's  mind,  who  accounted  nothing 
his  own  but  what  he  did  communicate,  and  professed 
himself  to  be  of  that  number,  qui  scribunt  projiciendo, 
ei  scribendo  prqficiunt,  that  write  what  they  have  learnt, 
and  learn  more  by  writing  ;  and  if  the  grain  be  good, 
it  is  fitter  for  the  market  than  for  the  gamer.  What 
entertainment  this  will  find  there,  I  know  not ;  for  mine 


own  part,  I  have  taken  the  counsel  of  the  wise,  neither 
to  praise  nor  dispraise  my  own  doings  :  the  one,  he 
saith,  is  vanity,  the  other  folly.  Others  will  be  ready 
enough  to  save  me  that  pains,  to  whose  uncertain 
censure  I  submit  myself,  to  stand  or  fall  before 
them. 

Yet  thus  much  I  will  make  bold  to  say  for  myself, 
that  I  have  done  little  or  nothing  herein  without  con- 
sulting the  best  authors,  both  ancient  and  modem,  to 
which  I  have  added  that  light  which  God  by  his 
Spirit  revealeth  in  my  understanding,  to  discern  what 
his  will  is,  and  to  suggest  what  I  shall  preach  in  his 
church.  As  the  bee  gathereth  honey,  and  storeth  her 
hive  out  of  several  sorts  of  flowers  for  the  common 
good,  so  have  I  out  of  these  collected  and  gathered 
sundry  honeycombs  of  truth  for  the  use  and  benefit 
of  the  public. 

All  my  desire  is,  to  do  all  the  good  I  can  ;  and  to 
that  end,  my  tongue  beiog  suspended  for  some  time, 
I  have  taken  this  opportunity  to  supply  the  defect 
thereof  by  my  pen.  I  am  loath  to  lose  our  crown  of 
rejoicing  in  the  day  of  the  Lord. 

Anim<z  servatcp,  the  saving  of  souls,  will  procure  us 
a  better  garland  at  the  coming  of  Christ  than  cives 
servati,  the  saving  of  citizens,  did  the  ancient  Romans. 


EPISTLE  DEDICATORY. 


That  is  the  only  mark  we  aim  at,  and  (we  be*  light 
and  not  smoke  in  the  church  of  Christ)  the  only  sub- 
ject and  matter  of  all  our  preaching  and  writing,  and 
the  saving  of  your  souls  a  part  of  that  bounden  duty 
and  debt  which,  by  the  just  bond  of  thankfulness,  I 
owe  unto  you  especially.  Testis  est  mihi  Deus  quomodo 
ciipiam  vos  omnes  in  viscerihus  Jesu  Christi,  God  is  my 
witness  how  much  I  have  desired  the  good  of  you  all 
in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  if  I  have  not  been 
able  to  do  for  you  what  I  would,  yet  that  I  have  de- 
*  Qu.  'be  we  ' ?— Ed. 


sired  and  endeavoured  it  what  I  could,  may  deserve 
acceptance,  or  at  the  least  will  satisfy  my  own  con- 
science. In  a  word,  to  see  the  welfare  and  happiness 
of  you  and  yours,  how  much  will  it  revive  his  hearty 
who  professeth  himself 

Your  aflfectionate  friend  and 

Servant  in  the  Lord, 

Edw.  Marbuey. 


A  COMMENTAEY  OR  EXPOSITION  UPON  TEE 
PEOPHECY  OF  OBADIAE 


YER.  1.  The  vision  of  Obadiah.  This  short  pro- 
phecy calleth  to  my  remembrance  the  words  of 
David  concerning  God :  Ps.  xviii.  26,  '  With  the 
pure  thoQ  wilt  shew  thyself  pm-e,  and  with  the  fro- 
ward  thou  wilt  shew  thyself  fro  ward.'  Yer.  27,  '  For 
thou  wilt  save  the  afflicted  people  ;  but  wilt  bring  down 
high  looks.' 

For  in  the  former  part  of  this  prophecy  God  thun- 
dereth  with  the  terrors  of  his  judgments ;  in  the  latter 
part  we  hear  the  whisper  and  still  voice  of  his  mercy. 

Two  things  set  consideration  a-work  at  first : 

1.  The  title,  which  sheweth  (1.)  Whose;  (2.) 
What. 

2.  The  prophecy  itself. 

(1.)  Whose,  Obadiah.  Whether  this  were  the  pro- 
per name  of  a  man,  or  a  notation  only,  to  express  the 
calling  of  him  that  wrote  this  prophecy,  we  may 
doubt;  ioT  Abad,  semis,  a  servant;  and  Jah,  doini- 
nus,  a  lord,  may  denote  this  prophet  in  his  function,  a 
servant  of  the  Lord ;  and  so  are  all  the  ministers  of 
the  word,  in  a  special  service,  concerning  the  building 
up  of  the  house  of  God. 

That  which  Lyranus  saith  to  be  the  judgment  of 
most  ecclesiastical  writers,  that  this  was  the  same 
Obadiah  that  was  steward  of  king  Ahabs  house, 
1  Kings  xviii.  4,  and  hid  the  prophets  in  the  cave,  and 
fed  them  with  bread  and  water,  and  was  contemporary 
with  Elias  ;  that,  how  great  authors  soever  it  hath,  is 
so  clearly  confuted  in  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  that 
we  resolve  against  it. 

For  the  prophecy,  it  mentioneth  the  taking  of  Je- 
rusrtlem  was  eight  hundred  years  after  Ahab. 


It  is  likely  that  it  was  the  proper  name  of  the  pro- 
phet ;  and  Dorotheus  thinketh  him  the  same  that  lived 
in  Ahab's  time,  which  cannot  be,  as  I  have  shewed. 

It  must  suffice  us  that  we  know  this  prophecy  to 
have  been  ever  received  in  the  canon  of  the  church. 

Melito,  in  his  epistle  to  Onesimus,  Euseb.  iv.  25, 
naming  the  books  of  canonical  Scripture,  doth  name 
one  book  of  the  twelve  prophets,  whereof  this  is  one. 
And  I  never  read  the  authority  of  this  prophecy 
doubted  of  in  any  age  of  the  church :  he  was  one  of 
those  '  holy  men  who  wrote  and  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,'  2  Peter  ii. 

The  maid  that  came  to  the  door  when  Peter  knocked, 
Acts  xii.  14,  knew  him  by  his  voice ;  and  surely  the 
majesty  and  weight  that  is  in  the  canonical  Scriptures 
doth  declare  them  to  be  the  voice  of  God,  which 
wanteth  in  all  the  apocryphal  assumements,  as  a 
reader  diligently  exercised  in  the  Scriptures  may  easily 
discern. 

These  holy  writings,  addressed  to  the  perpetual  light 
of  the  church,  are  spare  in  their  inscriptions. 

Who  wrote  the  books  of  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth, 
Samuel,  Kings,  Chronicles,  Esther  ? 

They  are  written,  they  are  ours,  the  wisdom  of  God 
is  seen  in  them,  the  grace  of  God  is  confirmed  by 
them,  the  church  of  God  ever  received  them,  the  Spirit 
of  God  testifieth  of  them,  and  God  in  all^^ges  hath 
been  glorified  by  them. 

The  church  of  Rome  doth  attribute  to  the  church  a 
power  of  authorising  books  of  Scripture,  and  maketh 
the  church's  authority  the  warrant  for  the  authorising 
thereof. 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


St  Augustine  alloweth  the  church  the  reputation  of 
a  witness,  but  not  the  power  of  authority  herein  ;  for 
he  saith,*  Platonis,  Aristotelis,  Ciceronis  libros  unde 
noverint  homines,  quod  ipsorum,  sint,  nisi  temporum 
sibi  succedentium  contestatione  continua  ?  Therefore, 
that  these  books  were  the  canon  of  Scripture,  the  tes- 
timony of  all  ages  in  their  successions  doth  maintain  ; 
but  this  testimony  doth  not  give  them  authority,  but 
witnesseth  the  authority  given  them  by  the  Spirit  of 
God. 

We  find  that  even  the  authority  of  holy  Scriptures 
hath  been  denied  by  heretics. 

SadduccBi  nullas  Scnjjturas  recipiebant,  nisi  quinque 
libros  Mosis.  Simon  prophetas  minime  curandos  dixit, 
quia  a  mimdifabricatoribusangelis'prophetias  acceperunt. 
(Iren.  i,  20).  Saturninus  totum  vetus  test,  repudiabat. 
Ptolemaitm  libros  Mosis.  (Epiph.  Haer.  xxxiii.)  Nico- 
laitce  et  Gnostici,  librum  Psalmorum.  Anabapt.  Cant. 
Salomonis :  Et  lib.  Job.  Porphyrius  scripsit  volumen 
Cont.  lib.  Danielis. 

The  New  Testament  hath  had  many  enemies.  The 
children  of  darkness  have  ever  made  war  against  light. 

We  are  better  taught ;  and  seeing  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  not  satisfied  us  from  whence  this  our  prophet 
came,  but  hath  only  given  us  his  name,  and  his  pro- 
phecy, this  contenteth  us.  The  vessel  was  but  of  earth 
which  brought  us  this  treasure ;  and  if  we  have  lost 
the  vessel  and  kept  the  treasure  ; — 

The  messenger  was  a  man  like  us  ;  the  message  was 
the  Lord's.  If  the  messenger  be  gone,  and  the  mes- 
sage do  yet  remain,  the  matter  is  not  great. 

Let  us  glorify  God  for  his  saints,  whom  God  hath 
used  as  instruments  of  our  good,  and  praise  him  for 
all  his  prophets,  and  holy  men  by  whom  these  heavenly 
oracles  were  received  from  him,  and  communicated  to 
the  church. 

The  son  of  Sirach,  Ecclus.  iv.  Let  us  now  com- 
mend the  famous  men  in  the  old  time,  by  whom  the 
Lord  hath  gotten  great  glory  ;  let  the  people  speak  of 
their  wisdom,  and  the  congregation  of  their  praise. 
Of  this  there  is  a  double  use : 

1.  That  we  that  do  legere,  read,  may  learn  degere, 
sanctorum,  vitas,  to  live  the  lives  of  saints,  and  do  the 
church  of  God  all  the  good  service  we  can. 

2.  That  God  may  be  honoured  in  Sanctis,  in  the 
saints,  as  St  Jerome  saith  :  Honoramus  servos,  ut  honor 
servorum  redundet  ad  Dominum.  This  is  the  honour 
of  God,  and  this  is  the  praise  of  the  prophet  Obadiah  ; 

*  Contra  Faust,  xxxiii.  C. 


whosoever  he  was,  he  liveth  in  this  prophecy,  to  preach 
the  will  of  God  to  you  here  present,  and  to  let  you 
know  both  the  justice  of  God  against  the  enemies  of 
his  church,  and  his  mercy  to  his  own  beloved  people. 

For,  as  the  apostle  doth  say  of  Abel's  faith,  Heb. 
xi.  4,  *  And  by  it  he  being  dead  yet  speaketh,'  so  may 
we  say  of  all  this  and  all  other  penmen  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture, that  by  these  works  of  theirs,  though  they  be 
dead,  yet  they  do  now  speak  in  the  church  of  God. 

Abel  spake  two  ways  ;  for  there  was, 

1.  Vox  sanguinis,  a  voice  of  blood,  which  cried  for 
judgment,'  Gen.  iv.  10 ;  and, 

2.  Vox  Jidei,  a  voice  of  faith,  which  is  example  for 
imitation,  Heb,  xi.  4. 

Thus  all  ecclesiastical  writers  do  speak ;  and  we  in 
our  studies  do  confer  with  dead  men,  and  take  light 
from  them. 

That  is  the  reason  that  the  elect  of  God  do  not  arise 
to  their  full  reward  before  the  resurrection  of  all  flesh, 
because  their  works  do  follow  them  in  order  as  they 
are  done,  and  their  light  goeth  not  out  by  night ;  death 
doth  not  quench  their  candle. 

Thus  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  church  have  left 
living  monuments  of  their  holy  learning,  and  we  come 
after  them,  and  enter  upon  their  labours. 

They  are  unthankful  and  spiteful  that  despise  their 
names,  and  refuse  their  testimonies  which  they  have 
given  to  the  truth,  and  blemish  their  memory,  as  if 
they  were  unworthy  to  he  named  in  our  sermons,  or, 
to  their  judgments,  to  be  held  in  any  estimation. 

It  is  the  only  way  for  a  man  gloriously  to  outlive 
himself,  to  be  the  instrument  of  doing  good  to  the 
church  of  God  when  he  is  gone  hence,  and  is  no  more 
seen.  '  Blessed  is  that  servant  whom  his  Master,  when 
he  Cometh,  shall  find  so  doing.' 

2.  What  ?     The  vision. 

Some  have  confounded  these  two  terms,  vision  and 
prophecy,  as  both  expressing  the  same  act  of  prophe- 
tical vocation. 

I  find  three  of  these  titles  used  together:  1  Chron. 
xxix.  29,  '  Now  the  acts  of  David  the  king,  first  and 
last,  behold,  they  are  written  in  the  book  of  Samuel 
the  seer,  and  in  the  book  of  Nathan  the  prophet,  and 
in  the  book  of  Gad  the  seer;'  where,  though  our  Eng- 
lish translation  do  use  the  same  word  for  Samuel  and 
Gad,  calling  them  both  seers,  the  Hebrew  distingnish- 
eth  them;  and  a  learned  professor  of  divinity*  doth 
read,  in  verbis  Samuelis  inspicientis,  the  inspector ; 
*  Dr  Hump.  Decor,  Interpret,  lib.  iii. 


Yer  ].] 


MARBURT  ON  OBADTAH. 


Nathan  propheta,   the   prophet;    Gad   videntis,    the 
seer. 

I  do  not  take  these  to  be  three  distinct  offices,  but 
three  parts  of  the  same. office;  for, 

1.  Such  must  be  videntes,  seers  ;  God  must  open 
their  eyes,  that  they  may  see  what  the  will  of  God  is. 

Balaam  being  to  prophesy  at  the  request  of  Balak 
against  Israel,  beginneth  thus,  Num.  xxiv.  3,  '  Balaam 
the  son  of  Beor  hath  said,  the  man  whose  eyes  are  open 
hath  said  :  he  hath  said,  which  heard  the  words  of 
God,  which  saw  the  vision  of  the  Ahnighty,  who  had 
his  eyes  shut,  but  now  open.' 

Therefore  they  must  be  videntes,  seers ;  for  if  the 
blind  do  lead  the  blind,  you  know  where  to  find  them 
both. 

2.  Such  must  be  inspicientes,  inspectors ;  and  that 
both  in  regard  of  the  suggestion  that  it  be  no  human 
phantasy,  no  Satanical  illusion,  but  a  divine  and 
spiritual  revelation. 

As  also  in  regard  of  the  thing  suggested,  that  they 
may  rightly  inform  themselves  in  the  will  of  God,  and 
BO  far  as  God  revealeth  it  sv  ttj  j3o-j/.r,  rou  '^sXri^aarog 
avTou,  that  they  may  boldly  say  and  maintain.  Sic 
DIGIT  DoMiNus,  Thus  saith  the  Lord. 

3.  Thus  prepared,  they  may  be  prophets,  that  is,  the 
publishers  of  this  will  of  God  to  them  to  whom  they  be 
sent. 

So  that  vision  and  inspection  belong  to  preparation, 
prophecy  to  execution  of  that  office ;  from  whence, 
docemur,  we  are  taught, 

Boct.  1,  The  faithful  minister  of  the  word  of  God 
must  receive  his  information  and  instruction  from  the 
Spirit  of  God  before  he  preach  or  prophesy. 

We  are  ambassadors  and  messengers  from  God,  and 
the  warrant  of  our  calling  is  our  mission.  The  apostle 
saith,  '  How  shall  he  preach  except  he  be  sent  ? '  for 
mission  importeth  fit  instructions  in  the  errand. 

God  hath  laid  blame  upon  them  that  run  unsent ; 
'and  no  man  putteth  himself'  in  that  employment 
'  but  he  that  was  sent,  as  was  Aaron.' 

The  Son  of  God  himself  was  sent ;  and  when  he 
came  to  do  the  wiU  of  him  that  sent  him,  he  saith. 
Lex  tua  scripta  est  in  corde  vieo.  He  professeth  to 
Nicodemus,  John  iii.  11,  'Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  we  speak  that  we  know,  and  testify  that  we 
have  seen  ;'  and  the  Baptist  saith,  John  i.  34,  '  I  saw 
and  bare  record.'  Christ  giveth  this  account  to  his 
Father  in  his  holy  prayer  :  John  xvii.  8,  '  I  have 
given  them  the  word  which  thou  gavest  me.'     For  so 


St  Peter  admonisheth  :  1  Peter  iv.  11,  *  If  any  man 
speak,  let  him  speak  as  t^e  oracles  of  God ;  if  any 
man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which 
God  giveth :  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified.' 
If  any  man  build  upon  this  foundation  of  Jesus  Christ 
either  timber,  hay,  or  stubble,  the  fire  of  God's  Spirit 
will  soon  consume  it.  If  we  build  gold  or  silver,  this 
fire  will  try  and  refine  it. 

Surely  this  vision  was  not  oculare,  but  mentale,  a 
divine  revelation  of  the  will  of  God.  The  eye  is  the 
most  noble  of  the  senses,  and  the  most  sure  of  the 
object,  therefore  he  in  the  comedy  saith, 

Ocnlatns  testis  uims  plans  est  faciendus  qnam 
anritl  decern. 

St  John,  '  That  which  we  have  seen  with  otu-  eyes, 
that  declare  we  unto  you.' 

The  understanding  is  the  eye  of  the  soul,  and  that 
seeth  much  more  perfectly  than  the  eye  of  the  body ; 
for  as  the  poet  saith, 

Fallunt  nos  ocnli  vagique  sensus, 
Ut  turris  prope  quae  qaadrata  surgit 
Detritis  procul  angulis  rotetur. 

The  distance  of  the  object,  and  the  debility  of  the 
organ,  can  make  the  sight  of  the  eye  fallible ;  but  in- 
tellectus  rectus,  a  right  understanding,  taketh  sight 
from  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  searcheth  all  things, 
etiam  arcana  Dei,  even  the  hidden  things  of  God. 

Therefore  the  apostle,  desiring  to  fit  Timothy  for 
this  holy  calling,  admonisheth  him  of  his  duty,  and 
saith,  2  Tim.  ii.  7,  '  Consider  what  I  say,  and  the 
Lord  give  thee  understanding  in  all  things  !' 

But  false  prophets  had  their  visions,  and  did  boast 
of  their  revelations,  and  came  as  boldly  amongst  the 
people  with  Sic  dicit  Dominus,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  as 
any  true  prophet  of  the  Lord  did. 

Satan  will  so  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of 
light,  2  Cor.  xi.  14,  that  you  cannot  know  him  from 
one  of  God's  holy  angels  easily ;  and  he  will  carry  the 
metamorphosis  so  cunningly,  '  that  if  it  were  possible, 
he  would  deceive  the  very  elect  of  God.'  Simon 
Magus  called  himself  •  the  great  power  of  God.' 
Celsus  inscribeth  his  oration  for  paganism  Vera  Oratio^ 
a  true  oration.  Manichaeus  calleth  himself  Manichaus 
apostolus  Jesu  Christi,  the  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ; 
and  saith,  Hcec  sunt  salubria  verba  de  fonte  perenni. 
Chrysostom  saith  that  the  Macedonian  heretics  did 
say,  Nos  recta  fide  incedimus.     St  Augustine,  XuUus 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


■error  se  audet  extollere  ad  congregandm  sibi  turbos  im- 
peritorum,  qui  non  Christiani  nominis  velamenta  con- 
quirat.*  Faustus  saith,  Salus  quam  Christus  promisit, 
apiid  me  est ;  ego  dabo. 

Therefore,  that  the  hearers  may  be  able  to  distin- 
guish inter  verum  et  verisimile,  that  which  is  true  and 
truth-like ;  and  as  the  apostle  biddeth,  to  '  try  the 
spirits  whether  they  be  of  God  or  no ;'  that  we  may 
beware  of  false  prophets,  and  know  them  from  such 
&s  receive  their  instructions  for  their  message  from 
God,  observe  these  notes  of  difierence  : 

1.  Lawful  calling.  We  read  of  no  true  prophet 
but  he  bad  a  mission  ;  as  before.  Christ  took  not  this 
iionour  upon  him  to  be  the  great  angel  of  the  cove- 
nant, but  was  sent  by  his  Father,  Heb.  v.  5. 

But  false  prophets  run,  and  ai-e  not  sent ;  God 
sendeth  none  such  on  his  errands  into  his  church. 

But  this  is  not  so  easily  discovered,  because  none 
do  make  more  show  of  lawful  calling  than  the  false 
prophets  do,  Jer.  xiv.  14. 

2.  The  application  of  the  prophecy  is  a  clearer  sign; 
for  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  xiv.  3,  '  He  that  prophe- 
sieth,  speaketh  to  men  [toj  edification,  exhortation, 
comfort.' 

This  edification  is  building  up  of  the  church  of  God. 
False  prophets  seek  the  pulling  down  of  God's  church, 
and  the  diverting  of  men  from  all  good  ways.  They 
seek  to  hinder  the  course  of  the  gospel,  and  to  dis- 
courage the  hearts  of  them  that  fear  God. 

Here  a  false  prophet  may  have  a  true  prophecy 
tending  to  the  good  of  the  church,  and  the  prophecy 
is  to  be  received  and  the  prophet  refused,  as  Caiaphas 
prophesied,  John  xi.  50,  Expedit  ut  unus  moriatur, 
it  is  meet  one  die  ;  and  Balaam  prophesied  truly,  yet 
was  he  a  false  prophet. 

3.  By  observing  the  aim  and  end  of  these  prophets  ; 
for  such  as  prophesy  aright  do  say  with  Christ,  Non 
^fuaro  gloriam  meam,  '  I  seek  not  my  own  glory  ;'  but 
false  prophets  seek  either  filthy  gain,  or  they  seek 
their  own  vain  glory.  The  apostle  saith,  Rom.  xvi.  18, 
•*  They  seek  not,  they  serve  not,  the  Lord,  but  their 
own  bellies.' 

4.  God  himself  giveth  this  note  of  difi'erence  in  the 
event  of  their  prophecies  :  Deut.  xviii.  22,  '  When  a 
prophet  speaketh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  if  the  thing 
follow  not  nor  come  to  pass,  that  is  the  thing  which 
the  Lord  hath  not  spoken,  but  the  prophet  hath  spoken 
it  presumptuously.' 

^    ■  ^*  Cont.  Fau.  lib.  xiii.  cap.  14. 


And  the  name  of  a  vision,  given  to  prophecy,  doth 
declare  the  certainty  of  the  event,  for  it  is  a  thing  so 
revealed  to  the  prophet  as  if  he  saw  it  with  his  eye. 

5.  The  persons  of  the  prophets  and  their  carriage 
doth  detect  them  ;  for  if  they  be  men  sanctified  and 
fitted  with  eminent  graces  for  that  service,  the  graces 
of  God  do  testify  of  them,  for  God  doth  send  none  but 
with  all  fit  preparations  for  the  execution  of  so  great 
an  office'. 

2.  This  title  of  vision  doth  give  us  assurance  of  all 
that  followeth  in  this  prophecy,  for  God  revealed  it, 
and  the  prophet  saw  it. 

Therefore,  so  many  of  you  as  desire  to  receive  any 
good  from  the  interpretation  of  this  prophecy,  re- 
member that  it  is  a  vision,  and  therefore  bring  your 
eyes  with  you  to  this  place,  not  the  eyes  of  your  body 
only,  but  the  spiritual  eyes  of  your  understanding,  and 
pray  with  David,  Dtvideam  mirabdia  tua,  '  Lord,  open 
thou  mine  eyes  that  I  may  see  thy  wonders.'  Christ, 
in  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind  who  had  lost  their 
sight,  and  in  giving  sight  to  them  that  were  bom  blind, 
did  declare  himself  so  to  be  more  than  man,  that  his 
enemies  could  not  tell  how  to  deny  his  Godhead. 

He  worketh  a  greater  wonder  every  day  in  his 
spiritual  illuminations  of  men's  understandings,  by 
which  the  ignorant  and  simple  do  learn  knowledge, 
and  poor  men  receive  the  gospel,  and,  as  the  apostle 
saith,  grace  '  rich  in  faith,'  and  are  declared  heirs  of 
that  kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them  that 
love  him,  James  ii.  5. 


Ver.  1.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  Edom. 
The  prophecy  followeth.     This  hath  two  parts  : 

1.  Against  Edom,  ver  1  to  16. 

2.  For  the  Israel  of  God,  ver.  17  to  the  end. 

The  title  of  the  first  part  is  my  text,  *  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  concerning  Edom.'     Consider  here, 

1.  The  subject  of  the  prophecy,  *  Edom.' 

2.  The  author  of  it,  Dicit  Doviinus,  •  Thus  saith  the 
Lord.' 

1.  Of  the  subject,  'Edom.' 

Isaac  had  two  sons  by  Rebekah,  Esau  and  Jacob. 
Esau  was  called  Edom.  The  reason  of  that  name  is 
thus  given :  Jacob  had  made  red  pottage,  and  when 
Esau  came  home  from  the  field  hungry  and  faint,  he 
said  to  his  brother  Jacob,  '  Feed  me,  I  pray  thee, 
with  that  red  pottage,  for  I  am  faint,'  Gen.  xxv. ; 
therefore  was  his  name  called  Edom,  because  he  so 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


affected  that  red  colonr,  being  himself  also  red  and 
very  hairy. 

This  name  doth  maintain  the  memory  of  a  quarrel, 
for  he  bought  that  red  pottage  dear  enough,  with  the 
sale  of  his  birthright. 

Esau  and  Jacob  are  a  figure  of  the  church  of  God 
and  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  for  they  strove  in  the 
womb  of  their  mother,  so  that  Rebekah  wondered  at 
it,  saying,  *  If  it  be  so,  why  am  I  thus  '?'  ver.  12. 

The  blessing,  howsoever  usurped  by  Esau,  belongeth 
to  Jacob ;  and  when  Jacob  hath  his  right,  Esau  is  angry. 

From  this  natural  antipathy  between  these  two 
brethren,  and  the  grudge  that  the  elder  should  serve 
the  younger  ; 

From  the  sentence  of  this  difference,  which  was,  *  I 
have  loved  Jacob,  and  have  hated  Esau  :'  there  was 
ever  mutaal  war  and  hatred  between  Israel  andEdom 
in  their  succeeding  posterities,  for  the  posterity  of  Esau 
did  increase  both  in  number  and  wealth,  and  grew 
both  many  and  strong. 

Thus  doth  the  world  gather  riches  and  strength,  and 
armeth  itself  against  the  church  of  God,  and  therefore 
the  church  is  called  militant. 

Concerning  Edom  is  this  part  of  the  prophecy,  de- 
claring both  God's  quarrel  against  them  and  his  jud^r- 
ment  threatened. 

We  may  take  notice  here  of  one  point  by  the  way : 
Edom  is  a  mighty  people,  a  strong  and  rich  nation, 
able  to  molest  the  Lord's  Israel,  that  God  from 
heaven  undertaketh  the  quarrel  of  his  church. 

Do  you  not  see  that  they  whom  God  hates  may 
have  riches,  and  honour,  and  strength,  and  may  in- 
crease, and  grow  into  multitudes.  How  cometh  it  then 
to  pass  that  so  many  in  the  world  do  measure  the  love 
and  favour  of  God  by  these  outward  things,  as  one 
flattered  his  prince, 

0  niminm  dilecte,  deo  tibi  militat  aether  ? 

What  though  their  oxen  be  strong  to  labour ;  what 
though  their  sheep  bring  forth  thousands,  and  though 
they  have  the  fruits  of  the  womb,  of  the  herb,  and 
purchase  lands  donee  non  sit  locus,  till  there  be  no 
room;  what  though  they  have  power  and  high 
places :  all  this  had  Edom,  whom  God  hated  ;  and 
doth  not  our  Saviour  make  it  an  hard  thing  for  the 
rich  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ? 

Outward  things  are  the  gifts  of  God,  and  he  doth 
not  value  them  at  so  high  a  rate  as  we  do.  He  doth 
not  care  if  his  enemies  have  them. 


His  own  Son,  when  he  took  upon  him  our  flesh,  had 
none  of  them  more  than  for  necessity ;  and  his  apostle 
persuadeth  us,  if  we  have  food  and  raiment,  to  be  there- 
with content. 

For  there  be  snares  in  these  outward  things,  and  if 
God  give  not  a  blessing  with  them,  they  be  the  rods 
of  God  to  scourge  the  sons  of  men,  and  great  impedi- 
ments to  godly  hfe. 

There  is  an  holy  use  may  be  made  of  them,  but 
they  are  not  our  happiness,  seeing  they  whom  God 
hateth  may  have  them  in  a  greater  abundance  than 
those  whom  God  loveth  best. 

2.  The  author  of  the  prophecy,  'Thus  saith  the 
Lord.' 

This  is  the  assurance  of  the  truth  of  all  that  folio  weth 
in  this  prophecy,  and  it  is  the  ground  of  our  faith  to 
believe  what  is  here  revealed ;  it  is  no  passionate  mo- 
tion in  the  heart  and  afiections  of  the  prophet  against 
Edom,  but  it  is  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

These  be  the  bounds  that  are  set  to  the  prophets 
and  holy  ministers  of  the  Lord  ;  we  may  go  no  fur- 
ther than  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Christ  himself  saith 
often,  '  The  word  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  gave  them." 
And  Balaam  did  his  office  and  calling  right  when  he 
told  the  king  of  Moab,  Num.  xsii.  38,  &c.,  '  Lo,  I  am 
come  unto  thee  :  have  I  any  power  to  say  anything  ? 
the  word  that  God  putteth  in  my  month,  that  shall  I 
speak.'  '  Must  I  not  take  heed  to  speak  what  the  Lord 
hath  put  in  my  mouth  ?'  '  All  that  the  Lord  speaketh, 
that  must  I  do.'  'And  Balaam  said  unto  Balak,  Spake 
I  not  to  thy  messengers,  saying.  If  Balak  would  give  me 
his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  to  do  either  good  or 
bad  of  mine  own  mind ;  but  what  the  Lord  saith,  that 
will  I  speak.' 

When  God  designed  Jeremiah  to  the  office  of  a  pro- 
phet, who  did  fear  to  undertake  that  great  employment, 
God  said  to  him,  Jer.  xvii.,  '  Say  not  I  am  a  child:  for 
thou  shalt  go  to  all  that  I  shall  send  thee,  and  whatso- 
ever I  command  thee  shalt  thou  speak.' 

When  our  Saviour  sent  forth  his  disciples,  he  so 
limited  them:  Mat.  xsviii.  20,  'Teach  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you.' 

And  accordingly  St  Paul  doth  profess,  1  Cor.  xv.  3, 
•  First  of  all  I  delivered  unto  you  that  which  I  also  re- 
ceived.' 

Thus  doth  the  apostle  again  profess,  being  accused 
of  the  Jews,  Acts  xxvi.  22,  '  I  obtained  help  of  God, 
and  continue  unto  this  day,  witnessing  unto  small  and 


MAKBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


great,  saying  no  other  things  than  those  which  the  pro- 
phets and  Moses  did  say  should  come.' 

1.  This  limitation  we  find  in  the  titles  of  our  office, 
for  we  are  the  Lord's  workmen,  and  we  must  do  his 
work,  not  our  own ;  the  Lord's  builders,  he  provideth 
the  materials,  we  work  not  by  great  but  by  day-work. 

We  are  the  Lord's  messengers  and  ambassadors  ; 
we  may  not  digress  from  our  instructions  ;  the  mes- 
senger of  the  Lord  must  speak  the  Lord's  message. 

2.  This  is  necessary  in  respect  of  those  to  whom  we 
are  sent  for  the  settling  of  their  faith  ;  so  the  apostle 
bath  declared  it :  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  '  And  my  speech  and 
my  preaching  was  not  in  the  enticing  words  of  man's 
wisdom,  but  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and 
power,  that  your  faith  should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom 
of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God.  But  we  speak  the 
wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery.' 

There  is  nothing  that  giveth  faith  firm  footing  but 
the  word  of  God.  That  is  the  Lord's  fan  which  purgeth 
away  the  chaff  and  trash  from  the  good  corn.  That  is 
the  bread  of  our  Father's  house ;  words  of  men's  brains 
be  the  husks  that  the  prodigal  gathered  up  in  his 
famine.  That  is  the  two-edged  sword  that  divideth 
between  the  bone  and  the  marrow  ;  that  is  the  medi- 
cine that  searcheth  the  sores  and  diseases  of  the  in- 
ward man.  Human  wisdom  put  into  the  best  words 
is  but  as  a  wooden  dagger  ;  it  may  dry  beat,  it  will 
never  kill  the  body  of  sin ;  it  is  an  unguent,  it  corrod- 
eth  not. 

3.  Great  is  the  danger  of  those  that  shall  speak 
anything  but  the  word  of  God  to  God's  people,  or 
shall  conceal  anything  of  that  which  is  given  them  to 
speak. 

So  God  saith  to  Jeremiah,  chap.  i.  17,  'Thou  there- 
fore truss  up  thy  loins,  arise,  and  speak  unto  them  all 
that  I  command  thee :  be  not  afraid  of  their  faces,  lest 
I  destroy  thee  before  them.' 

And  to  Ezekiel,  chap.  iii.  18,  '  If  thou  sound  not 
the  trumpet,  nor  give  warning  to  the  wicked  man  of 
his  wicked  way,  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy 
hand.' 

This  is  not  our  own  trumpet,  but  the  Lord's  ;  ours 
giveth  an  uncertain  sound,  the  Lord's  trumpet  awaketh 
men  to  the  battle. 

From  hence  both  the  minister  and  the  people  have 
their  lessons. 

1.  The  minister.  We  are  taught  to  exercise  our- 
selves in  the  holy  studies  of  the  word  of  God,  that 
we  may  be  able  to  divide  the  word  of  God  aright, 


that  we  may  wisely  understand  the  word  of  God,  to 
be  able  to  minister  the  word  of  God  in  due  season. 

The  ignorant  and  unlearned  man  is  no  fit  man  for 
this  employment ;  to  such  saith  God,  Hosea  iv.  6, 
'Because  thou  hast  refused  knowledge,  I  will  also 
refuse  thee  :  tho«  shalt  be  no  priest  to  me.' 

For  why  should  any  dare  to  intrude  himself  into 
this  great  service  to  teach  others  in  the  word,  seeing 
himself  untaught  ?  for,  Mai.  ii.  31,  '  The  priest's  lips 
should  preserve  knowledge,  and  the  people  must  seek 
the  law  at  their  mouth.'  Doth  any  man  send  a  lame 
man  of  his  errand,  or  put  his  message  into  the  mouth 
of  a  dumb  man?  We  are  the  Lord's  messengers.  Doth 
any  man  set  an  unskilful  man  to  build,  that  knoweth 
not  how  to  use  his  tools  ?  We  are  the  Lord's  builders. 
Doth  any  man  set  an  unexperienced  man  to  take 
charge  of  his  sheep  ?  We  are  the  Lord's  shepherds  of 
his  flock. 

Jeroboam  took  the  right  way  to  destroy  true  reli- 
gion, and  to  set  up  idolatry  :  1  Kings  xiii.  83,  34, 
'  He  made  of  the  lowest  of  the  people  priests  of  the 
high  places :  whosoever  would,  he  consecrated  him, 
and  he  became  one  of  the  priests  of  the  high  places. 
And  this  thing  became  sin  to  the  house  of  Jeroboam, 
even-  to  cut  it  off  and  to  destroy  it  from  off  the  face  of 
the  earth.' 

Surely  such  ministers,  though  they  have  the  out- 
ward calling  of  the  church,  yet  do  they  want  the  in- 
ward calling  of  God  ;  and  being  darkness,  they  possess 
the  place  of  light,  and  they  are  blind  leaders  of  the 
blind,  as  Christ  calleth  them. 

Two  sorts  of  ministers  are  here  excluded. 

(1.)  Those  that  know  not  what  the  Lord  saith,  and 
therefore  use  the  holy  calling  of  the  ministry  but  as 
a  means  for  their  maintenance,  without  cai'e  or  con- 
science of  feeding  the  flock  of  Christ,  and  woe  is  to 
them  because  they  preach  not  the  gospel ;  they  usurp 
the  wool  and  milk  of  the  flock,  and  have  no  right  to 
the  inheritance  of  God,  that  is,  the  tithes  of  the 
people. 

(2.)  Those  who  know  not,  understand  not  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  yet,  trusting  to  their  own  natural  parts, 
do  boldly  step  up  and  usurp  the  chair  of  Moses,  and 
are  imperitomm  magistri,  teachers  of  the  unlearned, 
before  they  have  been  peritorum  discipuU,  scholars  of 
the  learned.  And  these  are  the  more  dangerous  of 
the  two  ;  better  an  unpreaching  minister  that  readeth 
the  word  of  God  distinctly,  than  an  ignorant  preacher 
that  presumeth  ex  ])uns  naturalibus,  from  his  pure 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


naturals  to  deal  with  those  things  which  are  too  high 
and  deep  for  him. 

2.  Ministers  are  taught  their  great  duty  of  faith- 
fulness, of  which  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  iv.  2, 
'  Moreover,  it  is  required  of  stewards  that  a  man  be 
found  faithful.' 

He  must  sav,  Thus  saith  the  Lord.  That  is,  he 
must  say, 

1.  Qiiod  dicil  Dominiis,  what  the  Lord  saith  is  the 
truth. 

2.  Cfinne  quod  dicit,  all  that,  all  the  truth. 

3.  Quomodo  dicit,  in  the  same  manner,  Thus, 

1.  For  we  may  not  go  from  our  instructions  to 
speak  of  ourselves  anything,  but  we  must  first  receive 
from  the  Lord,  and  then  we  must  speak  that.  It  was 
Nathan's  error,  when  David  did  open  to  him  his  pur- 
pose for  building  of  the  Lord's  house,  that  before  he 
had  understood  the  will  of  God  therein,  he  encouraged 
him,  saying,  '  Do  all  that  is  in  thy  heart ;'  and  there- 
fore he  was  sent  again  to  him  to  unsay  it. 

2.  Neither  may  we  suppress  anything  of  that  which 
is  put  into  our  mouths.  The  apostle  saith,  Acts  iv. 
20,  '  We  cannot  but  speak  those  things  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard.'  And  Saint  Paul  saith  to  the  elders 
of  Ephesus,  Acts  xx.  26,  27,  *  I  take  you  to  record 
this  day,  that  I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men  ; 
for  I  have  concealed  nothing,  but  have  revealed  to  you 
all  the  counsel  of  God.' 

For  surely,  as  God  told  Ezekiel,  it  is  as  much  as 
our  salvation  is  worth  to  leave  any  part  of  God's  re- 
vealed will  in  Scripture  untaught. 

3.  Neither  may  we  change  the  manner  of  God's 
speakings  ;  for  there  is  a  form  of  doctrine  delivered 
to  us,  and  there  is  a  form  of  words  ;  we  must  not  only 
say  tliis,  but  thus  saith  the  Lord. 

For  so  Saint  Peter  admonisheth :  1  Pet.  iv.  11,  'If 
any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles  of  God.' 
Not  mingling  human  fancies  with  divine  doctrines ; 
not  mingling  words  of  human  wisdom  with  holy  ex- 
hortations ;  not  mingling  our  own  spirit  of  contradic- 
tion with  our  confutations  of  the  adversary ;  not 
mingling  any  of  our  own  spirit  of  bitterness  and  pas- 
sions with  our  just  reprehensions  of  sin,  drawincr 
against  Satan  and  sin  no  other  sword  but  '  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God.'  Thus  shall 
we  be  '  unto  God  the  sweet  savour  of  Christ  in  them 
that  are  saved,'  2  Cor.  ii.  13. 

We  shall  meet  with  many  discouragements  in  this 
our  office,  and  we  shall  lose  a  great  deal  of  labour  ; 


but  so  did  our  Master,  it  is  his  complaint,  though 
never  any  were  so  sufficient  for  this  service  as  he  was. 

1.  For  his  calling  :  Isa.  xlix.  4,  '  The  Lord  hath 
called  me  from  the  womb  ;  from  the  bowels  of  my 
mother  hath  he  made  mention  of  my  name.' 

2.  For  his  fitting  to  that  calling  :  ver.  2,  '  He  hath 
made  my  mouth  like  a  sharp  sword  ;  in  the  shadow 
of  his  hand  hath  he  hid  me,  and  made  me  a  polished 
shaft.'  Yet  he  complaineth  :  ver.  4,  '  Then  I  said,  I 
have  laboured  in  vain  ;  I  have  spent  my  strength  for 
nought,  and  in  vain.'  Yet  his  comfort  was  :  '  Yet 
surely  my  judgment  is  with  the  Lord,  and  my  work 
(or  my  reward)  with  my  God.' 

Object.  Here  some  think  that  the  limitation  of  us 
to  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  doth  so  restrain  the  minister 
of  the  word  to  the  word  of  God,  that  it  is  not  lawful 
to  mention  the  names  either  of  the  ancient  fathers  of 
the  church,  or  of  any  heathen  writers  in  our  sermons. 

A  point  touched  somewhat  to  the  quick  by  a  great 
and  learned  divine  even  upon  this  text  in  print. 

To  which  my  moderate  and  just  answer  is, 

1.  That  as  there  is  authoritas  Scripturic,  the  autho- 
rity of  Scripture,  which  is  the  ground  of  faith,  so  there 
must  be  testimonium  ecclesid,  the  witness  of  the  church, 
as  Yincent.  Lyrinensis  well  adviseth,*  Quia  Scriptu- 
ram  sacram  non  uno  eodemque  sensu  universi  aicepe- 
rurU. 

And  in  this  case,  not  having  antiquitatem  ministran- 
tem,  universal  consent,  and  we  are  put  to  it  to  search 
out  what  the  most  learned  and  most  sincere  divines 
in  all  ages  have  taught  concerning  this  point ;  and 
here  there  is  a  necessity  of  consulting  and  declaring 
the  constant  judgment  of  the  church  for  the  testimony 
to  the  truth. 

2.  In  all  points  of  doctrine,  it  giveth  a  great  assur- 
ance to  our  hearers  of  our  faithfulness,  if  we  declare 
ourselves  to  be  such  as  feed  our  hearers  with  the  same 
bread  of  life  which  our  fathers  before  us  did  break  to 
their  children. 

3.  Whereas  it  is  surmised  that  these  citations  of 
fathers  be  but  a  pride  of  our  feeding,!  and  a  vain  boast 
of  our  learning,  it  were  more  charitable  to  think, 

1.  That  our  humility  is  such,  that  we  are  not 
ashamed  to  profess  by  whom  we  learn  anything. 

2.  That  we  have  so  unworthy  an  opinion  of  our 
own  judgments,  that  we  choose  rather  to  apply  the 
learned  judgments  of  those  that  have  gone  before  us 
than  our  own. 

*   Chap.  ii.  t  Qu.  '  reading  '  ? — Ed. 


10 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


And  who  can  deny  but  that  our  preaching  out  of 
them  is  with  the  warrant  of  our  text  ?  Sic  dicil  Do- 
minus,  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  if  the  Lord  spake  by  them 
to  his  church  ? 

For  the  use  of  heathen  writers,  I  only  say,  wnth  St 
Augustine,  Oinnis  scientia  in  rjenere  honorum  est,  in 
anauUne  sterili  potest  uva  pendere.  Truth  is  the  lan- 
guage of  God,  and  if  ignorant  men,  wicked  men,  devils, 
do  speak  truth,  we  may  quote  and  write  them  ;  and 
we  may  say  truly,  Sic  dicit  Dominns,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord. 

The  prophecy  of  wicked  Balaam,  and  of  Caiaphas, 
was  the  word  of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  confession  of 
devils  testifying  of  Christ  is  a  good  confession  ;  there 
is  no  wrong  done  to  the  word.  Qui  iion  est  contra  me, 
mecum  est,  he  that  is  not  against  me  is  with  me. 

2.  The  hearer's  lesson.  You  are  all  taught  to  re- 
ceive this  wholesome  doctrine  which  the  minister 
preacheth  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  '  It  is  not 
yon  that  speak,'  saith  Christ ;  '  he  that  hath  ears  to 
hear  must  hear,'  quod  Spiritus  dicit,  '  what  the  Spirit 
speaketh.' 

When  we  tell  the  house  of  Jacob  of  their  sins,  this 
is  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

When  we  say  unto  you,  going  in  an  evil  way,  as 
Lot  to  the  Sodomites,  *  Do  not  so  wickedly,'  do  not 
say.  Burns  est  hie  sermo,  he  railed  to-day  against 
swearing,  or  against  drunkenness,  &c.  I  will  tell  you 
how  you  shall  receive  both  comfort  and  great  profit 
by  our  ministry ;  and  *  the  word  is  given  to  profit 
withal.' 

'  Do  not  my  words  do  good  to  him  that  walketh 
uprightly  ?  'Micah  ii.  7.    Recto  judicio  :  rectis  morihus. 

I  will  give  you  a  fair  example. 

Israel  said  to  Moses,  Deut.  v.  27,  28,  '  Go  thou  now 
near,  and  hear  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall  say  ; 
and  speak  thou  unto  us  all  that  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  speak  unto  thee,  and  we  will  hear  it,  and  do  it.' 
God  took  it  well,  and  said  to  Moses,  '  I  have  heard 
the  voice  of  this  people  :  they  have  well  said  all  that 
they  have  spoken.' 

We  must  tell  you  that  the  word  of  the  Lord,  which 
he  sendeth  forth  in  our  ministry,  shall  not  return  to 
him  empty,  it  shall  finish  the  thing  for  which  it  was 
sent. 

Therefore  take  you  heed  how  you  hear,  and  con- 
sider what  we  say ;  hide  the  word  that  we  preach  in 
your  hearts,  that  you  sin  not  against  God. 

If  we  do  our  duty,  he  that  heareth  us  and  receiveth 


us  receiveth  Jesus  Christ  that  sent  us,  and  in  these 
earthen  vessels  rich  treasures  are  brought  unto  him. 

He  that  refuseth  us  and  our  ministry  refuseth  him 
that  sent  us;  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  which  we 
bring  to  them  will  prove  a  rod  [of]  correction  to 
chastise  them ;  and  although  they  feel  not  the  pain 
presently,  it  will  be  owing  to  them  till  affliction  or 
death  assault  them,  and  then  they  will  remember  the 
word  of  the  Lord  with  much  horror. 


Ver.  1.  We  have  heard  a  rumour  from  the  Lord,  and 
an  ambassador  is  sent  among  the  heathen,  Arise  ye,  and 
let  us  arise  against  her  in  battle. 

We  are  now  come  to  the  prophecy  itself,  which 
holdeth  to  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  verse.  The  parts 
whereof  are  four. 

1.  The  judgment  intended  against  Edom,  vers.  1,  2. 

2.  All  the  hopes  of  Edom  despaired,  ver.  3-9. 

3.  The  cause  provoking  God  to  this  severe  process 
against  them,  ver.  10-14. 

4.  God's  revenge  upon  them,  vers.  15,  16. 
1.  In  the  judgment  intended,  observe, 
(1.)  The  discovery  thereof. 

(2.)  The  effect  of  it. 

(1.)  In  the  discovery,  observe, 

[1.]  By  whom  it  was  discovered. 

[2. J  How,  two  ways  :  Jirst,  by  a  rumour  of  the 
Lord ;  secondly,  by  ambassadors. 

[1.]  To  whom  this  threatened  judgment  was  dis- 
covered, we  have  heard.  We,  that  is,  the  prophets 
of  the  Lord  ;  for  although  Obadiah  writ  this  present 
prophecy,  yet  was  not  this  judgment  only  revealed  to 
him,  but  to  many  more  of  the  holy  prophets ;  for  so 
saith  the  prophet  Amos,  chap.  iii.  7,  '  Surely  the  Lord 
will  do  nothing,  but  he  revealeth  his  secret  to  his  servants 
the  prophets,'  not  unto  one  only,  but  to  more.  And 
so  fully  was  this  revealed  to  Jeremiah,  that  he  doth 
prophesy  even  in  the  same  words  against  Edom,  but 
under  the  name  of  Bozrah,  which  was  the  name  of  a 
principal  city  in  Edom,  as  appeareth  Gen.  xxxvi.  33. 
The  words  of  the  prophecy  are  these,  Jer.  xlix.  13, 
'  I  have  sworn  by  myself,  saith  the  Lord,  that  Bozrah 
shall  become  a  desolation,  a  reproach,  a  waste,  and  a 
curse,  and  all  the  cities  thereof  shall  be  perpetual 
wastes.'  '  I  have  heard  a  rumour  from  the  Lord,  an 
ambassador  is  sent  to  the  heathen,  saying.  Gather  ye 
together  and  come  against  her,'  &c.  The  margins  of 
the  Bibles  refer  you.  to  that  place :    Deut.  xxiii.  7, 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH, 


11 


•  The  Lord  gave  great  charge  to  Israel  concerning 
Edom,  Thou  shalt  not  abhor  an  Edomite,  for  he  is 
thy  brother.' 

Yet  because  the  Edomite  was  ever  an  enemy  to 
Israel,  God  revealed  his  judgment  against  them  to 
many  of  his  prophets. 

Balaam  foretold  their  subjection  to  Israel :  Num. 
xxiv.  18,  19,  *  And  Edom  shall  be  a  possession,  Seir 
also  shall  be  a  possession  for  his  enemies  ;  and  Israel 
shall  do  valiantly.  Out  of  Jacob  shall  he  come  that 
shall  have  dominion,  and  shall  destroy  him  that  re- 
maineth  of  that  city.' 

The  psalmist  prayeth  for  their  punishment :  Ps. 
cxxxvii.  7,  '  Remember,  0  Lord,  the  children  of 
Edom,' 

It  had  not  been  lawful  for  the  prophet  to  have  pro- 
voked the  justice  of  God  against  Edom,  unless  God 
had  revealed  his  purpose  of  judgment  intended  against 
them  to  him.  For  David's  imprecations  be  all  pro- 
phecies. '  The  burden  of  Dumah  (that  is,  of  Idumea). 
He  calleth  unto  me  out  of  Seir,  Watchman,  what  was 
in  the  night  ?  '  &c.,  Isa.  xxi.  11.  '  The  sword  of  the 
Lord  is  filled  with  blood  ;  it  is  made  fat  with  fatness, 
&c.  For  the  Lord  hath  a  sacrifice  in  Bozrah,  and  a 
great  slaughter  in  the  land  of  Idumea,'  Isa.  xxxiv.  6. 

•  Rejoice  and  be  glad,  0  daughter  of  Edom,  that 
dwellest  in  the  land  of  Uz  :  the  cup  also  shall  pass 
through  unto  thee  ;  thou  shalt  be  drunken,  and  shalt 
make  thyself  naked,'  Lam.  iv. 

As  to  the  young  man,  Rejoice,  0  young  man, 
Ironice  q.  d.,  make  thee  merry  whilst  thou  mayest, 
for  thou  art  like  to  have  sorrow  and  care  enough. 
Amos  also  foretold  as  much,  chap.  i.  11,  •  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  For  three  transgressions,  and  for  four,  I 
will  not  turn  away  the  punishment  thereof;  because 
he  did  pursue  his  brother  with  the  sword,  and  did 
cast  ofi"  all  pity,  and  did  tear  perpetually,  and  kept 
his  wrath  for  ever.'  Which  causes  are  after  in  this 
prophecy  alleged.  '  But  I  will  send  fire  upon  Teman, 
which  shall  devour  the  palaces  of  Bozrah.'  Ezek. 
XXV.  12,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Because  that 
Edom  hath  dealt  against  the  house  of  Judah  by  tak- 
ing vengeance,  and  hath  revenged  himself  upon  them  ; 
I  will  also  stretch  out  my  hand  upon  Edom,  and  I 
will  cut  ofi"  man  and  beast  from  it ;  and  I  will  make 
it  desolate  from  Teman  ;  and  they  of  Dedan  shall  fall 
by  the  sword.  And  I  wiU  lay  my  vengeance  upon 
Edom  by  the  hand  of  my  people  Israel :  and  they  shall 
do  in  Edom  according  to  mine  anger,  and  according  to 


my  fury ;  and  they  shall  know  my  vengeance,  saith 
the  Lord.'  Chap.  xxxv.  2,  '  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face 
against  mount  Seir,  and  prophesy  against  it,  and  say 
unto  it.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  0  mount 
Seir,  I  am  against  thee,  and  I  will  stretch  oat  my 
hand  against  thee,  and  I  will  make  thee  most  deso- 
late,' &c. 

I  may  say  now  as  the  messengers  sent  to  bring 
Micaiah  to  king  Ahab  said,  1  Kings  xxii.  13,  but  in 
a  contrary.  Behold,  the  words  of  the  prophets  declare 
evil  unto  Edom  with  one  mouth. 

And  now  you  see  what  reason  this  prophet  hath  to 
say,  *  We  have  heard,'  for  God  hath  revealed  this 
threatened  judgment  to  his  servants  the  prophets, 
and  with  one  mouth  they  declare  it.  From  whence 
we  are  taught, 

Doct.  1.  That  the  decrees  of  God's  judgment  upon 
the  wicked  are  constant  aad  unchangeable. 

1.  For  God  is  without  variableness  and  shadow  of 
alteration.  Hos.  xiii.  11,  '  The  word  is  gone  out  of 
my  mouth,  it  shall  not  return  empty,  but  it  shall 
finish  the  thing  for  which  it  is  sent ;  repentance  is 
hid  from  mine  eyes.*  *  God  is  not  as  man,  that  he 
should  repent ;  he  hath  sworn  in  his  wrath  they  shall 
not  enter  into  his  rest.'  And,  '  The  Lord  hath 
sworn,  and  wiU  not  repent.' 

2.  From  the  nature  of  the  wicked,  against  whom 
he  threateneth  judgment,  for  they  have  hearts  that 
cannot  repent,  and  therefore  they  heap  up  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath.  God's  hatred  doth  deprive 
them  of  aU  the  means  of  grace,  and  none  can  be 
eff"ectual  in  them  or  to  them ;  and  he  hath  said,  *  I 
have  hated  Esau.' 

Sin  is  folly,  sinners  are  fools.  *  Bray  a  fool  in  a 
mortar,  yet  will  not  his  foolishness  depart  from  him.' 
Therefore  they  are  under  the  rods  and  scorpions  of 
wrath,  and  cannot  avoid  the  same. 

3.  From  the  faithfulness  of  his  prophets  ;  for  the 
prophets  of  the  Lord,  that  threaten  these  judgments 
from  his  mouth,  shall  not  be  found  liars  ;  seeing  their 
prophecies  are  no  self-given  notions,  but  inspirations 
of  his  Spirit,  which  is  the  Spirit  of  truth. 

You  know  how  Jonah  was  troubled  to  be  a  mes- 
senger of  judgment  to  Nineveh,  when  he  was  per- 
suaded that  God  would  shew  them  mercy,  and  so  his 
prophecy  fall  to  the  ground.  He  could  rather  have 
looked  on  to  see  the  utt^r  destruction  of  Nineveh, 
than  that  his  prophecy  should  be  found  unperformed ; 
therefore  he  went  another  way  at  first,  and  would  not 


12 


MAEBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Veb.  1. 


come  to  Nineveh,  and  when  he  had  prophesied  he 
went  out  of  the  city,  and  there  expected  the  event  of 
his  prophecy,  and  was  angry  that  it  succeeded  not. 

Qucr.  We  find  that  in  that  example  God  changed, 
and  repented  him  of  the  evil  which  he  had  threatened 
against  Nineveh  ;  how  then  do  we  say,  that  the  judg- 
ments of  God  against  the  wicked  be  unreversible  ? 
Jonah  iii.  10,  '  And  God  saw  their  works,  that  they 
turned  from  their  evil  way  ;  and  God  repented  of 
the  evil  that  he  had  said  he  would  do  unto  them,  and 
he  did  it  not.' 

Sol.  To  this  we  answer,  that  God's  repentance  was 
no  change  of  his  mind,  or  auy  alteration  of  his  coun- 
sel or  decree,  but  a  deferring  of  the  execution  of  his 
judgment. 

The  change  was  in  Nineveh,  and  the  repentance 
was  in  them.  They  humbled  themselves  before  God, 
and  they  both  did  the  works  of  mortification,  and  they 
also  believed  God,  chap,  iii-  5.  This  was  not  a  justi- 
fying faith,  which  is  credere  in  Deum,  to  believe  in  God, 
but  an  historical,  which  is  credere  Deo,  to  believe  God. 

And  God  would  have  his  church  see,  that  if  Ahab 
humble  himself  and  go  in  sackcloth,  if  Nineveh  give 
over  evil  works  and  repent  them  of  their  sins,  he  will 
turn  from  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath,  all  to  encourage 
repentance.  But  Jonah  was  a  true  prophet  of  God's 
judgment ;  their  repentance  was  not  pcBnitenUa  non 
pcDuitenda,  a  repentance  not  to  be  repented  of,  for 
they  resumed  their  evil  ways ;  and  Nahum  doth 
renew  the  threatenings  of  Jonah,  and  declareth  the 
Lord's  judgments  against  Nineveh.  For  the  repent- 
ance of  the  wicked  is  but  for  a  season,  and  as  it  is 
temporary  so  it  remove th  judgment  for  a  time  ;  but 
they  returning  to  their  sins,  he  retumeth  also  to  the 
execution  of  his  intended  punishment.  So  Ahab  was 
forborne  for  a  time  upon  his  humiliation,  but  he 
escaped  not  the  hand  of  judgment ;  for  God  cannot 
lie.  His  prophets  speak  sure  words,  as  the  apostle 
saith,  2  Pet.  i.  19,  '  We  have  a  more  sure  word  of 
prophecy,  to  which  you  do  well  if  you  take  heed,  as 
to  a  light,'  &c. 

Quer.  When  Abraham  had  heard  the  decree  of  God 
against  the  transgressing  cities,  did  not  he  know  that 
God's  decrees  of  judgment  were  immutable  ?  How 
then  did  he  solicit  God  for  the  reversing  of  the  same  ? 
Did  he  well  in  so  doing  ? 

Sol.  Abraham's  plea  doth  clear  this  point ;  for 
upon  the  first  notice  from  God  of  his  intended  judg- 
ment, he  pleadeth  for  Sodom,  Gen.  xviii.  23,  not  to 


turn  away  the  wrath  from  the  ungodly  there,  but  he 
saith,  '  Wilt  thou  also  destroy  the  righteous  with  the 
wicked  ?  '  &c.  The  care  of  Abraham  was  for  the 
place  and  for  the  persons  of  the  righteous  ;  he  doth 
not  solicit  God  for  the  wicked  there. 

Again,  to  pray  for  the  ungodly  and  wicked,  to 
divert  judgment  from  them,  when  God  hath  revealed 
his  displeasure  against  them,  is  not  unlawful. 

1.  Because  Christian  charity  •  hopeth  all  things, 
believeth  all  things.' 

2.  Because  many  of  God's  judgments  are  temporal, 
and  his  anger  against  the  sons  of  men  continueth  not 
long ;  so  that  we  may  hope  that  either  God  may 
divert  the  evil,  or  mitigate  the  same,  or  give  patience 
to  bear  it,  or  sanctify  the  chastisement,  ad  dignam 
emendationem,  for  their  amendment,  for  only  the  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his. 

When  Saul  was  rejected,  and  Samuel  was  the  mes- 
senger of  that  heavy  judgment,  yet  '  Samuel  did  not 
cease  mourning  for  Saul  until  the  day  of  his  death,' 
1  Sam.  XV.  35. 

That  is  the  most  effectual  manner  of  praying,  even 
that  which  the  Holy  Ghost  useth  in  us,  with  sighs 
and  groans.  Plus  Jietu  quam  afflatu.  Thus  when 
Abraham  saw  Ishmael  cast  out  for  a  scorner  and  per- 
secutor of  Isaac,  yet  he  prayed, '  Oh  that  Ishmael  might 
live  in  thy  sight.'  And  God  said,  *  I  have  heard 
thee  also  concerning  him,'  somewhat  is  obtained. 
Therefore  let  us  still  be  praying  for  all  men,  espe- 
cially seeing  God  doth  not  make  us  of  his  counsel  so 
far  as  to  declare  to  us  whom  he  accepteth,  and  whom 
he  rejecteth. 

From  this  lesson  of  the  certainty  of  the  judgments 
of  God  upon  the  wicked  ;  certain,  whether  we  con- 
sider the  nature  of  God,  without  change,  or  the  weak- 
ness of  man,  without  any  possibility  of  resisting,  or 
the  nature  of  the  reprobate,  without  any  ability  of 
repenting,  we  are  taught, 

1.  To  rest  in  the  decree  of  God.  Let  us  know 
that  he  cannot  deny  himself;  and  therefore  though 
wrath  go  not  out  from  the  Lord  presently,  and  although 
his  judgment  is  delayed,  yet  let  us  resolve  that  upon 
the  wicked  he  will  rain  snares,  and  he  will  break  the 
impenitent  with  rods  of  iron. 

He  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  preaching  to 
the  old  world,  and  they  repented  not,  so  long  was  he 
ere  he  would  pluck  his  hand  out  of  his  bosom ;  yet 
at  last  he  smote  the  world  with  a  great  slaughter,  and 
drowned  all  but  eight  persons. 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


13 


Two  errors  do  grow  in  us,  if  we  do  not  wisely 
weigh  this  doctrine. 

1.  An  error  in  judgment. 

*  These  things  hast  thou  done,  and  I  kept  silence  : 
thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  altogether  such  a  one  as 
thyself,'  Ps.  x.  21.  As  Augustine,  Deion  quia  non 
pateris  ultorem,  vis  habere  participem,  quia  malefacta 
tiia  placent  tibi,  tu  piitas  etiam  ea  placere  mihi. 

2.  An  error  in  manners. 

'  Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  exe- 
cuted speedily,  therefore  the  heart  of  the  sons  of 
men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil,'  Eccles.  viii.  11. 

For,  indeed,  what  maketh  men  to  walk  so  uncon- 
scionably on  earth,  blaspheming  the  sacred  name  of 
the  highest  Majesty,  polluting  his  holy  Sabbaths, 
making  their  belly,  their  penny,  their  pleasure  their 
god,  but  this  con'upt  opinion  of  God's  either  not 
seeing,  or  not  caring,  or  pardoning  of  sins,  the  pre- 
suming on  his  mercy ;  not  knowing  this,  that  the  judg- 
ments of  God,  howsoever  deferred,  will  surely  light 
where  they  are  threatened. 

Therefore  let  every  man,  in  hearing  and  reading  of 
the  word  of  God,  observe  his  own  sins,  how  they  are 
threatened  ;  and  let  him  know  that  he  hath  no  way 
nor  means  but  by  his  serious  repentance  to  escape 
that  judgment. 

1.  Lat  us  take  heed  of  dallying  with  the  almighty 
God,  for  be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked  ;  they 
that  think  to  find  him  when  they  hst,  know  not  that 
there  is  a  time  when  he  will  be  found,  and  they  that 
neglect  that  time  do  lose  their  season  of  him. 

2.  But  especially  let  men  take  heed  of  abusing  his 
patience,  and  making  that  a  motive  to  and  a  strength 
of  sin  :  for  hesa  patientia  Jit  furor,  patience  abused 
turns  to  fury  ;  when  men  sin  against  the  mercy  of 
God,  they  spill  the  medicine  that  should  heal  them, 
they  cut  the  bough  that  they  stood  on ;  for  it  is  that 
which  keepeth  our  heads  above  water  and  standeth  in 
the  gap. 

3.  To  conclude,  let  men  take  heed  of  falling  so  far 
from  God,  as  to  make  a  covenant  with  death,  and  an 
agreement  with  hell,  that  is,  to  make  peace  with 
Satan ;  for  this  bed,  the  prophet  saith,  is  too  short, 
and  this  covering  is  too  narrow  to  cover  us. 

We  are  taught  here  not  to  repine  at  the  present 
prosperity  of  the  wicked. 

This  hath  much  disquieted  very  godly  persons. 
David  confesseth  it  to  have  unrested  him,  and  his 
foot  had  almost  slipped,  Ps.  Ixxiii. 


It  made  some  wise  men  among  the  heathen  doubt, 
an  sit  providentia,  whether  there  be  a  providence ; 
and  no  human  wisdom  can  maintain  providence,  be- 
cause, bonis  malejit,  good  men  suffer. 

There  is  a  parting  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  then  it  will 
appear  who  be  Israelites,  and  who  be  Egyptians. 
What  if  it  last  prosperous  all  their  life  long  ?  At  the 
parting  of  the  soul  and  body,  Lazarus  and  the  rich 
man  shall  feel  a  change ;  therefore  grudge  not  the 
wicked  their  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season. 

[2.]  By  what  means  this  intelligence  of  the  judg- 
ment against  Edom  was  given.     The  means  are  two  : 

First,  By  a  rumour  from  the  Lord. 

Secondly,  By  the  ambassadors  sent  from  the 
heathen. 

First,  The  rumour  from  the  Lord. 

Jeremiah  useth  the  same  word,  chap.  xlix.  14,  the 
interUn.*  Auditum  audiiimiis  a  cum  domino.  His 
meaning  is,  as  before  is  expressed,  that  God  hath  put 
this  prophecy  in  the  mouth  of  many  of  his  prophets, 
so  that  it  is  not  a  particular  instinct  by  revelation  to 
some  one,  but  a  rumour,  that  is,  a  general  opening  of 
the  same,  filling  the  mouths  of  many,  which  declareth 
the  consent  of  the  prophets  in  this  prophecy. 

Doct.  It  advanceth  the  message  of  God  amongst 
men,  when  the  Lord's  trumpet  doth  dare  sonum  cer- 
tum,  give  a  certain  sound,  when  they  all  agree  to- 
gether as  one  man  in  the  ministry  thereof. 

The  messenger  that  came  from  Micaiah  to  bring 
him  to  the  two  kings,  Jehoshaphat  and  Ahab,  1  Kings 
xxii.  13,  thought  he  had  used  a  great  argument  to 
persuade  Micaiah  to  prophesy  good  success  to  that 
intended  expedition  against  Ramoth-Gilead,  saying, 
'  Behold  now,  the  words  of  the  prophets  declare  good 
unto  the  king  with  one  mouth :  let  thy  word,  I  pray 
thee,  be  like  the  word  of  one  of  them,'  &c.  These 
false  prophets  all  joined  together  to  flatter  that  expe- 
dition. God  revealeth  the  secret  hereof  by  Micaiah  : 
there  was  an  evil  spirit  ofl'ered  his  service  to  God, 
saying,  *  I  will  go  forth,  and  I  will  be  a  lying  spirit  in 
the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets.  And  God  said.  Thou 
shalt  persuade  him,  and  prevail  also.' 

The  prophets  and  ministers  of  God  do  consent  in 
their  message ;  and  Satan,  that  studieth  the  ruin  of 
the  church,  doth  his  best  to  make  his  false  prophets 
agree  all  in  a  tale,  to  make  the  fairer  show  of  truth, 
that  he  may  deceive  many. 

It  is  one  of  the  great  objections  of  the  papists 
*  That  is,  an  interliaeal  Latin  version. — Ed. 


14 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1, 


against  our  religion,  ttat  it  cannot  be  the  truth  of 
God,  because  we  ministers  do  not  agree  in  the 
preaching  thereof. 

To  whom  we  answer,  that  the  church  of  England  in 
all  points,  both  of  religion  and  discipUne,  is  as  a  city 
which  is  at  unity  within  itself:  if  some  particular 
persons  in  the  ministry  leave  the  way  of  the  church, 
and  go  in  their  own  way,  that  is  no  fault  of  the 
church,  but  the  schism  of  private  men. 

Such  as  they  are  discovered,  so  are  they  restrained 
and  separated  from  the  rest :  to  room  then*  Parcius 
ista  viris  tamen  ohjicienda  memento,  personal  opposi- 
tions do  not  fasten  imputation  upon  any  entire  church 
of  God. 

And  we  say  to  the  Roman  church,  Novimus  et  qui  te, 
&c.  For  we  have  good  evidence  even  from  their  own 
writings,  that  the  church  of  Rome  hath  in  later  times 
dissented  from  those  tenets  which  in  former  times  it 
hath  maintained,  not  in  matters  of  light  moment,  but 
in  the  main  points  of  Christian  religion. 

1.  For  the  books  of  canonical  Scripture,  the  learned 
of  former  times  did  refuse  all  those  books  which  we 
call  Apocryphal,  as  well  as  we ;  yet  the  Council  of 
Trent  hath  since  placed  them  in  the  canon,  and  given 
them  equal  authority  with  the  canonical  Scriptures. 

2.  For  the  sufficiency,  their  own  best  learned  have 
heretofore  acknowledged  the  same  as  much  as  we, 

3.  The  vulgar  translation  hath  been  by  their  learned 
refused,  the  original  preserved. 

4.  For  the  conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary  without 
sin,  it  is  not  yet  determined  in  the  church,  but  con- 
tradictories are  allowed. 

5.  The  distinction  of  mortal  and  venial  sins. 

6.  The  doctrines  of  merit,  of  supererogation,  of  the 
seven  sacraments,  of  transubstantiation,  of  purgatory, 
of  praying  to  saints,  worshipping  of  images,  indul- 
gences, pope's  supremacy,  all  refused. 

Therefore  let  them  no  longer  charge  us  with  dif- 
ferences ;  our  church  doth  maintain  one  truth  in  all 
these  things  with  the  former  church  of  Rome,  against 
this  that  now  is. 

Therefore  let  us  observe  the  settled  doctrine  of  the 
church  in  which  we  live,  and  receive  that,  against  the 
perverse  oppositions  of  all  schismatical  coiners  of  new 
doctrines,  and  that  is  the  safest  way  for  us  to  walk  in, 
for  this  rumor  Domini  is  no  rumour  of  the  Lord. 

Doct.  2.  Because  it  is  auditus  a  Domino,  heard 
from  the  Lord  ;  whence  we  are  taught  to  distinguish 
*  Apparently  a  misprint. — En, 


between  the  rumours  which  we  hear  from  men,  and 
those  rumours  which  we  hear  from  the  Lord.  Let  U8 
judge  them  by  the  word  of  God,  and  let  us  learn  of 
the  church,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  who  best  discerneth 
these  spiritual  things,  because  they  are  deposited  with 
it,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  is  with  it,  and  abideth  with 
it  for  ever. 

How  holy  Scriptures  must  be  interpreted. 

Let  every  man  put  his  own  particular  fancies  and 
humours  to  silence,  and  as  the  apostle  saith,  •  let  us 
receive  with  meekness  the  word  of  God,  and  let  it  be 
graffed  in  us.' 

For  the  word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever,  that  is, 
like  him  that  gave  it,  without  variableness ;  there  is  in 
it  no  shadow  of  change.  It  was  David's  rest,  Audiam 
quid  loquatur  Dens,  I  will  hear  what  the  Lord  speaketh. 

And  that  we  may  hear  this  rumour  of  the  Lord 
profitably,  '  the  word  is  given  to  profit  withal,'  let  me 
shew  you  who  they  be  that  receive  the  word  of  God 
profitably  ;  these,  namely,  who, 

1.  Receive  it  in  their  understanding. 

2.  In  their  judgment. 

1.  In  their  understanding,  knowing  what  the  Lord 
speaketh  in  his  word,  for  the  word  is  the  revelation 
of  the  good  will  of  God. 

To  this  is  necessary, 

(1.)  A  preparation  to  this  understanding. 

(2.)  An  use  of  the  means. 

(1.)  For  the  preparation  of  our  understanding,  two 
things  are  necessary,  as  Saint  Paul  speaketh. 

[1.]  *  Be  not  conformed  to  this  world,'  Rom.  xii.  2. 
This  world  is  our  enemy ;  we  must  shake  off  all  ac- 
quaintance  with   it :    it   is  the  serpent's  fair  fruit, 
wherewith  he  tempteth  us ;  he  setteth  the  eye  and  the 
heart  a-lusting,  and  filleth  us  with  the  pride  of  life. 

Christ  first  separated  his  disciples  from  the  world, 
then  he  fitteth  them  to  his  service. 

They  deceive  themselves  that  think  they  may  em- 
brace true  religion  and  the  world  too,  following  the 
vanities  of  fashion,  and  surfeiting  in  the  pleasures  of 
life  :  for  godliness  and  vanity  cannot  dwell  together ; 
and  the  god  of  this  world  blindeth  the  eye  of  the 
understanding,  that  they  which  love  the  world  cannot 
love  God,  and  the  secrets  of  the  Lord  are  revealed  to 
none  but  such  as  love  and  fear  God. 

[2.]  '  Be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  the 
mind : '  that  is,  be  ye  new  creatures,  casting  off  the 
old  man  which  is  corrupt ;  for  this  new  wine  must  be 
put  in  new  casks. 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  OX  OBADIAH. 


15 


We  must  sing  a  new  song,  Canticum  novum,  novus 
homo,  a  new  man  ;  none  else  can  sing  it.  Therefore 
David  desired  cor  novum,  a  new  heart ;  and  spiritum 
rectum,  a  right  spirit.  It  is  the  only  new  fashion,  as 
in  many  of  ours,  to  renew  the  old  fashion,  the  image 
of  God  stamped  in  us  in  our  creation,  which  is  decayed, 
and  repaired  anew  by  the  image  of  the  new  Adam  who 
came  to  restore  us. 

(2.)  A  use  of  the  means,  which  are, 

[1.]  Delight  in  reading  of  the  word ;  give  atten- 
dance to  reading,  1  Tim.  iv.  15.  What  though  thou 
understandest  not  what  thou  readest  ?  No  more 
did  the  eunuch  :  but  God  sent  Philip  to  him  ;  he  was 
in  the  way  of  illumination. 

Idle  and  wanton  books  take  up  too  much  of  our 
time  from  the  reading  of  God's  book.  Rumor  populi, 
a  rumour  of  the  people  takes  us  from  reading  this 
rumor  Domini,  this  rumour  of  the  Lord.  Yet  these 
things  are  written  for  our  use,  and  only  those  things 
make  the  man  of  God  wise  to  salvation. 

[2.]  Meditation,  for  that  helpeth  the  understanding, 
and  layeth  up  what  we  read  in  the  memory,  that  we 
may  know  where  to  have  it  again  when  we  have  need 
of  it.  It  is  said  of  Mary,  Luke  ii.  51,  that  '  she  kept 
all  these  sayings  in  her  heart.' 

The  wise  son  of  Sirach  saith  well,*  'The  inner 
parts  of  a  fool  are  like  a  broken  vessel,  and  he  will 
hold  no  knowledge  as  long  as  he  liveth.'  Truly  the 
cause  of  all  our  sins  and  frailties  is  want  of  meditation 
in  the  word,  want  of  keeping  it  in  our  heart.  We  see 
in  ourselves,  how  we  are  affected  here  in  hearing  of 
the  word  of  God  ;  if  we  did  meditate  on  it,  we  should 
have  the  same  affections  still. 

[3.]  Hear  the  word  preached,  for  this  is  God's 
ordinance  for  the  saving  of  souls.  Ezra  had  a  pulpit 
of  wood  made  him  ;  he  stood  up,  he  read  the  law,  and 
gave  the  sense,  and  all  the  people  wept  when  they 
heard  the  wonderful  things  of  the  law,  Nehem.  viii. 

But  it  is  said,  all  the  people  were  attentive,  both 
men  and  women,  yet  he  preached  not  by  the  glass,  but 
from  morning  till  midday.  And  Paul  preached  from 
evening  till  midnight,  for  '  it  pleaseth  God  by  the 
foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  those  that  believe.' 
Be  swift  to  hear. 

[4.]  Meditation  is  necessary  also  after  hearing  the  word 

in  the  public  ministry ;  for  the  minister  speaking  to  a 

mixed  auditory,  if  he  divideth^the  word  aright,  he  hath 

a  portion  for  every  hearer,  milk  for  some,  stronger 

*  Ecclns.  xxi.  1-4. 


meat  for  others  ;  some  have  need  of  information  in 
things  unknown,  some  of  comfort,  some  of  resolution 
in  doubts,  some  of  confutation  of  errors,  some  of  chid- 
ing, some  have  need  to  have  their  dullness  spurred, 
others  their  deadness  quickened,  others  their  weakness 
strengthened,  others  their  young  and  hopeful  begin- 
nings encouraged,  others  their  zeals  inflamed. 

[5.]  Conference  is  another  good  means  to  increase 
our  knowledge,  for  one  man's  memory  may  help 
another's,  so  one  man's  understanding  may  be  more 
clear  than  another's.  For  as  we  are  many  members 
of  one  body,  so  have  we  many  graces  bestowed  upon 
us  to  make  us  useful  and  helpful  one  to  another. 

Conference  one  with  another,  especially  with  our 
minister,  doth  call  to  mind  that  which  might  else  have 
slipped  away  fi-om  us  ;  and  the  very  purpose  of  con- 
ference doth  add  a  desire  to  learn  by  the  word,  that  we 
may  rather  teach  than  be  taught. 

2.  We  must  receive  the  word  of  God  in  our  judgment. 

This  is  the  wisdom  that  teacheth  us  to  make  use  of 

it ;  for  knowledge  is  not  for  itself,  but  for  use.     We 

shall  know  whether  we  have  wisely  heard  the  word  by 

two  things  : 

(1.)  By  the  increase  of  our  faith. 
(2.)  By  our  new  obedience. 

(1.)  By  the  increase  of  our  faith.  For  faith  cometh 
from  the  saving  hearing  of  God's  word.  The  word  is 
not  the  power  of  God  to  salvation,  but  only  where  it 
begetteth  faith.  The  word  never  profiteth  where  it  is 
not  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  hear  it,  Heb.  iv.  2. 
So  soon  as  Satan  shook  the  faith  of  Eve,  and  made 
her  doubt  of  the  word  of  God,  the  word  had  lost  the 
power  of  God  in  her  to  preserve  her. 

(2.)  By  our  obedience.  Many  boast  of  their  know- 
ledge ;  the  apostle  saith,  '  He  that  doth  think  he 
knoweth  anything,'  that  is,  proud  of  his  knowledge, 
and  loveth  his  knowledge  for  itself,  '  knoweth  nothing 
yet  as  he  ought  to  know.'  For  in  religion  be  knoweth 
no  more  than  he  practiseth.  What  is  it  for  a  man  to 
get  a  clear  and  gojd  glass,  and  to  behold  his  face  in 
it,  and  to  forget  presently  what  his  form  is  ?  Such 
are  the  knowers  of  the  word,  as  Saint  James  saith, 
that  are  not  doers  of  the  same.  And  what  profit  is  it 
to  us  to  know  oar  master's  will,  and  not  to  do  it,  but  the 
gain  of  many  stripes  ? 

Doct.  3.  Here  is  a  great  judgment  threatened.  The 
prophet's  intelligence  is  rumor  Domini,  a  rumour  of 
the  Lord. 

There  is  great  cause  of  fear  when  God  doth  give 


16 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


out  what  his  judgments  shall  be,  and  how  he  will 
punish,  for  his  word  is  like  the  sword  of  Saul,  2  Sam. 
i.  12.  It  never  returned  empty  from  the  blood  of  the 
slain. 

We  have  no  particular  prophecies  that  do  point  out 
our  nation,  as  this  and  many  more  did  point  out  Edom 
for  judgment,  but  yet  we  must  not  neglect  the  voice  of 
God ;  for  as  faith  layeth  hold  on  the  general  promises 
of  God  to  his  church,  and  applieth  particular  examples 
in  Scripture  to  the  building  of  us  up  in  comfort,  so 
fear  layeth  hold  on  the  general  threatenings  of  God's 
judgments,  and  applieth  them  to  the  begetting  and  in- 
creasing of  terror.  So  that  when  you  shall  hereafter 
see  what  sins  Edom  committed,  we  shall  perceive  how 
those  sins  provoked  God's  anger,  and  how  severely 
God  threatened  them,  you  may  say,  Auditum  audlvi  a 
Domino,  We  have  heard  a  rumour  from  the  Lord : 
that  if  the  land  we  live  in,  or  we  that  live  in  this  land, 
be  guilty  of  these  sins,  we  have  no  quietus  est,  no  dis- 
charge against  these  plagues  ;  for  these  two  go  to- 
gether, '  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  you  be  not 
partakers  of  her  sins,  and  receive  not  of  her  plagues.' 
The  drunkard  may  see  in  Noah  and  Lot,  who  sinned 
but  once  that  way,  how  God  did  punish  that  sin, 
Miriam's  sin  resisting  Moses.  The  adulterer  may  see 
in  David,  that  God  spareth  not  his  own  beloved  chil- 
dren, he  maketh  their  sins  smart  upon  them.  But  the 
examples  of  his  judgments  upon  the  reprobates  are 
full  of  terror ;  Cain,  and  Saul,  and  Judas,  Korah  and 
his  company.  This  is  rumor  Domini.  The  Scripture 
dealeth  plainly  with  us  to  tell  the  church  these  things, 
ne  veniant  in  locum  tormenti,  that  they  come  not  into 
the  place  of  torment. 

Doct.  4.  To  comfort  the  hearts  of  such  whose  con- 
sciences are  tender,  and  who  do  join,  with  care  and 
fear,  revenge  upon  themselves,  and  all  to  destroy  the 
body  of  sin. 

Many  of  these  do  too  much  discomfort  and  deject 
themselves  about  giving  themselves  over,  as  if  they 
were  vessels  of  wrath,  or  doomed  to  destruction. 
Satan  useth  fiery  darts  to  such,  and  by  all  means 
tempteth  such  to  despair ;  he  saith  unto  them,  Non 
est  tihi  salus  in  Deo  tuo,  there  is  no  safety  for  thee  in 
thy  God.  Therefore  to  such  I  say.  Take  heed,  and 
examine  well  the  suggestion,  hearken  diligently,  si 
rumor  sit  a  Domino,  if  it  be  a  rumour  from  the 
Lord. 

Satan  laboureth  most  against  our  faith,  for  that  is 
the  victory  by  wl^ich  we  overcome  the  world.     Christ 


told  Peter,  *  Satan  hath  desired  to  winnow  thee.* 
He  knew  which  way  he  bent  his  strength.  Oravi  ne 
deficeret  fides  tua,  '  I  have  prayed  that  thy  faith  fail 
not,'  Luke  xxii.  32. 

Our  own  fear  is  another  great  enemy  to  our  peace, 
for  when  we  do  consider  ourselves,  and  how  weak  our 
faith  is,  we  do  presently  apply  to  ourselves  all  the 
judgments  of  God. 

Yet  this  is  rumor  a  Domino,  a  rumour  from  the 
Lord. 

The  Lord  hath  delight  in  this  broken  heart,  he  will 
repair  and  build  up  the  branches  thereof;  the  ground 
that  is  thus  broken  up  is  fittest  for  the  immortal  seed 
of  his  word,  and  of  his  grace  to  be  sown  in  it,  to  bear 
fruit. 

What  a  woful  case  was  David  in,  when  his  foot  had 
almost  slipped,  when  he  feared  that  God  would  no 
more  be  entreated,  and  hearkened  to  the  rumour  of 
his  conscience,  till  God,  who  is  greater  than  the  con- 
science, refreshed  him  with  his  sweet  consolations. 

And  saint  Paul  hearkening  to  the  rumour  of  his 
conscience,  crieth  out,  '  0  wretched  man  that  I  am, 
who  shall  deliver  me  ? '  &c.  But  the  sweet  and  com- 
fortable voice  of  joy  is  heard  in  the  tabernacles  of  the 
righteous,  as  there,  '  Thanks  be  unto  Grod  through  our 
Lord  Jesus,'  &c.  Therefore  as  he  saith,  '  When  you 
hear  of  wars,  and  rumours  of  wars,  be  not  afraid ; ' 
that  is,  fear  not  servilely  nor  despairingly,  '  for  the 
end  is  not  yet.' 

Ver.  1.  An  ambassador  is  sent  amongst  the  heathen: 
A  rise  ye,  and  let  us  arise  against  her  in  battle, 

2.  Means  of  the  intelligence,  'an  ambassador  is  sent 
amongst  the  heathen.'  This  is  rumor populi,  a  rumour 
of  the  people,  for  commonly  rumour  of  war  doth  go 
before  war,  seeing  the  preparation  of  war  cannot  be 
concealed. 

^  Concerning  this  ambassador,  the  learned  expositors 
of  this  prophecy  are  not  well  agreed. 

Some  think  he  is  some  prophet  of  the  Lord  sent  to 
stir  up  a  war  between  Edom  and  other  nations. 

Others,  that  one  nation  doth  by  ambassadors  stir 
up  another  against  Edom. 

The  LXX  read  ^  dyyBXovg  sii  Uvri  a'TSffniXtv,* 
whereupon  some  understand  that  God  sent  his  angel 
to  provoke  this  war. 

The  point  material  is  agreed  on  by  all,  that  God 

*  This  is  probably  from  son".e  other  Greek  version.  That 
of  the  LXX  is  *«/  ^i^io^hy  iU  ra  ihm  i^atrio'rKXi*. — Ed. 


Vee.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


17 


hath  an  hand  in  this  judgment,  and  he  nseth  the 
nations  for  a  rod  to  scourge  Edom. 

This  rumour  of  war  is  terror  Domini,  the  terror  of 
the  Lord ;  and  it  stirreth  up  and  awaketh  those  that 
are  in  danger  to  look  to  themselves :  which  doth  shew 
that  this  judgment  threatened  against  Edom  shall  not 
surprise  them  suddenly ;  they  have  warning  to  stand 
upon  their  guard,  and  to  arm  themselves  against  in- 
vasion. 

This  is  therefore  declared,  as  I  conceive,  to  shew  the 
careless  security  of  Edom,  that  would  take  no  warning, 
for  that  is  expressed  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  in  the 
burden  of  Dumah,  contempt  and  scorn  of  their  warn- 
ing :  for  '  he  calleth  unto  me  out  of  Seir,  "Watchman, 
what  was  in  the  night  ?  watchman,  what  was  in  the 
night?'  as  deriding  the  prophet,  who  had  foretold 
their  night  of  calamity,  which  should  put  out  their 
candle,  and  leave  them  darkhng  ;  for  if  the  voice 
of  the  prophets  will  not  move  them,  how  will  they 
take  it  when  they  shall  hear  the  nations  sending 
ambassadors  one  to  another  to  confederate  against 
them? 

But  the  wicked  are  despisers,  they  will  take  no 
warning. 

The  old  world  made  a  scorn  of  Noah's  preaching 
and  building,  and  thereby  vexing  his  righteous  soul, 
even  to  the  day  that  the  flood  came  and  swept  them 
all  away.  They  of  Sodom,  even  the  sons-in-law  of 
Lot,  when  he  warned  them  of  the  wrath  to  come,  did 
despise  the  warning. 

Yet  God,  to  make  their  judgment  more  heavy  when 
it  Cometh,  and  to  make  their  scorn  more  inexcusable, 
threateneth  them  with  the  rumour  first,  before  he 
smite th  them. 

The  pride  and  vanity  of  these  times,  the  drunken- 
ness and  profaneness,  the  contentions,  and  all  the 
clamorous  and  loud-voiced  sins  which  overgrow  into 
excess ;  they  do  aU  arise  from  the  contempt  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  from  a  negligence  in  observing  the 
course  of  God's  justice  in  the  punishing  of  these  sins, 
and  from  a  scornful  undervaluing  of  those  ambassadors 
whom  God  doth  send  into  the  world  to  reconcile  the 
world  to  himself. 

The  apostle  saith,  '  "We  as  ambassadors  from  God 
do  beseech  you.'  But  the  ministers  of  God's  word 
have  very  harsh  welcome  in  the  world,  for  the  pro- 
fane despise  them  all,  and  will  not  hear  their  message ; 
the  precise  will  hear  but  some  of  them,  they  despise 
others ;  they  that  be  for  Paul  will  not  hear  Apollos  ; 


and  they  that  be  for  Peter  will  hear  neither  Paul,  nor 

Apollos,  nor  Jesus  Christ  himself. 

But  consider,  ambassadors  are  not  sent  but  upon 
serious  occasions.  This  is  such,  to  awake  and  stir  us 
up  against  our  common  enemies,  the  flesh,  the  world, 
and  the  devil,  and  to  tell  us  of  our  great  danger,  for 
we  shall  not  fight  against  flesh  and  blood  only,  but 
against  powers  and  principalities.  If  we  despise  the 
noise  of  this  rumour,  these  enemies  may  take  us  at 
advantage. 

Edom  would  take  no  warning ;  no  more  will  they 
whom  God  hath  delivered  over  to  the  guidance  of 
their  own  lusts. 

2.  The  effect  of  the  message  and  rumour,  being  the 
judgment  itself :  '  Arise  ye,  and  let  us  arise  against 
her  in  battle.'  "When  I  compare  these  words  with 
those  of  Balaam's  prophecy, — Num.  xxiv.  18,  '  Edom 
shall  be  a  possession,  Seir  also  shall  be  a  possession 
for  his  enemies  ;  and  Israel  shall  do  valiantly.  Out 
of  Jacob  shall  he  come  that  shall  have  dorhinion,  and 
shall  destroy  him  that  remaineth  of  that  city,' — I  find 
here  from  whence  the  ambassador  cometh,  even  from 
the  house  of  Jacob  :  '  And  Israel  shall  stir  up  the 
heathen  against  Edom,  and  Israel  shall  have  dominion 
over  them.'  This  appeareth  in  Ezekiel's  prophecy  : 
Ezek.  XXV.  14,  *And  I  will  lay  my  vengeance  upon 
Edom,  by  the  hand  of  my  people  Israel ;  and  they 
shall  do  in  Edom  according  to  my  anger,  and  accord- 
ing to  my  fury,  and  they  shall  know  my  vengeance, 
saith  the  Lord  God.' 

So  the  people  of  God  shall  stir  up  the  heathen 
nations  against  Edom. 

From  whence  we  do  learn  these  lessons : 

1.  That  all  wars  are  ordered  by  God. 

2.  That  God  punisheth  one  evil  man  by  the  hand 
of  another,  and  so  one  evil  nation. 

3.  That  war  is  one  of  God's  punishments,  by  which 
he  chasteneth  men  for  sin. 

4.  That  the  people  of  God  may  lawfully  make  war. 
Doct.  1.  All  wars  are  ordered  by  God. 

It  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  that  these  nations  shall 
come  together  in  war  against  Edom  :  Prov.  xxi.  31, 
*  The  horse  is  prepared  for  the  day  of  battle  ;  but  the 
victoiy  is  of  the  Lord.'  Ps.  cxliv.  1,  '  He  teacheth 
my  hands  to  fight,  and  my  fingers  to  battle.'  Mel- 
chizedec  saith  to  Abraham,  after  his  victory  in  the 
rescue  of  Lot,  Gen.  xiv.  20,  '  Blessed  be  the  most 
high  God,  which  hath  delivered  thine  enemies  into 
thy  hand.'     "When  Israel  prevailed  against  Benjamin 


S 


B 


18 


1LA.RBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


for  abusing  the  Levite's  concubine,  Judges  sx.  35,  it 
is  said,  *  The  Lord  smote  Benjamin  before  Israel.' 
Gideon's  cry  was,  Judges  vii.  20,  '  The  sword  of  the 
Lord  and  of  Gideon.' 

The  reason  hereof  is  in  sight. 

1.  By  the  general  providence  of  God,  who  ruleth 
all  things  and  all  persons  ;  for  '  He  abaseth  himself 
to  behold  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth,'  Ps.  cxiii.  6. 

2.  By  the  particular  interest  that  God  hath  in  wars, 
for  he  is  called  Dominus  exercUiium,  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

The  uses  follow. 

Use  1.  In  all  wars,  to  have  respect  unto  the  cause, 
■not  to  put  ourselves  into  an  unjust  quarrel ;  let  the 
cause  be  God's,  and  we  may  promise  ourselves  to 
have  God  on  our  side.  The  wise  man  saith,  Prov. 
XX.  18,  *  By  counsel,  wars  must  be  enterprised ;' 
Prov.  xxiv.  6,  *  By  wise  counsel  thou  shalt  make  thy 
war  prosperous.'  If  Jehoshaphat  join  with  Ahab 
against  Ramoth  in  Gilead,  he  shall  speed  accordingly. 

The  sword  of  the  Lord  first,  then  of  Gideon. 

Use  2.  The  cause  being  good  and  warrantable,  we 
must  not  trust  to  our  strength,  neither  must  we  neglect 
the  means,  presuming  on  the  defence  of  God. 

1.  Not  trust  our  own  strength  ;  for  some  trust  in 
chariots,  and  some  in  horses,  as  Benhadad  did  in  the 
multitude  of  his  men,  so  great,  that  the  land  against 
which  he  fought  was  not  enough  to  give  every  one  of 
them  an  handful.  But  David  saith,  Ps.  xxxiii.  17, 
'  A  king  is  not  saved  by  the  multitude  of  an  host, 
neither  is  the  mighty  man  delivered  by  much  strength  : 
an  horse  is  a  vain  help.' 

2.  It  is  another  extreme  lo  cast  all  upon  God,  and 
not  to  use  the  means  :  first,  the  sword  of  the  Lord, 
and  then  with  it  the  sword  of  Gideon. 

Use  3.  This  serveth  to  take  off  all  fear  from  our 
hearts  when  we  fight  the  Lord's  battles.  It  was  a 
cheerful  speech  of  Joab,  encouraging  the  people  when 
he  had  divided  his  army,  part  against  the  Syrians  and 
part  against  Ammon,  2  Sam.  x.  12,  *  Be  of  good 
courage,  and  let  us  play  the  men,  for  our  people,  and 
for  the  cities  of  our  God  ;  and  the  Lord  do  that  which 
seemeth  him  good.'  It  was  David's  resolution,  Ps. 
iii.  G,  '  I  will  not  be  afraid  of  ten  thousand  of  the 
people  that  should  beset  me  round  about :  Arise,  0 
Lord,  save  me,  my  God  :  for  thou  smitest  all  mine 
enemies  upon  the  cheek  bone.' 

Use  4.  This  teacheth  us  our  duty,  before  the  war, 
in  the  war,  and  after  the  war. 

1.  Before  the  war,'and  in  the  war,  to  join  prayers 


with  our  preparations  and  our  attempts ;  for  God 
declared,  in  the  wars  of  Israel  with  Amalek,  that  Moses 
praying  on  the  hill  with  Aaron  and  Hur,  and  Joshua 
fighting  below  in  the  valley,  were  both  of  them  the 
forces  of  God,  Exod.  xvii.  And  that  prayers  were 
the  better  fighting ;  for  when  Moses  ceased  praying, 
Amalek  prevailed. 

2.  After  the  war,  we  are  taught  to  whom  to  attri- 
bute the  victory  and  good  success  of  the  war  ;  that  is, 
to  give  the  glory  thereof  to  the  Lord,  and  so  say  with 
David,  '  The  right  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  done  vali- 
antly ;  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  bringeth  mighty 
things  to  pass.'  So  the  daughter  of  Jephthah,  Judges 
xi.  36,  came  out  with  timbrels  to  meet  her  father,  and 
confessed  to  her  father,  '  The  Lord  hath  taken  ven- 
geance for  thee  of  thine  enemies,  even  of  the  children 
of  Ammon.' 

Yet  may  we  not  herein  smother  the  well- deserving 
prowess  and  valour  of  valiant  commanders  and  sol- 
diers, but  give  them  their  due  honour  ;  so  even  the 
women  meet  Saul  returning  from  the  slaughter  of  the 
Philistines,  and  they  answered  one  another  in  their 
song,  saying,  *  Saul  hath  killed  his  thousands,  and 
David  his  ten  thousands,'  1  Sam.  xviii.  7. 

Doct.  2.  Whereas  Israel  saith  to  the  heathen, 
'  Arise  ye,  and  let  us  arise,'  making  use  of  the  power 
and  strength  of  the  heathen  against  Edom,  we  are 
taught,  that  God  doth  use  one  evil  man  and  one  evil 
nation  to  punish  another.  The  Lord  did  smite  the 
Moabites  by  the  Ammonites,  and  took  from  them  some 
part  of  their  land.  Chedorlaomer  maketh  war  against 
other  kings,  and  taketh  away  their  substance.  The 
Midianites  were  their  own  conquerors  :  Judges  vii. 
22,  '  The  Lord  set  every  one's  sword  against  his  fel- 
low throughout  all  the  host.' 

The  children  of  Israel  did  call  the  heathen  here  to 
them  ;  they  joined  in  one  war  against  Edom,  as  if  at 
this  day  princes  of  the  popish  religion  should  join 
themselves  with  a  protestant  prince,  to  maintain  him 
in  his  kingdom  against  the  emperor,  the  pope's  eldest 
son. 

Is  not  this  setting  Egyptians  against  Egyptians,  and 
defending  the  church  by  the  enemies  of  the  church  ? 

The  reason  why  God  doth  this,  is  not  for  want  of 
other  strength,  for  he  is  Lord  of  hosts  ;  but  to  declare 
him  to  be  King  and  Lord  over  all ;  he  doth  whatsoever 
he  will  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  in  the  sea,  and  all 
deeps.  What  doth  more  declare  his  absolute  sove- 
reignty than  his  power  to  whip  and  scourge  the  enemies 


Vee.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


19 


of  his  church  by  one  another  of  them,  which  is  to 
make  Satan  cast  out  Satan  ?  This  sheweth  that  Satan's 
kingdom  is  subordinate  to  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  there 
is  but  one  kingiom  of  which  it  may  be  truly  said,  Et 
imperiis  ejus  non  est  finis,  '  There  is  no  end  of  his 
kingdom.'  Christ  shall  one  day  make  this  good, 
when  he  shall  have  put  down  aU  his  enemies ;  for 
then  he  shall  deliver  op  the  kingdom  to  God.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  subjects  of  Satan's  kingdom  are  the 
vassals  of  God,  and  Satan  himself  shall  be  and  is  at 
his  command,  to  be  the  rod  of  God  for  execution  of 
his  wrath  where  he  pleaseth. 

2.  God  useth  to  punish  the  wicked,  to  declare  to 
the'  church  that  there  can  be  no  true  love  but  where 
there  is  love  of  the  truth  ;  only  true  religion  doth 
unite  the  hearts  of  men,  and  all  that  embrace  not  that 
want  the  bond  of  peace.  They  may  cry  a  confederacy, 
and  give  one  another  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  for 
a  time  ;  but  if  God  be  not  the  knot  of  their  union,  all 
other  respects  will  come  short  of  settling  a  constant 
concurrency.  We  see  this  clearly  in  the  vicissitudes 
of  confederacies  and  wars  amongst  the  enemies  of  true 
religion  ;  temporal  respects  make  their  leagues,  tem- 
poral respects  do  again  dissolve  them. 

The  uses  of  this  point. 

Use  1.  This  doth  serve  to  reform  our  judgments, 
and  to  settle  our  hearts  in  our  great  vexation ;  for  did 
not  the  foot  of  David  almost  sUp  when  he  saw  the 
prosperity  of  the  ungodly,  and  compared  it  with  the 
main  and  great  troubles  of  the  church  '?  For  seeint^ 
God  doth  make  this  use  of  them,  to  be  his  sword, 
marvel  not  that  he  keepeth  his  sword  by  his  side,  that 
he  keepeth  it  in  his  sheath,  that  he  keepeth  it  bright. 
And  David  saith,  Ps.  xvii.  13,  '  Deliver  my  soul  from 
the  wicked,  which  is  thy  sword.'  That  is  one  cause 
why  God  rewardeth  the  wicked  with  some  temporal 
favours,  because  he  maketh  use  of  them  to  punish 
his  enemies.  This  is  fully  expressed :  for  thus  saith 
the  Lord  to  the  prophet,  Ezek.  xxix.  18,  19,  '  Son 
of  man,  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babel  caused  his 
army  to  serve  a  great  service  against  Tyrus.  Every 
head  was  made  bald,  and  every  shoulder  was  peeled, 
yet  had  he  no  wages,  nor  the  army  for  Tyrus  that 
served  against  it :  therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
Behold,  I  will  give  the  land  of  Egypt  into  the  hand  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon,  and  he  shall  take  her 
multitudes,  and  take  her  spoils,  and  take  her  prey,  and 
it  shall  be  the  wages  for  his  army.' 

This  may  satisfy  us,  that  we  grieve  not  at  the  pros- 


perous estate  of  the  wicked,  for  God  hath  use  of  them, 
and  he  will  not  let  them  serve  him  for  nothing. 

The  elect  of  God  have  fairer  hopes  ;  let  them  stay 
their  stomach,  and  let  them  wait  the  Lord's  leisure. 

Use  2.  We  may  see  in  this  example  in  my  text,  and 
in  many  more,  that  God  maketh  use  of  the  wicked  in 
the  behalf  of  his  church,  and  therefore  we  most  not 
give  the  glory  of  God's  justice  to  the  means,  but  to 
God. 

The  wicked  know  not  what  they  do  when  they  fight 
the  battles  of  the  Lord  ;  yet  God  doth  put  such  metal 
into  them  that  they  do  most  valiantly  perform  his  will. 
A  full  example  hereof  is,  Jer.  xxxvii.  8,  *  The  word  of 
the  Lord  to  Zedekiah  king  of  Judah,  by  his  prophet 
Jeremiah  :  The  Chaldeans  shall  come  again,  and  fight 
against  this  city,  and  take  it,  and  burn  it  with  fire. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Deceive  not  yourselves,  saying, 
The  Chaldeans  shall  depart  from  us,  for  they  shall  not 
depart.  For  though  ye  had  smitten  the  whole  army 
of  the  Chaldeans  that  fight  against  you,  and  there  re- 
mained but  wounded  men  amongst  them,  yet  should 
they  rise  up,  every  man  in  his  tent,  and  bum  the  city 
with  fire.' 

This  must  needs  be  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  there- 
fore the  glory  must  be  given  to  God  only.  The  means 
are  weak,  but  the  Lord  is  strong ;  he  alone  must  be 
exalted,  and  all  the  glory  of  victory  must  be  ascribed 
to  him. 

The  church  may  use  the  help  of  the  heathen  and  of 
idolaters  in  the  Lord's  battles,  for  they  are  the  sword 
of  the  Lord,  as  you  have  heard. 

Use  3.  We  are  taught  that  though  Israel  and  the 
heathen  do  come  together,  though  the  godly  do  use 
the  help  of  the  wicked  to  execute  the  will  of  God  upon 
God's  enemies,  yet  they  must  be  very  careful  not  to 
join  with  them  in  their  wickedness  and  idolatry.  We 
may  use  the  help  of  papists  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Lord's  cause,  but  we  must  take  heed  that  we  faU  not 
into  the  sin  of  Israel :  Ps.  cvi.  35,  '  They  were  mingled 
with  the  heathen,  and  learned  their  wickedness,  and 
served  their  idols,  which  were  their  ruin.'  Let  us  not 
make  the  covenant  with  them  that  Ruth  the  Moabitess 
made  with  Naomi,  Ruth  i.  16,  '  Thy  people  shall  be 
my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God.' 

3.  The  third  doctrine. 

War  is  one  of  the  punishments  wherewith  God  doth 
punish  his  enemies :  Lev.  xxvi.  25,  '  And  I  will 
bring  a  sword  upon  you,  that  shall  avenge  the  quarrel 
of  my  covenant.'     It  is  one  of  the  four  sore  judgments, 


20 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


as  God  himself  doth  call  it,  Ezek.  xiv.  21,  and  it  is 
first  named  ;  used  to  cut  off  man  and  beast. 

When  Israel  was,  by  the  favour  of  God,  put  into 
possession  of  the  promised  land,  they  sinned  against 
God  in  contempt  of  religion,  in  idolatry,  Iheft,  and 
■whoredom,  for  which  God  punished  them  with  war ; 
for  the  Amorites,  Philistines,  Midianites,  Moabites, 
Canaanites,  and  Ammonites  fought  against  ihem,  and 
opposed  them  three  years,  as  appeareth  in  the  book  of 
Judges. 

The  misery  of  war  is  great,  as  Moses  doth  express 
it :  Deut.  xxviii.  50,  51,  '  They  shall  not  regard  the 
person  of  the  old,  nor  have  compassion  of  the  young, 
they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  thy  catde,  they  shall  consume 
the  profit  of  thy  land,  they  shall  besiege  thee  within 
thy  walls,  they  shall  drive  thee  to  eat  thy  children,  the 
fruit  of  thy  body,  during  the  siege,  and  straitness 
wherewith  they  shall  compass  thee  in  thy  cities.'  God 
hath  a  quiver  ;  it  is  full  of  arrows  ;  this  is  one  of  them, 
Ezek.  V.  16,  17. 

The  reason  hereof  is  because  they  that  make  no 
conscience  of  their  duty  to  God,  nor  of  obedience  to 
his  word,  have  put  themselves  out  of  God's  protection, 
and  he  is  become  their  enemy.  The  protection  of  God 
is  the  fence  of  the  vine  ;  if  that  hedge  be  once  broken 
up,  not  only  the  foxes  will  come  in  and  devour  the 
grapes,  but  the  wild  boar  will  also  come  in  and  root 
it  up. 

2.  They  that  make  no  conscience  of  charity  to  their 
brethren,  in  the  just  judgments  of  God  are  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  men,  and  as  one  saith,  Nidlian  ani- 
mal morosius,  so  Nullum  animal  ferocius.  Oh,  saith 
David,  *  Let  me  not  fall  into  the  hand  of  man.' 

Let  men  fall  softly  and  easily  when  they  fall  into 
thy  hands,  so  shalt  thou  fall  gently  into  their  hands, 
for  God  is  love,  and  the  merciful  man  shall  not  want 
mercy. 

But,  as  in  the  natural  body,  sometimes  it  is  whole- 
some to  open  a  vein  and  let  out  blood  ;  so  it  is  in  the 
body  politic ;  the  sword  must  sometimes  draw  blood,  to 
purge  the  body  of  noxious  and  ofi'ensive  humours.  And 
wheresoever  this  punishment  lighteth  as  medicinal,  it 
amendeth  many  faults ;  where  it  lighteth  as  a  judgment 
of  indignation,  it  cutteth  off  evil  doers  from  the  face  of 
the  earth. 

The  uses  of  this  doctrine  follow. 
Use  1.  Let  us  consider  the  lamentable  estate  of 
those  that  profess  the  same  faith  with  us,  who  have  no 
other  outward  means  of  safety  to  preserve  their  liberty 


and  rights  but  by  the  sword,  against  whom  great  and 
mighty  princes  do  say  one  to  another,  *  Arise  ye,  and 
let  us  arise  against  them  in  battle.' 

You  know  who  is  at  this  time  thus  endangered, 
even  some  of  the  branches  of  that  vine  under  which 
we  sit.  The  forward,  free,  and  cheerful  offerings  of 
your  hands  have  testified  your  good  aftections  to  that 
rightful  cause  ;  let  lifting  up  of  your  hands  secure  that 
free  opening  of  them,  that  is,  let  your  prayers  fight 
for  them,  and  give  God  no  rest  till  he  hath  settled 
peace  in  these  walls,  and  prosperity  within  these 
palaces.  Surely  they  shall  prosper  that  love  it ;  for 
our  brethren  and  companions'  sake,  the  worshippers 
of  the  same  God,  the  professors  of  the  same  faith  with 
us,  let  us  wish  them  now  prosperity  ;  for  the  house  of 
God's  sake,  which  they  seek  to  enlarge  and  advance, 
let  us  seek  and  study  to  do  them  good. 

Use  2,  Let  us  thankfully  consider  our  own  peace. 
We  are  Jilii  pacts,  children  of  peace,  born  and  brought 
up  in  times  of  peace  :  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah  is 
fulfilled  in  our  land,  chap.  viii.  4.  We  have  old  men 
and  women  dwelling  in  our  towns,  even  men  with 
staves  in  their  hands  for  very  age,  and  the  streets  of 
our  cities  and  towns  full  of  boj^s  and  girls  playing  in 
the  streets  thereof.  And  that  promise  of  God  to  the 
obedient,  Lev.  xxvi.  6,  is  performed  in  us,  *  I  will 
send  peace  in  the  land,  and  ye  shall  sleep,  and  none 
shall  make  you  afraid  ;  and  the  sword  shall  not  go 
through  your  land.' 

The  happy  days  of  the  long  reign  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth, of  everlasting  memory,  the  mother  of  our  peace, 
were  crowned  with  peace,  and  she  left  a  legacy  of 
peace  in  the  commonwealth  in  her  succession.  Our 
Solomon,  her  heir,  hath  maintained  peace  under  his 
happy  government,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  What 
nation  is  there  now  under  heaven  which  saith,  Arise 
ye,  and  let  us  arise  against  England  in  battle  ?  We 
may  say,  '  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,'  and  we  must  give 
him  the  glory  of  it ;  for,  as  David  saith,  Ps.  xlvi.  9, 
'  He  maketh  wars  to  cease,  he  breaketh  the  bow,  and 
cutteth  the  spear  in  sunder,  and  burneth  the  chariots 
in  the  fire.' 

The  use.  '  Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God ;  I 
will  be  exalted  in  the  earth.' 

Use  8.  Seeing  we  have  outward  peace  from  foreign 
enemies,  and  none  riseth  up  against  us  in  battle,  we 
must  be  tender  of  maintaining  peace  one  with  another : 
•  Take  heed  ye  bite  not  one  another,  lest  ye  be  de- 
voured one  of  another.'     Better  it  were  we  had  wars 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


21 


abroad  than  that  we  should  fight  one  with  another  of 
as  at  home  by  uncivil  contentions,  by  fraudulent  and 
cunning  underminings,  by  slanderous  and  lying  calum- 
niations, or  by  any  other  uncharitable  means  of  mo- 
lestation to  breed  unjust  wars  amongst  ourselves. 
For  by  this  cursed  crossness  we  do  provoke  God  to 
draw  his  sword  against  us. 

Use  4.  Seeing  God  hath  delivered  us  from  the 
calamity  of  war,  and  given  us  the  blessing  of  peace, 
let  us  know  that  this  is  the  fittest  time  for  semination 
of  the  gospel  of  peace  ;  this  is  the  seed-time  for  the 
word  of  God.  In  such  a  time  was  Christ  bom,  in  the 
peaceable  reign  of  Augustus  Caesar.  Then  were 
swords  turned  into  scythes,  and  spears  into  plough- 
shares, and  so  the  noise  of  our  redemption,  and  the 
sound  of  the  gospel,  went  over  all  the  world. 

We  see  that  those  years  of  peace  have  made  learn- 
ing and  arts  flourish  in  our  land  ;  and  for  the  light  of 
religion,  it  never  shined  clearer  -than  now,  and  the 
light  thereof  still  increaseth.  Let  us  know  that  now  i 
God  hath  so  fenced  in  his  vine  in  our  land,  and  be- 
stowed such  cost  on  it,  he  looketh  that  it  should 
bring  forth  grapes ;  not  fair  and  spreading  branches 
only,  not  large  and  green  leaves,  not  shows  and 
semblances,  and  seemings  of  godliness,  but  grapes  ; 
not  labruscns,  not  sour  grapes,  but  fructus  dignos 
panitentia,  fruits  worthy  of  repentance.  These  be 
the  best  presents  we  can  make  to  God,  the  best  en- 
signs of  our  peace.  Otherwise  the  calamities  of  peace 
will  fall  on  us  worse  than  those  of  war,  idleness,  wan- 
tonness, fulness  of  bread,  drunkenness,  and  all  the 
worms  of  prosperity  which  will  destroy  our  vine. 

Doct.  4.  Because  Jeremiah  saith,  Arise  ye,  stirring 
up 'others  to  battle,  and  addeth,  ice  will  arise,  I  con- 
clude,— 

That  it  is  lawful  for  the  children  of  God  to  make 
war. 

For  a  defensive  war  nature  provideth,  for  that  is  no 
more  but  se  tuerl,  to  defend  himself.  But  this  is  an 
offensive  war  against  Edom,  their  enemy,  and  this  is 
lawful. 

The  land  of  promise,  though  given  so  many  years 
before  to  the  sons  of  Shem,  in  the  line  of  Jacob,  yet 
was  possessed  by  the  sons  of  Ham,  of  whose  son 
Canaan  took  name,  and  Israel  came  into  the  posses- 
sion of  that  land  by  the  sword.  They  had  God"s  own 
warrant  for  it :  Deut.  vii.  2,  '  When  the  Lord  bringeth 
thee  into  the  land  whither  thou  goest  to  possess  it, 
and  shall  root  out  many  nations  before  thee,  then 


thou  shalt  smite   them,  thou   shalt   utterly   destroy 
them,'  &c. 

Yea,  he  doth  not  only  allow  of  a  just  war,  but 
David  saith,  Ps.  xviii.  34,  '  He  teacheth  my  hands  to 
fight.'  Moses,  from  God,  saith  to  Israel,  Num.  xsv. 
17,  '  Yex  the  Midianites,  and  smite  them.' 

1.  Because,  as  I  taught  before,  war  is  one  of  the 
judgments  of  God,  one  of  the  arrows  of  his  quiver,  one 
of  his  rods  wherewith  he  doth  chasten  the  wicked, 
therefore  the  faithful  may  and  must  arise  when  they 
are  called  forth  into  battle.  In  such  a  case  it  was 
said,  Jer.  xlviii.  10,  *  Cursed  is  he  that  doeth  the  work 
of  the  Lord  negligently ;'  Judges  v.  23,  '  Curse  ye 
Meroz,  curse  ye  Meroz,  saith  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ; 
curse  ye  the  inhabitants  thereof  bitterly,  because  they 
came  not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the 
Lord  against  the  mighty.' 

There  it  is  called  helping  the  Lord,  because  men  be 
the  hands  of  execution  in  these  lawful  wars,  by  whom 
God  doth  punish  his  enemies,  and  because  God  is 
holpen  in  those  that  are  by  just  means  maintained. 

2.  Because  an  offensive  war  is  revenge  of  injuries, 
and  God  hath  said,  *  Vengeance  is  mine,'  so  that  the 
Lord  is  called  '  Lord  of  hosts  ;'  and  just  wars  are 
called  *  the  battles  of  the  Lord.'  They  that  fight  in 
such  wars,  God  covereth  their  heads  in  the  day  of 
battle. 

The  wars  of  Israel  against  Amalek  were  offensive  ; 
they  were  the  Lord's  vengeance  against  Amalek  for 
smiting  the  hindermost  and  weakest  of  them  in  their 
passage  to  the  promised  land.  This  war  against 
Edom  was  such,  as  it  followeth  God's  revenge  upon 
Edom  for  their  cruelty  towards  Israel. 

3.  We  find  that  when  the  Israehtes*  came  to  John 
Baptist  and  asked,  '  What  shall  we  do  ?'  he  did  not 
bid  them  leave  the  profession  of  arms,  but  only  said 
to  them,  Luke  iii.  13,  'Do  violence  to  no  man,  ac- 
cuse no  man  falsely,  and  be  content  with  your  wages.' 
Wherein  he  required  of  them  fair  wars  without  injury 
to  any;  for  none  but  unjust  violence  is  there  for- 
bidden. 

And  we  shall  find  in  the  catalogue  of  the  faithful, 
Heb.  xi.  32,  33,  Gideon,  Barak,  Samson,  Jephthah, 
David,  '  which  through  faith  subdued  kingdoms,'  &c. 

The  uses  follow. 

Seeing  the  faithful  may  make  lawful  wars ; 

Use  1.  We  are  taught  to  satisfy  our  conscience,  be- 
fore we  undertake  any  war,  that  it  is  lawful  and  just,  for 
*    Qn.  'soldiers'?— Ed. 


22 


MAKBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Vm.  1. 


else  we  cannot  either  promise  ourselves  good  success, 
or  solicit  God  for  his  aid. 

(1.)  It  is  a  lawful  war  to  preserve  our  right  against 
them  that  invade  it,  as  was  ours  in  '88  against  the 
Spaniard,  then  our  enemy,  who  prepared  himself  for 
the  invasion  of  this  kingdom. 

(2.)  The  judges  of  Israel  did  redeem  Israel  from 
their  oppressors  that  had  invaded  them,  and  redeemed 
their  own  right.  So  Abraham  made  a  just  war  against 
those  that  had  wronged  the  king  of  Sodom,  and  took 
Lot  prisoner. 

(3.)  To  chasten  and  destroy  the  common  enemies 
of  intercourse  and  trade  between  nation  and  nation ; 
such  is  the  sea-war  intended  against  the  pirates  and 
sea-thieves,  that  hinder  the  trade  of  nations  by  their 
piracies  ;  wasps  and  drones  that  rob  the  hives  of  pain- 
ful bees. 

(4.)  To  defend  confederate  nations  from  the  oppres- 
sion of  their  enemy ;  for  so  Joshua  will  not  suffer  the 
Ammonite  to  vex  and  wrong  the  Gibeonites,  because 
the  oath  of  God  is  between  them. 

Thus,  for  the  common  peace,  it  is  lawful  for  Chris- 
tians to  confederate  with  Turks  and  infidels,  for  pro- 
testants  to  make  leagues  of  peace  and  civil  society 
with  papists,  catholics  with  heretics.  And  when  the 
league  goeth  no  further  than  the  just  defence  of  them 
in  their  rights,  we  may  borrow  and  lend  help  each  to 
other ;  for  the  common  love  of  humanity  teacheth  us 
to  do  as  we  would  be  done  to ;  and  the  apostle  bid- 
deth,  Rom.  xii.  19,  '  as  much  as  in  us,  to  have  peace 
with  all  men.' 

But  to  assist  infidels  and  heretics  in  their  unjust 
wars,  it  is  utterly  unlawful ;  so  Jehoshaphat  joined 
with  Ahab  against  Ramoth  in  Gilead,  and  the  prophet 
of  the  Lord  reproved  him  for  it :  2  Chron.  xix.  2,  '  And 
Jehu  the  son  of  Hanani  the  seer  went  out  to  meet  him, 
and  said  to  king  Jehoshaphat,  Wouldst  thou  help  the 
wicked,  and  love  them  that  hate  the  Lord  ?  Therefore, 
for  this  thing  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  upon  thee.' 

If  the  league  between  the  godly  and  ungodly  nations 
have  these  bonds,  1,  to  assure  one  another  against 
injury  from  each  other;  2,  to  defend  each  other's 
rights,  without  prejudice  of  religion ;  3,  to  maintain 
commerce  between  them ;  I  see  no  cause  why  it  may 
not  be  lawful  for  Christians  and  infidels  to  confederate. 
1.  For  defence  against  injury  of  others.  If  the  ox 
of  an  infidel,  or  his  ass,  should  fall  into  a  pit,  ought  I 
not  to  shew  him  mercy  in  his  beast,  and  to  save  him  if 
lean  ?    Shall  I  do  #iis  to  his  beast,  and  shall  I  not  do 


it  to  him  ?  If  thieves  would  rob  him,  shall  I  pass  by 
and  see  him  rifled,  and  shall  I  not  give  him  aid  ? 
What  duty  one  man  oweth  to  another,  that  doth  one 
nation  owe  to  another ;  this  is  preservation  of  justice, 
suum  caique. 

2.  For  binding  ourselves  not  to  do  infidels  any  hurt 
unjustly.  It  is  the  law  of  God ;  we  must  not  only  ab- 
stain from  robbing  them,  but  we  must  preserve  their 
right ;  we  may  not  take  away  from  them  their  lives, 
their  wives,  their  goods,  or  anything  of  theirs ;  we  may 
promise  interchangeably  to  do  them  no  wrong. 

3.  For  commerce.  Some  of  our  late  divines*  afiirm 
it  unlawful  to  sell  to  infidels,  or  heretics,  any  commo- 
dity which  they  may  abuse  to  any  idolatrous  use. 
For  example,  to  sell  to  the  papists  wax,  because  they 
make  candles  thereof,  which  they  do  use  in  their  false 
worship  of  God  ;  so  frankincense,  cloth,  &c. ;  this  is 
made  a  breach  of  the  second  commandment.  But  this 
rule  is  too  strict  and  unwarrantable  ;  for  what  provi- 
dence can  prevent  abuse  of  all  the  commodities  that 
any  land  afi'ordeth  ?  We  sell  wheat,  of  which  they 
may  make  their  wafer-gods ;  we  exchange  gold  with 
some  of  them,  they  may  gild  their  images  with  it. 
Some  of  them  send  us  in  wine,  which  is  much  abused 
to  drunkenness ;  and  silks  of  all  sorts,  which  is  abused  ^ 
to  pride,  &c.  This  is  nimia  sapientia,  nimia  justitia, 
to  be  over-wise,  over -just. 

Use  2.  Seeing  the  godly  and  faithful  may  lawfully 
make  just  wars,  we  are  taught  to  exercise  arms,  and 
to  study  military  discipline,  and  to  value  the  worthy 
soldier  as  a  necessary  member  of  the  commonwealth, 
and  to  give  him  all  good  encouragement. 

That  peace  which  rusteth  the  armour,  and  despiseth 
the  soldier,  and  disuseth  arms,  is  dangerous ;  it 
weakeneth  the  hands  and  hearts  of  men  of  action,  it 
disableth  the  commonwealth,  it  provoketh  the  adver- 
sary to  assault,  and  puttcth  all  into  hazard. 

As  John  biddeth  the  soldiers  to  be  content  with 
their  pay,  so  he  allowcth  them  a  pay,  and  imposeth 
the  charge  of  their  maintenance  upon  the  common- 
wealth. 

Let   not  daring  and  worthy  spirits  complain,   as 

*  Perk.  Arm.  Aur.  in  2  Procccpt.— [This  is  scarcely  a  fair 
statement  of  the  doctrine  of  Perkins.  He  does  not  forbid 
the  selling  of  articles  which  may  be  used  for  idolatrous  pur- 
l)ose3  ;  but  of  those  which  the  seller  knows  to  be  bought  for 
such  purposes.  What  he  says  is  forbidden,  is  '  Societos 
contractus,  qua  quis  scions,  spe  lucri  et  mercedis,  idololatris 
ea  vendat,  qua)  idolis  sciat  subvenire.' — Ed.] 


Ver.  1, 


MABBURY  ON  OB  \DIAH. 


23 


Themistocles  did,  that  they  are  like  to  the  platanes  ; 
in  a  storm,  men  fly  under  them  for  shelter ;  in  fair 
weather,  vellicant,  plack  off  their  leaves. 

Use  3.  We  are  taught,  when  just  occasions  of  war 
arise,  to  gather  courage,  as  being  helpers  to  our  God 
in  his  battles. 

"SMien  Hczekiah  saw  that  Sennacherib  was  come  to 
fight  against  Jerusalem,  he  said  to  his  commanders 
and  soldiers,  *  Be  strong  and  courageous,  fear  not,  nor 
be  afraid,  for  the  king  of  Ashur,  neither  for  all  the 
multitude  that  is  with  him  :  for  there  is  more  with 
us  than  with  him.  With  him  is  an  arm  of  flesh,  but 
with  us  is  the  Lord  our  God,  for  to  help  us,  and  to 
fight  onr  battles,'  2  Chi-on.  xxxii.  7.  So  Nehemiab 
encouraged  the  people  against  Tobiah  and  SanbaUat, 
when  they  came  to  hinder  the  building  of  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  :  '  Be  not  afraid  of  them,  remember  the 
great  Lord,  and  the  fearful,  and  fight  for  your  bre- 
thren, your  sons  and  your  daughters,  your  wives  and 
your  houses.'  There  be  that  have  said,  that  true  reli- 
gion doth  make  men  cowards,  and  destroyeth  fortitude 
and  true  valour.     It  is  not  so. 

1.  Because  true  religion  doth  settle  the  conscience 
in  the  goodness  of  the  cause,  which  the  heathen  did 
not  respect. 

2.  True  religion  casteth  us  upon  the  protection  of 
almighty  God,  which  also  the  heathen  regarded  not, 
but  trusted  to  them  that  were  no  gods. 

Therefore,  let  us  say  to  our  soldiers  in  the  wars  of 
God,  as  we  read  it  said  by  the  officers  to  the  people 
by  the  commandment  of  Moses,  Dent.  xx.  8,  '  What 
man  is  there  that  is  fearful  and  faint-hearted  ?  Let  him 
go  and  return  to  his  house,  lest  his  brethren's  heart 
do  faint,  as  his  heart  fainteth.'  For  it  was  a  base 
and  unkingly  answer  that  Ahab  sent  Benhadad,  who 
said,  '  Thy  silver  and  thy  gold  is  mine,  thy  women 
and  thy  children  are  mine.'  He  answered,  '  My  lord 
king,  according  to  thy  saying,  I  am  thine,  and  all  that 
I  have.'  They  that  put  their  trust  in  the  Lord  do 
not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  them. 

Use  4.  Seeing  wars  are  lawful,  we  conclude  that 
it  is  lawful  also  to  use  all  witty  means  of  circumven- 
tion to  ensnare  the  enemy  ;  those  are  called  stratagems 
of  war. 

So  Joshua  may  lie  in  wait,  and  come  against  Ai  on 
the  back  side  of  the  city.  Josh.  viii.  2.  So  Abraham 
may  divide  his  company,  and  smite  the  enemy  in  the 
night,  when  he  attempteth  the  rescue  of  Lot,  Gen. 
xiv.  15.     So  the  Israelites  may  use  advice  to  draw 


the  men  of  Gibeah  out  of  their  city,  and  so  take  ad- 
vantage against  them  unawares,  Judges  xx.  29. 

Use  5.  Seeing  just  wars  may  be  undertaken  by  the 
servants  of  God,  let  them  prepare  themselves  as  God's- 
servants  to  them. 

Deut.  xxiii.  9,  '  When  thou  goest  out  with  an  host 
against  thine  enemy,  then  keep  thyself  from  every 
wicked  thing.  The  Lord  thy  God  walkelh  in  the- 
midst  of  the  camp  to  deUver  thee,  and  to  give  thee 
thine  enemies  before  thee  ;  therefore  let  thine  host  be 
holy,  that  he  see  no  filthy  thing  in  thee,  and  turn 
away  from  thee.' 

Amongst  the  heathen,  it  was  wont  to  be  said  that 
the  camp  was  the  school  of  virtue  ;  much  more  ought 
it  to  be  so  amongst  Christians,  for  there  is  a  terror  of 
death,  and  we  know  that  immediately  after  death 
cometh  judgment.  How  ought  men  to  sanctify  them- 
selves, and  to  repent  them  of  their  sins,  and  to  purge 
their  hearts  from  all  wickedness,  that  serve  under 
almighty  God  in  his  battles  !  God  hath  threatened  : 
Lev.  xxvi.  14,  17,  '  If  you  will  not  obey  me,  nor  do  all 
these  commandments,  I  will  set  my  face  against  you, 
and  ye  shall  fall  before  your  enemies  ;  and  they  that 
hate  you  shall  reign  over  you,  and  ye  shall  fly  when 
none  pursue th  you.'  Surely  such  are  of  the  forlorn 
hope  that  come  not  to  serve  the  living  God ;  therefore 
the  strongest  army  is  of  them  that  are  religious,  and 
make  conscience  of  doing  any  wicked  thing  to  dis- 
please God. 

Use  6.  Seeing  it  is  lawful  to  make  just  wars,  there 
must  be  a  willing  yielding  to  the  charge  thereof; 
moneys  are  the  sinews  of  war,  Rom.  xiii.,  '  and  for 
this  cause  pay  we  tribute.'  '  Give  unto  Caesar  that 
that  is  Caesar's.'  God  hath  given  our  lawful  princes 
an  interest  in  our  goods  for  the  common  good,  and 
the  apostle  allege  th  this  cause  of  tribute  and  subsidy 
to  our  princes.  '  For  they  are  God's  ministers  ap- 
pointed for  this  very  thing,'  that  is,  to  execute  wrath 
upon  them  that  do  evil,  and  to  defend  their  own 
right. 

Use  7.  This  reprove  th  those  that  sensually  and 
securely  play  and  sleep  out  their  time,  without  care 
of  their  own  safety,  till  the  enemies  come  on  then* 
and  make  them  a  prey.  This  was  the  ruin  of  Laish : 
Judges  xviii.  7,  '  The  children  of  Dan  sent  five  men 
who  came  to  Laish,  and  behold,  the  people  that  were 
therein  dwelt  careless,  after  the  manner  of  the  Zido- 
nians,  quiet  and  secure.'  This  gave  encouragement, 
to  the  children  of  Dan  to  assault  them. 


24 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  1. 


Use  8.  This  doctrine  of  the  lawfulness  of  just  wars 
doth  seem  to  confute  the  Manichees  and  Marcionites 
of  old  times,  and  the  Anabaptists  and  those  of  the 
*  family  of  love'  in  later  days,  who  have  maintained  it 
unlawful  for  Christians  to  make  any  either  offensive 
or  defensive  war,  or  so  much  as  to  wear  a  weapon. 

Olj.  1.  Christ  saith,  Mat.  v.  89,  '  Resist  not  evil ; 
if  one  smite  thee  on  one  cheek,  turn  the  other :  if  one 
sue  thee  for  thy  coat,  give  him  thy  cloak.' 

Sol.  1.  This  must  not  be  literally  understood,  for 
Christ  himself,  who  gave  this  precept,  did  not  so ;  he 
was  smitten  in  the  high  priest's  hall,  and  he  turned 
not  the  other  cheek,  but  reproved  him  that  smote  him, 
saying,  John  xviii.  22,  23,  '  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear 
witness  of  the  evil ;  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me  ?' 

This,  then,  is  spoken  by  our  Saviour  to  forbid  pri- 
vate revenge,  that  no  man  should  be  the  judge  of  his 
own  wrong,  but  should  bear  it  with  patience. 

It  is  St  Augustine's  answer,  Obedientia  ista  non  in 
ostentatione  corporis  est,  sed  in  jJreparatione  cordis.  And 
he  saith,  Non  ma.villam  tantum  ohtulit,  sed  totum  corpus 
dedit figendum  cruci.  And  he  addeth,  Quanto  melius  et 
respondit  vere  placatus,  et  ad  j)erferenda  graviora  paratus 
est.  He  could  have  withdrawn  his  cheek  from  the  smiter, 
but  he  would  fulfil  the  prophecy :  Lam.  iii.  30,  *  He 
giveth  his  cheek  to  him  that  smiteth  him ;  he  is  filled 
with  reproaches.' 

Private  revenge  Christ  forbiddeth  us.  Christ  did 
not  take  it  against  his  adversary  that  smote  him  ;  he 
reproved  it  in  Peter ;  he  amended  the  maim  that  he 
made,  and  healed  his  smiter.  But  war  is  a  public 
revenge,  and  the  magistrate  beareth  the  sword  to  that 
purpose,  '  to  execute  revenge  upon  evil  doers.'  Ven- 
geance is  God's,  and  where  he  committeth  the  trust 
of  execution  thereof,  as  he  doth  to  the  magistrate, 
there  it  is  lawful. 

This  cleareth  many  other  like  objections,  as  that. 
Qui  gladio  ferit,  gladio  perihit,  he  that  smiteth  with 
the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword ;  we  must  recom- 
pense to  no  man  evil  for  evil.  For  all  this  is  meant 
of  our  revenge,  but  the  revenge  of  the  magistrate  is 
the  vengeance  of  God,  because  he  is  God's  minister. 

Ohj.  2.  The  prophet  Isaiah  foretold,  chap.  ii.  4, 
that  in  the  time  of  the  gospel,  *  They  shall  beat  their 
swords  into  ploughshares,  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing-hooks ;  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against 
nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  anymore.' 

Sol.  These  words  bear  three  interpretations. 

1.  That  this  was  a  sign  of  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 


siah into  the  world.  He  was  born  in  a  time  of  cessa- 
tion from  wars,  when  the  Roman  monarchy  had  leisure 
to  levy  a  taxation  by  the  poll.  So  when  David  had 
rest,  then  he  thought  of  numbering  his  people. 

2.  That  this  was  fulfilled  in  the  spiritual  peace  and 
unity  of  the  church,  collected  now  out  of  all  nations 
of  the  world,  Jew  and  Gentile  made  one. 

3.  That  this  is  the  proper  efiect  of  the  gospel, 
where  it  was  embraced  faithfully,  to  make  peace. 

Under  the  name  of  Edom,  we  may  understand  all 
the  enemies  of  the  truth  of  God  and  Christian  religion : 
such  as  are  schismatics  and  heretics,  who,  understand- 
ing not  the  mystery  of  godliness  and  peace,  do  set 
their  wits  against  the  church,  to  corrupt  the  truth 
therein  deposited  and  professed,  or  to  disturb  the  quiet 
professors  thereof. 

1.  Heretics.  These  are  our  brethren  by  outward 
profession,  calling  themselves  Christians  ;  but  they 
see  that  we  have  gotten  the  birthright  and  the  blessing 
from  them,  and  therefore  they  hate  us,  and  are  com- 
forted against  us  to  destroy  us. 

The  church  is  God's  Israel,  the  children  of  the  pro- 
mise, filii  regni,  filii  thalami,  filii  lucis,  children  of 
the  kingdom,  of  the  bridechamber,  and  of  the  light. 

The  ambassadors  that  are  sent  to  stir  up  to  war 
against  those,  be  the  ministers  of  the  word  of  God  ; 
for  to  this  purpose  we  are  sent  forth,  to  confirm  the 
brethren  against  those,  to  reconcile  these  to  God. 
And  we  are  commanded  to  arise  against  these  in  battle. 
The  war,  and  so  the  weapons  with  which  we  fight 
against  these  are  not  carnal,  but  spiritual ;  the  clear 
light  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  power  of  God  to  salva- 
tion to  them  that  believe,  and  the  truth  of  God  which 
is  strong,  and  prevaileth  against  them  that  believe  not. 

It  is  time  for  us  to  join  together  as  one  man  in 
battle  against  these  : 

Especially  the  papists,  whose  religion  is  ambition, 
whose  piety  is  worldly  poUcy,  whose  zeal  is  combustion, 
whose  faith  is  fury,  who  hide  the  word  of  light  in  the 
darkness  of  an  unknown  tongue,  to  keep  the  people 
ignorant,  that  they  may  not  know  God's  right  hand 
from  his  left,  to  emplunge  them  in  the  flames  of  their 
imagined  purgatory,  that  they  may  be  well  paid  to 
release  them  thence. 

They  mingle  the  sacrament  of  baptism  with  their 
own  inventions,  which  they  make  equivalent  in  virtue 
to  the  power  of  God's  ordinance. 

They  mangle  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper, 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


25 


by  robbing  the  people  of  one  half  thereof,  taking  the 
cnp  from  them. 

They  disable  the  sacrifice  of  Christ's  sufficient  satis- 
faction for  sin,  by  addition  of  human  merits,  of  eroga- 
tion,  and  supererogation. 

They  weaken  the  sole  intercession  of  Christ,  by 
intrusion  of  more  mediators,  angels,  the  mother  of 
our  Lord,  and  saints. 

They  shorten  the  free  and  full  grace  of  God,  which 
Christ  himself  from  heaven  told  Paul  was  sufficient, 
by  their  lying  doctrine  of  free  will. 

They  flatter  and  abet  some  by  their  doctrine  of  in- 
dulgences, which  attributeth  to  the  pope  power  of  par- 
doning sins  past  and  to  come. 

They  dishonour  the  holy,  sufficient  word  of  God,  by 
equibalancing  with  the  same  human  traditions  and 
false  legends. 

They  destroy  true  and  saving  faith,  by  their  fiEilse 
doctrine  of  implicit  faith,  teaching  that  it"  is  enough 
to  believe  as  the  church  believetb,  not  declaring  what 
the  church  believeth,  and  upon  what  ground  their  faith 
is  built. 

They  maintain  flat  idolatry,  by  teaching  the  wor- 
shipping of  images,  and  praying  to  saints. 

Aud  for  the  power  which  they  give  to  the  pope 
against  God  in  dispensing  with  the  breach  of  his 
covenants,  in  coining  new  articles  of  faith,  in  defining 
the  interpretation  of  Scripture,  in  usurping  authority 
over  temporal  princes,  to  enthrone  and  to  dethrone  at 
pleasure,  to  arm  their  natural  subjects  against  them  ; 
to  animate  incendiaries,  to  abet  treasons,  to  blow  up 
states. 

All  these  things,  and  many  more,  call  upon  us  to 
take  arms  and  join  our  strengths  against  this  Edom, 
this  red,  and  hairy,  and  bloody  enemy,  whose  mercies 
are  cruel. 

The  best  weapon  against  this  kingdom  of  darkness 
is  the  light  of  truth  ;  the  more  we  carry  this  light 
about  us,  the  more  will  the  ignorant  amongst  them 
know  how  they  are  abused  and  misled.  For  our  war 
is  spiritual,  not  against  their  persons,  but  against  their 
heresies. 

2.  Schismatics.  These  also  call  us  brethren,  but 
they  break  the  unity  and  uniformity  of  the  church. 

All  the  children  of  peace  must  arise  against  these  in 
battle.  This  also  is  a  spiritual  war,  and  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit  must  be  drawn  and  used  against  these,  to 
cut  them  ofi",  as  St  Paul  wisheth,  '  I  would  they  were 
cut  off  that  trouble  you ;'  or  if  the  word  of  God  cannot 


prevail  with  them,  to  convert  them  to  peace,  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  church,  which  St  Paul  calleth  his  rod, 
must  be  used  against  them,  to  cut  them  off  from  our 
congregations.  The  apostle  calleth  them  leaven,  and 
saith,  that  '  a  little  leaven  soureth  the  whole  lump.' 
So  do  schismatics ;  for  a  few  of  them  do  corrupt 
many,  and  divert  them  from  the  congregations  whereof 
they  are  members,  and  distaste  the  established  minis- 
try to  them,  and  set  them  in  opposition  to  authority, 
and  at  last  tempt  them  to  separation. 

Mr  Perkins,  upon  the  article  of  the  holy  catholic 
church,  doth  learnedly  handle  this  point. 

First,  saith  he,  they  object  that  our  assemblies  are 
full  of  grievous  blots  and  enormities. 

He  answereth,  the  defects  must  be  either,  1,  in 
doctrine  ;  or,  2,  in  manners. 

1.  Defects  in  doctrine.  (1.)  Either  errors  pmter 
fundamentum,  besides  the  foundation.  (2.)  Or  contra 
fundameutiim,  against  the  foundation. 

He  maintaineth  that  our  Church  of  England  doth 
teach  no  doctrine  against  the  foundation  of  Christian 
religion. 

2.  For  corruption  in  manners  he  declareth,  that  it 
cannot  make  a  church  no  church,  but  an  imperfect 
church ;  therefore  Christ  commandeth  to  hear  them 
which  preach  well  and  live  ill,  as  the  scribes  and 
pharisees  which  sit  in  Moses's  chair. 

Again,  he  findeth  it  objected  that  the  church  of 
England  doth  hold  Christ  in  word,  but  denieth  him 
in  deed. 

Answer :  D^al  of  Christ  is  either  in  judgment  or 
in  fact. 

To  deny  Christ  in  judgment,  which  obstinacy  is 
against  the  foundation,  and  maketh  a  Christian  no 
Christian. 

To  deny  Christ  in  fact  only,  sheweth  us  to  be 
weak  and  imperfect  in  our  profession  of  the  gospel ; 
and  the  best  of  God's  servants  cannot  keep  out  of  this 
rank,  because  it  is  impossible  for  them  that  carry  a 
body  of  sin,  who  do  the  evil  that  they  would  not,  to 
hold  conformity  of  life  and  conversation  with  their 
knowledge  and  good  desires. 

And  truly  the  authors  or  the  actors  of  schism  do 
shew  much  uncharitableness  in  their  separation  from 
our  church,  for  the  apostle's  rule  is,  2  Cor.  vi.  14, 
'  Be  not  unequally  yoked  with  infidels ;  what  concord 
hath  Christ  with  Belial  ?  what  agreement  hath  the 
temple  of  God  with  idols  ?  Wherefore  come  out  from 
among  them,  and  separate  yourselves,  saith  the  Lord.' 


26 


MAEBURT  ON  OBADlAH. 


[Ver.  2. 


And  do  they  judge  their  brethren  to  be  infidels,  the 
sons  of  Belial,  idolaters,  that  they  do  separate  from 
us  ?  Again,  the  same  apostle  saith,  2  Tim.  vi.  8, 
'  If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  and  consent  not  to  the 
wholesome  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
the  doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness,  from 
such  separate  yourselves.'  Can  any  lay  this  to  the 
charge  of  our  church,  that  we  offend  in  this  kind  ? 
It  is  true  that  nothing  is  more  easy  than  to  accuse, 
but  men  and  devils  cannot  prove  this  against  our 
church. 

The  chui-ch  of  the  Jews,  in  the  times  immediately 
after  Christ's  ascension,  was  the  church  of  God,  neither 
did  Christ  forsake  that  church  in  his  time,  nor  the 
apostles  after  him.  Acts  xii.  9,  '  But  when  certain 
men  hardened  and  disobeyed,  speaking  evil  of  the 
ways  of  God,'  Saint  Paul  departed  from  them,  and 
separated  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples  of 
Ephesus.  From  certain  schismatics  he  separated,  but 
not  from  the  church. 

Therefore  arise  against  such  in  battle,  detect  them 
to  public  authority,  seek  their  amendment ;  or  if  that 
cannot  be  compassed,  prosecute  the  ridding  them  out 
of  the  church ;  for  those  Edomites  do  not  love  the 
welfare  of  our  Jerusalem,  and  they  will  not  know 
those  things  which  belong  to  peace  :  '  The  way  of  peace 
they  have  not  known.' 

Under  the  name  and  title  of  Edom  we  may  under- 
stand the  whole  kingdom  of  Satan  ;  and  Israel,  the 
church  of  God,  stiiTed  up  by  the  ambassadors,  the 
ministers  of  God,  to  arise  against  it  in  battle.  ] 

For  this  is  our  life  called  a  warfare,  because  we 
fight  against  Satan,  the  professed  enemy  of  the  church, 
and  against  all  his  forces ;  both  his  outward  forces  in 
the  world,  and  his  inward  forces,  corpus  peccati,  the 
body  of  sin. 

The  holy  apostle  Saint  Paul,  knowing  the  danger 
of  the  elect,  doth  not  only  awake  us  to  fight,  and 
giveth  us  his  own  example,  '  So  fighting,  not  as  one 
that  beateth  the  air,'  but  he  prescribeth  to  us  a  fit 
armour,  and  teacheth  us  how  to  put  it  on,  that  we 
may  be  able  to  defend  ourselves,  and  to  resist  Satan, 
Eph.  vi.  19,  &c. 

This  is  no  power  of  our  own,  but  our  strength  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 

3.  To  come  nearer  home.  As  God  told  Eebekah 
when  Jacob  and  Esau  were  yet  in  her  womb  there 
striving,  There  be  two  nations  in  thy  womb  ;  so  Saint 
Paul  will  tell  you  that  there  is  in  every  regenerate 


man  two  opposite  forces,  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  and 
these  strive.  The  spirit  hath  God  put  into  us  to 
ruJe ;  '  the  flesh  rebelleth  against  the  spirit.'  *  There- 
fore to  will  is  present  with  us,  but  we  are  not  able  to 
do  the  good  that  we  would ;  '  yea,  he  confesseth  that 
he  cannot  do  the  good  that  he  would,  and  that  he 
doeth  the  evil  that  he  would  not.  The  Spirit  of  God 
is  God's  ambassador,  calling  upon  our  spirits  to  arise 
against  the  flesh  in  battle  ;  and  that  is  the  true  use 
of  all  doctrines  of  mortification,  and  of  godly  life,  to 
strengthen  the  spirit  against  the  flesh,  to  weaken  the 
power  of  the  body  of  sin.  And  for  this  Saint  Paul 
did  bring  his  body  in  subjection  ;  for  such  is  the 
nature  of  this  fight,  that  the  more  we  resist  our  natural 
and  sensual  desires,  the  more  we  advance  the  force  of 
our  spirits  against  our  flesh. 

And  it  is  a  most  glorious  conquest  for  any  servant 
of  God  to  overcome  himself. 


Ver.  2.  Behold,  I  have  made  thee  small  among  the 
heathen  :  thou  art  greatly  despised, 

2.  The  effect  of  this  judgment. 

(1.)  From  God,  «I  have  made  thee  small,'  &c. 

(2.)  From  God  and  man,  '  Thou  art  greatly  de- 
spised.' 

(1.)  From  God.  Three  circumstances  aggravate 
the  judgment. 

[1.]  Edom  is  made  small. 

[2.]  Made  small  among  the  nations. 

[3.]  I  have  done  it. 

(2.)  From  God  and  man.     Two  circumstances. 

[1.]  Thou  art  despised. 

[2.]  Thou  art  despised  gi-eatly. 

Before  I  handle  these  parts,  two  things  offer  them- 
selves to  consideration,  which  make  easy  way  unto 
the  understanding  of  the  prophec}'. 

1.  The  preface  to  this  prophecy,  Behold. 

2.  The  phrase  thereof. 

1.  The  preface.     Behold. 

Whereby  he  openeth  the  eyes  of  the  Idumeans,  to 
look  into  their  future  state.  It  is  a  word  much  used 
in  holy  Scripture,  and  ever  maketh  way  to  some  worthy 
and  considerable  matter.  Here  the  Lord  would  have 
the  Idumeans  take  notice  of  the  judgment  and  wrath 
to  come  ;  not  that  they  should  repent  them  of  their 
sins  and  turn  to  God,  for  God  hated  them,  and  set 
his  face  against  them,  and  they  had  hearts  that  they 
could  not  repent ;  but  hence  we  learn. 


Yeb.  2.] 


MAKBUKT  OX  OBADIAH. 


27 


Doct.  It  is  God's  maimer  to  give  warning  of  his 
judgments,  even  to  those  who  will  not  take  warning, 
that  they  may  be  without  excuse ;  and  Ezekiel  must 
prophesy  to  those  that  will  not  receive  him  :  chap, 
ii.  7,  '  And  thou  shalt  speak  my  words  xmto  them, 
whether  they  will  hear,  or  whether  they  wiU  forbear, 
for  they  are  most  rebellious.'  He  giveth  a  reason  be- 
fore :  '  Yet  they  stall  know  that  there  hath  been  a 
prophet  amongst  them.' 

Use.  God  will  have  the  ungodly  know  that  he  hath 
tendered  to  them  the  means  of  escape  from  his  judg- 
ments by  the  ministry  of  his  word,  that  they  may 
have  nothing  to  plead  for  themselves  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  that  they  may  see  and  perceive  and  confess 
that  their  perdition  cometh  from  themselves. 

From  whence  we  conclale,  that  to  the  reprobate  all 
the  means  of  grace  are  altogether  ineftectual  to  salva- 
tion. The  light  that  is  in  them  is  darkness  ;  their 
knowledge  swelleth  ih.^m,  their  faith  is  presumption, 
their  fear  is  despair,  their  joy  is  carnal,  their  hope 
temporal :  Tit.  i.  15,  '  Their  mind  and  conscience  is 
defiled,  abominable,  and  disobedient,  and  to  every  good 
work  reprobate.' 

Of  this  justice  of  God  against  the  reprobate  I  can 
give  no  other  account  than  that  which  the  apostle  doth 
yield :  Rom.  is.  18,  '  He  hath  compassion  on  whom 
he  wiU,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.'  Or  if  we 
would  hear  the  same  from  the  Son  of  God  himself: 
Mat.  xiii.  11,  '  To  them  it  is  not  given'  ;  and,  chap. 
xi.  26,  '  Even  so,  0  Father,  because  thy  good  plea- 
sure was  such.' 

So  he  saith  Behold  to  them  whose  eyes  in  his  justice 
he  hath  shut ;  and  he  saith  Hear  to  such  whose  ears 
in  justice  he  hath  stopped  ;  and  he  giveth  warning  of 
his  judgments  to  them  whom  he  hateth,  as  in  my  text. 

'  0  Lord,  how  unsearchable  are  thy  judgments,  and 
thy  ways  past  finding  out  !' 

Use.  Therefore  let  them  use  their  eyes  that  can 
see,  and  let  them  hear  that  can  hear,  and  let  them 
take  notice  of  the  judgment  and  wrath  to  come. 

The  elect  of  God  shall  find  many  impediments,  and 
shall  feel  a  great  reluctation  of  the  flesh  against  the 
spirit ;  let  not  such  be  faint-hearted,  but  let  them  so 
fight,  not  as  they  that  beat  the  air,  and  let  them  so 
run  that  they  may  obtain. 

2.  The  phrase  of  this  prophecy  of  judgment  is,  '  I 
have  made  thee  small,  thou  art  greatly  despised ;'  for 
God  saith  that  is  done  already  which  yet  is  not  exe- 
cuted. 


But  consider  the  ground  laid  in  the  beginning, 
'  Thus  saith  the  Lord.' 

The  Lord,  to  whom  aU  time  is  present,  and  whose 
decrees  give  present  resolution  of  aU  things,  though 
he  suspend  the  execution  thereof. 

But  it  was  not  long  before  this  commination  was 
fulfilled  upon  Edom  :  '  I  hated  Esau,  and  laid  his 
mountains  and  his  heritage  waste  for  the  dragons  of 
the  wilderness.  Whereas  Edom  saith.  We  are  impo- 
verished, but  we  will  return  and  build  the  desolate 
places.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  They  shall 
buHd,  but  I  will  throw  down  ;  and  they  shall  call  them 
the  border  of  wickedness,  and  the  people  against  whom 
God  shall  have  indignation  for  ever.' 

Concerning  the  fulfilling  of  this  prophecy,  it  was 
long  ere  it  was  perfectly  accomplished  ;  for  this  was 
the  work  of  sundry  nations,  to  eflect  the  judgment  here 
denounced.  For  first  they  were  wasted  by  the  Chal- 
deans, and  carried  into  captivity  ;  yet  it  is  clear  that 
they  returned  many  of  them  back  again :  then  was  it 
fulfilled  that  is  spoken  before :  *  An  ambassador  is 
sent  amongst  the  heathen,  Arise  ye,'  for  first  the  hea- 
then arise.  Then  in  the  time  of  the  Maccabees*  Judas 
fought  against  the  children  of  Esau  in  Idnmea,  at 
Arabatine,  because  they  besieged  Israel,  and  he  gave 
them  a  great  overthrow,  and  abated  their  courage  and 
took  their  spoils.  And  again,  after  this,  the  Idu- 
means  having  gotten  into  their  hands  the  most  com- 
modious holds.  &c. :  *  Then  they  that  were  with  Macca- 
beus made  supplication,  and  besought  God  that  he 
would  be  their  helper,  and  so  they  run  with  violence 
upon  the  strongholds  of  the  Idumeans ;  and  assault- 
ing them  strongly,  they  won  the  holds,  and  kept  off 
all  that  fought  upon  the  wall,  and  killed  no  fewer 
than  twenty  thousand. 'f  There  was  an  escape  then 
of  nine  thousand,  who  had  taken  a  strong  castle  ; 
these  many  of  them  by  corruption  of  money  made  an 
escape,  which  cost  the  blood  of  more  than  twenty 
thousand  ;  and  so  was  fulfilled  that  other  part  of  this 
prophecy,  '  We  also  will  arise  against  her  in  battle.' 

Yet  did  not  the  Idumeans  sink,  for  they  recovered 
strength,  and  did  vex  the  city  Jerusalem,*  and  came 
against  it  with  a  great  army,  being  by  letters,  and  by 
a  set  oration  of  one  called  Jesus,  entieated  first  to 
help  their  brethren  the  Jews,  then  to  lay  down 
arms,   and  not  to  fight  against  them.     They  brake 

*  1  Mac.  V.  3. 

t  2  Mac.  X.  15,  16. 

X  Josephas  de  Bello  Jod.  lib.  iv.  c.  vi. 


2S 


MAllBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Yer.  2. 


into  Jerusalem  in  the  night  with  fury  of  war,  and 
he  saith,*  Templum  redundavit  sanguine.  Octo 
millia  et  quingentos  moHuos  dies  invenit;  duodecim 
millia  nohiUum  periere  ah  IdumcBa  trucidata,  after 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  f  and  the  dispersion 
of  the  Jews  that  remained  of  that  cruel  massacre, 
wherein  the  conqueror  left  no  cruelty  undone.  He 
saith,|  Horum  furoiis  cemuli  etiain  Idumai  fiiere:  illi 
eniin  sceleratissimi  peremptAs  pontijicibus,  ne  qua  jmrs 
consercaretur  pietatis  in  Deum,  totum  quod  ex  civitatis 
facie  supererat  abscidere. 

Thus  the  Jews  that  remained  after  all  these  bloody 
wars  were  dispersed,  and  do  yet  continue  in  dispersion, 
but  with  promise  of  being  recalled  before  the  end  of 
the  world  ;  but  the  Edomites  are  now  perished  from 
the  face  of  the  earth  ;  no  mention  of  their  names  is 
left  in  the  world,  no  promise  of  their  restitution  ;  so 
that  this  prophecy  is  at  last  fulfilled,  and  hath  been 
many  years  accomplished.  So  long  was  it  before  the 
performance  hereof,  and  judgment  began  at  God's 
house,  yet  in  the  end  it  was  executed  in  their  final 
ruin  upon  the  earth. 

This  text  calleth  all  this  done,  for  no  length  of  time 
could  evacuate  the  truth  of  God  herein ;  which  teacheth 
us  to  look  assuredly  for  all  these  things  which  God 
hath  said  shall  come  to  pass,  especially  the  fall  of  anti- 
christ, the  calling  of  the  Jews,  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  the  last  judgment,  and  everlasting  life. 

Let  us  come  now  to  the  parts  of  this  text. 

1.  The  efi'ects  of  this  judgment  from  God. 

(1.)  Edom  must  be  made  small. 

Edom  or  Esan,  though  he  lost  the  first  blessing 
after  he  had  sold  his  birthright,  yet  he  obtained  a  bless- 
ing of  his  father :  Gen.  xxvii.  39,  40,  '  Behold,  thy 
dwelling  shall  be  the  fatness  of  the  earlh,  and  of  the 
dew  of  heaven  from  above ;  and  by  thy  sword  thou 
shalt  live,  and  shall  serve  thy  brother ;  and  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  when  thou  shalt  have  the  dominion, 
that  thou  shalt  break  his  yoke  from  off  thy  neck.' 
This  blessing  was  a  prophecy  of  the  greatness  of 
Edom,  whose  increase  was  such  that  Moses  doth  rehearse 
that  he  was  fain  to  depart  from  his  brother  Jacob,  and 
dwell  in  Seir  :  Gen.  xrxvi.  7,  '  For  their  riches  were 
more  than  that  they  could  dwell  together  ;  and  the 
land  wherein  they  were  strangers  could  not  bear  them 
because  of  their  cattle.'  Verse  81,  '  They  had  many 
dukes  and  kings  of  Edom,  before  there  reigned  any 
king  over  the  children  of  Israel.'    So  that  in  greatness 

*   Cap.  vii.  t  Lib.  v.  c.  i.  %  Lib.  vii-  c.  xxviii. 


they  outstripped  Jacob.  This  greatness  continued 
seven  hundred  years  after  the  prophecy  of  Isaac  till 
Daniel's  *  time.  2  Sam.  viii.  15,  *  And  he  put  garri- 
sons in  Edom  :  throughout  all  Edom  put  he  garrisons  ; 
and  all  they  of  Edom  became  David's  servants.'  There 
God  made  them  small. 

Again,  2  Kings  xiv.  7,  '  Amaziah,'  king  of  Judah, 
prevailed  against  them  :  he  slew  of  Edom  in  the  valley 
of  salt  ten  thousand,  and  took  Selah  by  war.'  This 
made  them  small. 

They  suffered  many  changes,  yet  this  is  noted  of 
them,  that, 

1.  They  were  grown  often  very  great,  yet  still  God 
made  them  small. 

2.  That  they  were  great  before  Jacob,  and  continued 
so  after  Jacob's  posterity  were  gone  into  dispersion. 

3.  That  now  their  memory  is  so  extinguished  on 
earth,  that  their  posterity  is  not  known. 

Let  no  man  measure  the  favours  of  God  by  the 
access  of  his  possession,  by  the  territories  of  his 
dominion,  by  the  multitude  of  his  men,  by  the  force 
of  his  strength.  God  gave  all  these  things  to  Esau, 
whom  he  hated. 

Rather  let  men  fortunate  and  prosperous  in  their 
ways,  who  have  the  desires  of  their  hearts  satisfied, 
and  whose  hearts  be  anointed  with  butter,  suspect  that 
God  hath  set  them  in  slippery  places,  Yicunt  inter 
laqueos.  Let  them  know  that  their  fulness  doth  come 
of  God's  open  hand,  aperit  et  implet ;  and  let  them 
know  that  the  Lord  giveth,  and  the  Lord  taketh  away, 
and  therefore  let  them  take  out  Saint  Paul's  lessons  : 
*  I  have  learned  how  to  abound,  and  how  to  want.' 

We  are  not  to  seek  in  our  own  times  of  examples 
of  smallness  turned  into  greatness,  and  of  greatness 
again  made  small. 

It  is  a  judgment  that  David  complained  of :  *  Thou 
hast  lifted  me  up,  and  cast  me  down.'  How  much 
more  peace  have  they  in  their  bosoms,  that  were  ever 
small,  than  they  who  have  risen  above  others,  are 
stooped  beneath  themselves,  and  laid  so  low  that  the 
foot  of  pride  treadeth  on  them.  Down,  stout  heart, 
there  is  no  perpetuity  in  things  temporal.  Great  Edom 
is  made  small;  rough  and  boisterous  Edom,  that  carries 
all  by  strong  hand,  is  made  meek  and  tame. 

(2.)  Made  small  amongst  the  heathen. 

These  were  numbered  among  the  heathen,  and 
amongst  them  they  were  great.  They  separated  from 
the  church  of  God,  like  the  sons  of  sober  and  reli- 
*  Qu.  '  David's  '  ?— Ed. 


Ver.  2.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH, 


29 


gious  parents  that  turn  gallants  and  roarers ;  and 
amongst  these  they  shine  a  while.  Amongst  these 
Edom  was  made  small. 

Abraham  had  an  Ishmael  that  was  cast  out  among 
the  heathen. 

Isaac  had  an  Esau  that  put  himself  in  amongst 
them  ;  all  the  sons  of  Jacob  were  patriarchs,  great 
fathers  of  the  church. 

Esau,  where  he  rose  to  glory  and  greatness,  there 
he  sunk  into  smallness  ;  the  eyes  that  saw  him  in 
his  shining  saw  him  eclipsed. 

(3.)  God  hath  done  this  ;  there  be  few  that  look  so 
high  when  they  are  down,  but  they  do  rather  complain 
of  evil  fortune,  or  of  some  great  wrong  done  to  them 
here  below,  failing  of  means,  desertion  of  friends,  or 
injustice  in  superiors.  The  heathen  look  to  second 
causes,  and  to  natural  agents ;  they  consider  not  that 
it  is  God  who  lifteth  up  and  casteth  down.  But  God 
taketh  it  upon  himself,  and  wouM  have  Edom  know 
that  this  is  dexira  Jehovie,  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord. 
Others  look  high  at  first,  and  upon  every  degree  of 
downfall  do  charge  God  with  hard  measure,  and  mur- 
mur at  his  uneven  hand,  as  if  he  had  not  done  them 
right,  which,  as  Job  saith,  is  to  '  charge  God  foolishly.' 
But  let  men  take  it  how  they  will,  God  is  the  author 
of  the  rising  and  falling  of  the  sons  of  men,  of  their 
growth  and  withering.  Can  God  hate,  and  his  hatred 
sit  idle  and  look  on  ?  As  his  love  is  operative,  so  is 
his  hatred.  Such  is  his  love,  that  all  things  work  to- 
gether for  the  best  to  them  whom  he  hath  called. 
Saint  Augustine  addeth,  etiam  peccata,  even  their  sins  ; 
another,  etiam  adversa,  their  adversary  ;*  and  such  is 
his  hatred,  that  all  things  work  contrary,  to  the  ruin,  of 
them  whom  he  hat^th;  etiam  prosperitas,  even  their 
prosperity,  for  '  the  prosperity  of  fools  doth  destroy 
them.' 

2.  This  judgment  is  aggravated  by  two  circum- 
stances from  God  and  man  : 

(1.)  Thou  art  despised. 

(2.)  Greatly  despised. 

(1.)  Despised. 

The  children  of  Edom  had  two  great  temptations  to 
swell  them,  that  is,  riches  and  power;  these  they  in- 
solently abused  to  oppression  of  their  neighbours. 
God,  who  *  poureth  contempt  upon  princes,'  covered 
them  with  contempt.  This  is  the  severest  vengeance 
that  pride  feareth.     Edom,  that  was  highest,  and  bore 

*  Qu.  '  adversity  '  ? — Ed. 


rule  over  the  nations,  and  Uved  by  the  sword,  is  now 
made  small.     After  this  fall  followeth  contempt. 

God  hath  said  it,  '  They  that  despise  me  shall  be 
despised.' 

(2.)  Despised  greatly. 

Pride  will  have  a  fall ;  it  never  faUeth  lower  here 
on  earth  than  when  it  falleth  into  great  contempt. 

1.  Of  God,  that  he  tumeth  away  from  them,  or 
setteth  his  face  against  them. 

2.  Of  man,  and  that, 

(1.)  "When  the  prophets  of  the  Lord  do  set  their 
faces  against  them,  as  in  this  case,  Ezek.  xxxv.  2, 
'  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face  against  mount  Seir,  and 
prophesy  against  it.'  It  is  no  small  matter  to  have 
the  messengers  of  God  against  us,  which  do  carry  hia 
sure  word  of  prophecy;  for  they  speak  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord,  and  where  they  denounce  the 
judgment  of  God  against  impenitent  sinners,  *  \Vho- 
soever's  sins  they  retain,  they  are  retained.' 

(2.)  When  the  Lord  hath  expressed  his  hatred,  and 
pronounced  his  judgment,  the  church  of  God  despis- 
eth  their  power,  and  derideth  their  malice,  saying, 
'  Thou,  0  God,  seest  it ;  for  thou  beholdest  ungodli- 
ness and  wrong,  to  take  the  matter  into  thy  hand.' 

3.  This  maketh  it  a  great  and  fall  contempt,  when 
they  that  served  them  shall  be  lords  over  them,  and 
their  sword  can  no  longer  help  them ;  so  is  Edom  de- 
spised among  the  heathen.  This  is  great  contempt,  to 
have  the  contempt  of  God  and  man.  You  see  their 
punishment. 

These  points  of  doctrine  do  follow  by  just  conse- 
quence. 

1.  That  God's  enemies,  though  for  a  time  they 
prosper  and  thrive  in  the  world,  yet  they  shall  by  lit'le 
be  at  last  consumed. 

The  whole  coarse  of  holy  story  runneth  very  clear 
this  way  :  Cain,  a  runagate,  and,  many  learned  do 
think,  after  killed  by  Lamech  ;  Ishmael,  every  man's 
sword  against  him ;  Pharaoh,  drowned  in  the  Red 
Sea,  Exod.  xiv.  28  ;  Sennacherib,  slain  by  his  own 
sons,  2  Kings  xx.  37  ;  Haman,  hanged  on  his  own 
gallows,  Esther  iv.  9,  which  the  poet  calls  arte  perire 
sua  ;  Nebuchadnezzar  turned  beast,  Dan.  iv.  30 ;  the 
Jews  have  Christ's  blood  on  them  and  their  children ; 
Herod,  eaten  with  worms,  Acts  sii.  23  ;  Jadas  went 
to  his  own  place. 

But  in  the  execution  of  judgment,  God  doth  not  all 
at  once  always. 


30 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  2. 


Moses  telleth  Israel,  Deut.  vii.  21,  '  God  will  root 
out  these  nations  before  thee  by  little  and  little  :  thou 
must  not  consume  them  at  once.' 

As  Amos  prophesieth,  chap.  iv.  9,  blasting  and 
mildew,  then  the  palmer- worm,  then  the  pestilence, 
then  the  sword,  and  at  last  as  Sodom  and  Gromorrah. 
So  he  destroyed  Egypt  with  ten  plagues,  one  succeed- 
ing another.  He  doth  not  empty  his  quiver  all  at 
once  ;  so  here  are  two  points  considerable. 

1.  He  doth  destroy  them. 

2.  Not  all  at  once,  but  by  little  and  little. 

1.  The  reason  why  he  doth  destroy  them  :  2  Thess. 
i.  6,  7,  '  It  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  render 
tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you.' 

2.  '  When  he  maketh  inquisition  for  blood,  he  re- 
membereth  the  complaint  of  the  poor.  His  mercy 
endureth  for  ever,'  Ps.  cxxxvi.  13. 

3.  The  enemies  of  the  church  are  God's  enemies. 
Exurgat  Deus  et  dissipentur  inimici  sui,  '  Let  God 
arise,  and  let  his  enemies  be  scattered.'  '  Out  of  the 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  hast  thou  ordained 
strength,  because  of  thine  enemies,  that  thou  mayest 
still  the  enemy  and  avenger.' 

The  use.  1.  It  teacheth  us  to  exercise  our  patience 
in  all  afflictions,  as  Christ  saith,  '  Fear  not  them  that 
can  kill  the  body,'  &c.  '  Patience  bringeth  forth  ex- 
perience, and  experience  hope,'  Rom.  v.  3.  '  Here  is 
the  patience  of  the  saints,'  Rev.  xiv.  12. 

Use  2.  It  stoppeth  any  course  of  revenge  that  we 
may  think  upon  ;  that  is  God's  title. 

'  0  Lord  God  the  avenger,  0  God  the  avenger, 
shew  thyself  clearly,'  Ps.  xciv.  1.  '  Dearly  beloved, 
avenge  not  yourselves,'  Rom.  xii.  19. 

Use  3.  It  ministereth  matter  of  joy  to  the  church, 
and  of  thanksgiving  to  God,  when  the  ungodly  fall. 
The  feast  of  Piirim  was  kept  with  joy  for  the  fall  of 
Haman  and  the  delivery  of  the  church,  Esther  ix.  17. 
There  is  great  joy  at  the  fall  of  Babylon. 

Use  4.  This  ministereth  matter  of  terror  to  the  un- 
godly, to  hear  that  the  Lord  Jesus  cometh  with  thou- 
sands of  his  angels.  He  will  render  vengeance  unto 
them  with  flaming  fire,  and  punish  them  with  ever- 
lasting perdition  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power,  Rev.  xix.,  2  Thes.  i.  6-8. 
Isa.  viii.  9,  10,  *  Gather  together  on  heaps,  0  ye 
people,  and  ye  shall  be  broken  in  pieces  ;  hearken,  all 
ye  of  far  countries,  gird  yourselves,  and  ye  shall  be 
broken  in  pieces  ;  take  counsel  together,  yet  shall  it 
be  brought  to  nought  ;  pronounce  a  decree,  yet  shall 


it  not  stand  ;  for  God  is  with  us.'  Judges  v.  31,  '  So 
let  all  thine  enemies  perish,  0  Lord ;  but  they  that  love 
him  shall  be  as  the  sun  when  he  riseth  in  his  might.' 

2.  But  this  is  not  done  all  at  once;  God  doth 
judge  the  wicked  by  little  and  little  ofttimes.  The 
reason  is, 

(1.)  In  respect  of  the  wicked  themselves,  that  they 
might  finish  their  unrighteousness  :  *  Sufi'er  ye  the 
tares  to  grow  till  the  harvest.'  When  the  harvest  is 
yellow,  then  he  putteth  in  the  sickle ;  and  tarrieth,  as 
David  saith,  till  their  abominable  wickedness  be  found 
worthy  to  be  punished. 

(2.)  In  respect  of  his  church,  that  he  may  exercise 
the  patience  of  his  saints.  Prov.  xxiv.  10,  '  If  thou 
faint  in  the  day  of  adversity,  thy  strength  is  small.* 
Therefore  God  said  he  would  not  cast  out  before 
Israel  any  of  the  nations  that  Joshua  left,  *  that 
through  them  he  might  prove  Israel,  whether  they  will 
keep  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  walk  therein  or  not,' 
Judges  ii.  20. 

(3.)  In  respect  of  himself,  for  the  glory  of  his  jus- 
tice ;  for  his  justice  is  not  speedily  executed  upon 
them  that  do  evil.  All  the  world  shall  see  that  God 
hath  awaited  the  repentance  of  the  wicked,  and  given 
them  time  for  it ;  and  because  they  will  not  repent, 
*  he  doth  whet  his  sword,  and  he  prepareth  instru- 
ments of  death.' 

Use.  This  teacheth  us  to  tarry  the  Lord's  leisure. 
The  sons  of  thunder  were  too  quick  with  Christ,  to  ofier 
to  pray  to  God  for  fire  from  heaven  to  consume  the 
Samaritans.  This  is  our  common  fault  when  any  one 
offendeth  us,  that  we  straight  fall  to  cursing,  wishing 
the  pox  and  the  plague,  the  vengeance  and  curse  of 
God  upon  them.  If  our  fury  had  the  managing  of 
God's  vengeance,  who  should  live  ?  Take  heed  of 
provoking  the  patience  of  God  :  that  justice  that  thou 
dost  awake  by  thy  curses,  owes  thee  a  punishment 
for  thy  impatience  and  uncharitableness. 

2.  We  are  taught  that  the  reward  of  pride  is  fall  and 
contempt.  So  David  saith,  '  Thou  wilt  bring  down 
high  looks  : '  no  sooner  doth  God  make  the  great  ones 
of  the  world  small,  but  they  are  greatly  despised. 

It  needs  no  proof,  where  examples  of  great  falls  do 
fall  so  thick  as  they  have  done  on  this  side  the  Alps 
within  these  few  years.  Never  ran  the  stream  and 
current  of  suitors  more  strong  to  rising,  and  growing, 
and  grown  greatness,  than  it  ran  away  from  the  fall 
thereof,  and  sought  another  channel.  And  they  that 
flattered  these  in  their  spring,  and   tendered  them 


Ver.  3,  &c.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


31 


service,  and  made  them  their  gods  in  their  fair  weather, 
in  their  fall  of  leaf  forsake  them,  and  then  humble 
petitions  turn  to  scornfal  libels. 

I  may  say  of  our  times  truly,  as  Hecuba,* 

Non  unqnam  tulit 
Documenta  fors  majora,  quam  fragili  loco  starent  snperbi. 

Thus  men  lay  by  the  walls  the  ladders  that  they 
climb  by,  and  like  those  people  of  whom  Boemus 
writeth,  they  bless  the  rising,  but  curse  the  setting 
sun.  Every  man  seeks  the  face  of  the  ruler ;  so  again, 
low  hedges  are  trodden  on. 

This  is  the  language  of  this  prophecy,  and  Edom  is 
one  example  hereof.  This  point  is  thoroughly  pressed 
afterwards.  Therefore  '  let  him  that  thinketh  he 
standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall.' 

There  is  a  natural  evil  eye,  which  beholdeth  the 
prosperity  of  rising  men  with  much  envy ;  that  eye  is 
glad  of  the  fall  of  great  ones  ;  observe  the  text,  how 
soon  it  follows,  '  I  have  made  thee  small ;  thou  art 
greatly  despised.'  So  soon  doth  contempt  follow  after 
a  fall. 

Let  Edom  be  Satan,  and  let  God  bind  him  in 
chains,  and  give  us  faith  to  resist  and  overcome  him ; 
how  do  we  despise  him  and  scorn  him  disarmed ! 
Let  the  world  be  Edom,  and  let  God  declare  the 
vanity  and  casualty  that  is  in  all  these  things  that 
Satan  tempteth  men  withal,  and  we  shall  see  the  ser- 
vants of  God  will  despise  it,  and  use  it  as  though  they 
used  it  not.  Let  a  man's  own  corruptions  be  the 
Edom,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  that  fight  against  the 
soul,  that  make  a  man  forget  his  piety  to  Grod,  his 
charity  to  his  brother ;  but  let  God  by  his  word  reveal 
to  us  the  body  of  sin,  and  by  his  law  humble  us  under 
the  mighty  hand  of  God :  we  shall  despise  and  con- 
temn the  desires  of  our  heart,  and  we  shall  say,  *  I 
will  go  and  return  to  my  first  love,  for  then  I  was 
better  than  now.' 

This  making  small  is  ruin  to  the  ungodly  ;  it  is 
medicine  to  the  just ;  the  narrow  gate  that  leadeth  to 
life  is  easily  entered  by  them  whom  God  hath  made 
small  in  their  own  eyes  and  estimation  of  them- 
selves. 

Christ  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  not  only  ad 
sacrijicium,  to  a  sacrifice,  but  ad  ej-empliun,  to  an 
example,  that  we  might  walk  as  he  walked. 

Small  threads  will  pass  through *a  needle's  eye, 
great  cables  are  too  big.  God  resisteth  the  proud.  A 
•  Seu.  Troas. 


small  womb  containeth  us  ;  &  small  tomb  burieth  us ; 
and  never  doth  the  favour  of  God  shine  more  on  us, 
or  the  attending  service  of  angels  more  minister  unto 
us,  than  when  the  world  despiseth  our  low  growth, 
and  our  contentment  with  our  daily  bread.  There  is 
much  difference  between  those  that  be  humiles,  humble, 
and  those  that  be  humiliati,  humbled;  and  between 
those  that  be  humiliati  ad  vindictam,  humbled  to 
punishment,  and  those  that  be  humiliati  ad  medicinam, 
humbled  to  medicine. 

This  prophecy  is  full  for  it,  that  '  God  resisteth  the 
proud,'  and  pride  shall  have  a  fall ;  and  after  the  fall 
foUoweth  contempt. 

And  what  reward  have  they  of  all  those  things  ? 
'  The  pride  of  thy  heart  hath  deceived  thee,  thou  that 
dwellest  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  whose  habitation  is 
high,  that  saith  in  his  heart,  Who  shall  bring  me 
down  to  the  ground  ?  Though  thou  exalt  thyself  as 
an  eagle,  and  though  thou  set  thy  nest  among  the 
stars,  thence  will  I  bring  thee  down,  saith  the  Lord.' 

2.  Now  he  foretelleth  how  all  the  hopes  of  the 
children  of  Edom  are  dispersed. 

1.  They  had  hope  in  their  own  pride,  ver.  3. 

2.  In  the  safety  of  their  situation,  ver.  3-6. 

3.  In  the  strength  and  assurance  of  their  con- 
federates, ver.  7. 

4.  In  the  wisdom,  ver,  8. 

5.  In  the  strength,  of  their  own  men,  ver.  9. 

For  the  first,  '  The  pride  of  thy  heart  hath  deceived 
thee.'  Thou  didst  think  better  of  thyself  than  there 
was  cause.  Self- opinion  is  the  bane  of  all  virtue ; 
for  by  it  men  become  their  own  flatterers,  and  build 
castles  in  the  air.  It  is  tumor  cordis,  the  swelling  of 
the  heart ;  this  is  of  the  world,  and  one  of  that  cursed 
trinity  which  undoes  the  world,  '  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,'  1  John 
ii.  16. 

The  cunning  serpent  breathed  this  poison  in  our 
first  parents ;  for  when  Eve  heard  him  say,  Similes 
eritis  Deo,  you  shall  be  like  unto  God,  she  soon  ate  of 
the  forbidden  fruit,  and  gave  of  the  same  to  Adam. 
Pride  swelleth  the  heart,  that  it  is  not  capable  of 
grace  ;  it  filleth  it  full  of  itself,  and  leaveth  no  room 
for  Christ  in  that  inn.  Therefore  one  saith  to  a  proud 
man.  Dens  prcesto  est  largiri  sapieniiam,  sed  tu  non 
habes  iibi  earn  recipias.  Pride  is  contrary  to  humilitv, 
for  humility  is  not  only  virtue,  but  vas  virtutum,  the 
receptacle  of  virtue.  '  God  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble  ; '  but  pride,  like  the  woman  that  had  filled  all 


S9 


MAEEURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  3,  &C. 


her  vessels  with  oil,  and  at  last  vas  dcfuit,  there 
wanted  a  vessel,  it  so  filleth  the  heart  with  the  oil  of 
self-flattery,  that  there  is  no  room  left,  no  vessel  to 
receive  any  grace.  It  filleth  the  firkins  up  to  the 
brim.  Whatsoever  good  parts  are  in  a  man  or  woman, 
pride  spoils  all,  and  turns  them  into  vice,  as  one  long 
ago  truly  and  facetely  rhj-med, 

Si  tibi  gratia,  si  sapientia,  formaque  detur, 
Inquinat  omnia  sola  superbia,  si  comitetur; 

This  is  esteemed  the  queen  of  vices,  '  Woe  to  the 
crown  of  pride,'  Isa.  Ixxxii.  1.  It  is  one  of  the  late 
repentances  of  the  damned,  beholding  the  happiness 
of  the  just,  and  feeling  the  misery  of  their  damnation. 
What  hath  our  pride  profited  us  ?  or  what  good  hath 
riches  with  our  vaunting  brought  us  ?* 

Satan  is  called  a  prince  ruling  in  the  air,  the  god 
of  this  world,  and  that  leviathan  who  is  a  king  over 
all  the  children  of  pride.  This  vice  opposeth  God, 
and  transgressetb  and  trespasseth  the  majesty  of  God ; 
it  began  to  all  the  other  sins,  it  infected  glorious  angels, 
and  turned  them  into  devils. 

One  observeth  that  pride  is  no  recusant ;  it  will 
come  to  church.  A  man  that  lives  in  the  light  of 
religion,  and  hath  any  moral  goodness  in  him,  will  lay 
down  his  covetousness,  gluttony,  luxury,  idleness, 
envy,  anger,  for  service  time  ;  but  the  proud  person 
will  bring  pride  to  church  along  with  him  :  '  Two  men 
went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  one  a  proud  pharisee.' 
Pride  mingleth  itself  with  our  best  actions,  and 
claimeth  share  with  God  in  many  of  our  good  works. 
It  also  filleth  us  with  contempt  of  our  neighbour, 
*  not  as  that  publican,'  non  ut  alii,  not  as  other  men. 
Edom  lived  by  his  sword,  and  awed  men  with  his 
power,  and  this  did  fill  his  heart  with  pride. 

Riches  unsanctified  make  men  proud  ;  so  Jack  be- 
comes a  gentleman,  and  mechanicals  find  some  false 
pedigrees  to  enable  them,  or  purchase  places  of  emi- 
nency,  to  put  them  before  their  betters.  Power  un- 
sanctified makes  men  boisterous,  and  heavy  to  the 
poor. 

Learning  unsanctified,  and  the  very  knowledge  of 
religion,  doth  breed  pride;  and  that  maketh  contention, 
for  pride  is  the  root  of  schism  and  heresy. 

This  turns  faith  into  presumption  in  some  professors 
of  religion,  but  it  tumeth  it  into  contention  in  others; 
in  others  into  separation  ;  in  the  profane,  it  breedeth 
contempt  of  God  and  of  his  word. 
*  Wisd.  V. 


Wisdom,  knowledge,  honour,  riches,  power  with 
humihty,  no  pride  to  corrupt  them,  they  are  the  orna- 
ments of  life,  and  the  faculties  of  virtue,  and  the  fac- 
tors of  grace,  and  the  fear  of  God.  Et  is  a  good  say- 
ing of  Hugo  de  Sancto  Victore,  Superbia  mihi  Dewn 
aufert,  invidia  proximum,  ira  meipsum;  pride  de- 
priveth  me  of  God,  envy  of  my  neighbour,  anger  of 
myself. 

Behold  his  soul,  which  is  lifted  or  pufied  up  in  him, 
is  not  upright  in  him  ;  '  but  the  just  shall  live  by 
faith,'  Hab.  ii.  4. 

Pride  in  the  wicked  taketh  room  and  place  of  faith ; 
for  as  faith  in  the  elect  doth  lay  hold  on  all  the  gra- 
cious promises  of  God  which  do  concern  this  life  and 
a  better,  so  pride  in  the  wicked  maketh  them  believe 
that  they  are  worthy  of  all  favours  of  the  time,  and  of 
all  temporal  graces  ;  therefore  the  prophet  setteth 
them  in  opposition.  Therefore  God  beginneth  to  tax 
this  people  of  their  pride,  teaching  us  that  pride  is 
abominable  to  God.  Here  we  are  compassed  with  a" 
cloud  of  witnesses  :  it  was  pride  that  cast  down  the 
angels,  that  deceived  Eve,  that  made  Cain  a  murderer, 
Lamech  a  boaster,  Nimrod  a  hunter,  Ishmael  a  scorner, 
Edom  an  oppressor,  &c.  And  the  pharisee,  that  could 
put  ofi"  the  aspersion  of  other  sins,  extortion,  injustice, 
adultery,  he  could  not  add  pride  ;  of  this  every  one 
hath  a  share.  Diogenes  wanted  not  his  part,  as  Plato 
taxed  him  most  justly,  for  it  is  so  insinuating  a  vice 
as  that  they  which  labour  most  to  express  humiUty 
cannot  but  take  some  pride,  even  in  that. 

This  pride  of  Edom  deceived  Edom.  Faith  buildeth 
upon  a  rock  ;  no  storm  can  shake  it ;  it  is  fortified  by 
the  prayer  of  Christ :  '  I  have  prayed  that  thy  faith 
may  not  fail.'  Pride  buildeth  on  sand  ;  the  founda- 
tion is  false ;  every  wash  and  wave  that  beats  on  it 
shakes  it  and  ruins  it. 

There  is  no  creature  that  comes  into  the  world  more 
•naked  and  more  disarmed  than  man  doth,  yet  none  so 
proud,  and  therefore  none  so  promising  to  itself  as 
man  is  ;  for  as  one  saith,  CoUigit  de  vite  spinas,  pro 
iivis  tribulos,  for  out  of  the  good  blessings  of  God  he 
maketh  matter  of  self-opinion  and  false  glory. 

This  is  a  monstrous  birth,  ex  bono  malum.  Lumen 
quod  in  te  est  tenebrcc  sunt  :  when  thou  thinkest  thy- 
self more  happy  than  others,  and  goest  in  this  tran- 
sport far,  at  last  thou  seest  that  thou  hast  been  thine 
own  impostor. 

It  is  a  good  saying  of  Saint  Gregory,  that  he  that 
boasteth,  and  is  proud  of  any  of  God's  gifts,  se  inter- 


Ver.  S,  &c.] 


:marbury  on  obadiah. 


33 


Jicit  medicamine,  the  medicine  that  should  heal  kills 
him.  That  which  all  this  while  supported  the  glory 
of  Edom,  which  was  Edom's  pride,  proves  Edom's 
ruin  ;  it  hath  deceived  him. 

The  doctrines  of  the  church  of  Rome  do  maintain 
this  pride  of  the  heart,  therefore  they  are  deceitful ;  for, 

1.  They  say  we  have  free  wiU  to  do  good. 

2.  They  teach  that  a  man  in  this  life  may  fulfil  the 
whole  law  of  God. 

3.  They  teach  that  a  man  may  be  justified  before 
God  by  the  merit  of  his  works. 

4.  That  a  man  may  overdo  the  law,  and  do  works 
of  supererogation,  which  may  increase  the  treasure 
of  the  church,  and  may  help  out  them  that  come 
short  in  good  works,  by  mending  their  store. 

All  these  doctrines  seem  to  maintain  the  pride  of 
the  heart,  and  to  give  flesh  wherein  to  rejoice,  against 
which  we  oppose  the  doctrines  of  humility. 

5.  That  the  sacraments  do  confer  grace  ex  opere 
operato,  and  therefore  whosoever  is  made  partaker  of 
them  hath  the  grace  whereof  they  be  seals. 

First,  So  in  baptism ;  they  aflirm  that  original  sin 
is  quite  done  away,  so  that  infants  baptized  are  cer- 
tainly saved ;  and  such  as  depart  the  world  without 
baptism  are  separated  from  the  sight  of  God. 

Whosoever  receiveth  their  sacrament  of  the  altar 
doth  verily,  and  really,  and  carnally  feed  on  the  same 
body  of  Jesus  Christ  that  was  bom  of  the  Yirgin  Mary, 
and  suffered  death  upon  the  cross. 

Secondly,  Neither  do  they  only  attribute  this  vir- 
tue to  the  sacraments  which  Christ  ordained  in  his 
church,  but  unto  those  five  which  they  have  since 
added  and  equibalanced  with  the  holy  ordinances  of 
God. 

(1.)  For  their  sacrament  of  penance.  They  hold  that 
the  grace  of  baptism  may  be  finally  lost ;  and  so,  to 
recover  man  again  from  that  downfall,  they  have  de- 
vised this  sacrament.  This  is  Trent  divinity,  Sess. 
xiv.  cap.  1.  Si  in  regeneratis  omnibus  gratitudo  erga 
Deum  esset,  ut  justitiam  in  baptismo  ipsius  gratia  et 
heneficio  susceptam  tuerentur,  non  fuisset  opus  aliud 
sacramentum  instituere.  But  because  this  serves  not, 
penance  doth  come  in ;  for  how  else  should  they  bring 
in  their  auricular  confession,  by  which  they  dive  into 
men's  hearts,  and  their  imposed  power,  by  which  they 
dive  into  men's  purses,  for  satisfaction  ?  And  this 
concludes  with  Ego  te  ahsolvo,  I  absolve  thee  ;  which 
doth  wash  them  as  clean  from  aU  sins  past,  as  if  they 
had  never  siimed. 


(2.)  For  the  sacrament  of  marriage.  They  do  that 
but  a  little  honour,  save  only  in  belying  it  to  be  a 
sacrament,  and  pronouncing  anathema  to  all  that  do 
deny  it  to  be  a  sacrament  ordained  by  God  himself  in 
paradise. 

First,  But  neither  do  they  make  it  the  means  to 
convey  any  spiritual  grace,  which  is  the  chief  use  of  a 
sacrament,  but  only  make  it  a  bare  sign  of  the  con- 
junction between  Christ  and  his  church. 

Secondly,  Neither  do  they  leave  it  at  large  for  aU 
persons,  but  curse  those  that  allow  it  to  priests. 

Thirdly,  Neither  do  they  honour  the  state  of  matri- 
mony with  equal  honour  to  virginity,  but  pronounce 
anathema  to  them  that  prefer  it  befuie  virginity. 

(3.)  For  the  sacrament  of  orders ;  they  make  the 
priest  some  amends,  for  therein  he  hath  a  sacrament 
which  the  lay  partake  not  in.  To  this  they  attribute 
the  power  of  absolution,  the  power  of  binding,  the 
power  of  turning  bread  into  the  body  of  Christ,  the 
power  of  conferring  grace, 

(4.)  For  confirmation.  That  is  another  help  to  bap- 
tism, to  relieve  the  imperfection  of  Christ's  ordinance, 
novam  gratiam  tribuit. 

(5.)  For  extreme  unction.  As  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism is  sacramentum  introeuntium,  the  sacrament  of 
entrance,  so  this  is  sacramentum  exeuntium,  of  going 
out.  This  makes  expeditiorem  ad  ccelum  viam,  a  quick 
way  to  heaven,  and  is  to  be  administered  in  articulo 
mortis,  the  point  of  death,  and  it  carries  the  soul  to 
heaven  directly. 

May  we  not  behold  the  pride  of  the  church  of  Rome 
in  all  these,  how  they  have  taken  to  their  own  hands 
the  keys  of  David  ?  They  open,  and  no  min  shutteth ; 
they  shut,  and  no  man  openeth.  It  is  in  the  power 
of  the  priest  to  give,  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  people 
to  take  salvation,  and  I  do  not  see  any  great  need  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  these  doctrines ;  neither  can  I  find 
that  they  have  left  him  any  absolute,  but  only  given 
him  a  dependent,  power  over  them,  that  he  cannot 
save  without  them.  Surely  all  this  pride  deceiveth 
them  that  put  trust  therein,  for, 

1.  Against  free  will  we  oppose  1  Cor.  xv.  12,  '  In 
Adam  we  all  die,  in  Christ  made  alive ; '  and  that  this 
stretcheth  to  a  corporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal  death, 
hear  the  same  apostle  :  Eph.  ii.  2,  '  We  are  by  nature 
children  of  wrath.'  Saint  Paul  was  a  vessel  of  elec- 
tion, he  had  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  received  the  office 
of  his  apostleship  immediately  from  God,  yet  he  saith: 
Rom.  vii.  15,  *  The  good  that  I  would  do,  I  do  not; 


34 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  3,  &C. 


the  evil  that  I  would  not  do,  I  do.'     Whence  is  then 
this  free  "will  ? 

2.  Against  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  of  God  in  this 
life  :  Eccles.  vii.  20,  *  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon 
earth,  who  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not;'  and  James 
iii.  2,  '  He  that  hreaketh  the  least  of  the  command- 
ments is  guilty  of  all ; '  that  is,  he  is  found  a  ti'ans- 
gressor,  legis,  of  the  law ;  but  in  midtis  offendimus 
omnes,  in  many  things  we  all  o^ein\,  Justus  cadit  septies, 
JProv.  xxiv.  16. 

3.  Against  merit  of  works  Christ  saith,  Luke  xvii. 
.7,  &c.,  '  They  that  have  done  all  that  is  commanded, 
ihave  done  but  their  duty  ; '  servi  iniUiles,  unprofitable 
^servants. 

And  what  proportion  is  there,  liniti  ad  uijinitum,, 
of  the  finite  to  the  infinite  ?  The  works  of  men  be 
finite,  the  glory  of  God  is  infinite :  Isa.  Ixiv.  6,  '  All 
our  righteousness  is  like  defiled  cloths.' 
'  4.  Against  supererogation,  that  pride  deceiveth 
them,  for  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  in  obedience,  or 
in  love  to  God,  which  is  not  commanded  in  his  law, 
that  requireth  all  the  soul,  and  all  the  mind,  and  all 
the  strength  of  both  these.  He  that  can  find  anything 
more  to  do,  and  can  do  it,  may  supererogate. 

5.  Concerning  their  sacraments,  they  dishonour 
baptism,  and  make  ii  of  no  account,  when  they  teach 
that  the  grace  of  baptism  may  be  lost,  and  devise  three 
sacraments  to  help  it,  confirmation  to  strengthen  it, 
penance  to  renew  it,  extreme  unction  to  perfect  it. 

We  acknowledge  God  powerful  in  his  own  ordi- 
nance ;  we  hold  that  the  grace  given  to  the  elect  in 
baptism  is  sealed  and  imprinted  an  indelible  character. 

Confirmation  is  no  more  but  a  watering  of  the 
plants  which  the  ordinance  of  God  hath  graflfed. 
Penance  is  no  more  but  a  stirring  up  of  the  grace 
given  in  baptism  ;  extreme  unction  is  of  no  necessity, 
it  was  a  temporal  practice  in  those  times  when  the 
gift  of  healing  was  in  the  church,  instead  whereof  we 
have  prayers  both  in  private  and  in  public  congrega- 
tions. The  grace  of  baptism  we  hold  sufiicient  for 
the  whole  life  to  sanctify  it,  and  in  the  elect  of  God  it 
is  not,  it  cannot  be,  lost. 

The  true  sacrament  of  confirmation  is  the  Lord's 
supper,  for  that  representeth  to  us  the  body  that  was 
broken  for  us,  and  the  blood  that  cleanseth  us  from 
all  our  sins.  That  is  often  repeated,  to  call  us  to  repen- 
tance, and  to  strengthen  our  faith.  If  we  flatter  our- 
selves that  the  act  of  receiving  doth  sanctify  us,  that 
is  a  deceiving  of  our  own  hearts  ;  for  '  the  flesh  pro- 


fiteth  nothing,  it  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth.'  We 
know  that  it  may  be  eaten  to  condemnation;  if  there 
were  carnal  presence  of  Christ,  none  could  eat  of  it 
but  he  must  be  joined  so  with  Christ  as  he  could  not 
perish. 

Lastly,  for  the  sacrament  of  orders,  they  deceive 
themselves  in  the  pride  of  their  hearts,  thinking  Ihat 
God  hath  given  them  the  kingdom  ^of  grace  and  of 
glory;  to  bestow  where  they  will.  We  are  the  ministers 
of  God,  sent  forth  as  God's  ambassadors,  to  carry  his 
pardon  to  such  as  are  penitent.  The  pardon  doth  set 
forth  who  are  capable  of  it ;  we  are  the  ministers  of 
God,  to  make  tender  of  the  means  of  grace  to  such  as 
are  capable  of  them.  We  cannot  make  a  man  capa- 
ble either  of  grace  or  salvation,  yet  none  can  have 
either  but  by  our  ministry,  except  God  will  shew  his 
prerogative  and  say,  Ecce  ego  creaho  rem  novum  in 
terra,  'Behold  I  create  a  new  thing  upon  earth.' 

Humility  deals  truly  with  us ;  for  if  I  be  humble,  I 
am  content  with  that  I  have,  and  think  it  more  than  I 
deserve.  I  do  not  envy  either  greater  graces  in  others, 
or  higher  places,  for  I  know  mine  own  wickedness,  and 
*  my  sins  are  ever  before  me  ;'  and  therefore  I  think  it 
happy  with  me,  and  acknowledge  it  a  great  mercy  that 
I  am  not  consumed.  I  do  not  glory  in  mine  own 
knowledge,  but  with  Agur  the  son  of  Jakeh,  Prov. 
XXX.  2,  3, 1  say  and  confess,  '  Surely  I  am  more  brutish 
than  any  man,  and  have  not  the  understanding  of  a 
man :  I  have  neither  learned  wisdom,  nor  have  the 
knowledge  of  the  holy.'  I  do  not  glory  in  mine  own 
righteousness,  but  looking  to  my  heart  within,  and  into 
my  ways  without,  I  say  with  Saint  Paul,  '  Of  sinners 
I  am  chief.' 

An  humble  man  hath  this  advantage  of  a  proud  man, 
for  he  cannot  fall ;  his  estate  may  grow  both  higher  and 
fuller,  but  his  heart  keepeth  one  point  of  elevation,  and 
is  fixed  at  that ;  he  never  graspeth  for  wind  to  hold 
it ;  he  hunteth  not  after  opinion  ;  he  doth  not  flatter 
himself  with  vain  hopes.  Well  may  an  humble  man 
sufier  from  others,  but  he  will  keep  so  good  a  watch 
upon  his  own  heart,  that  that  shall  never  deceive  him 
by  any  information  of  self-wisdom. 

But  I  commend  a  virtue  that  but  half  keeps  a  living 
man  in  the  earth,  saith  the  gallant.  True,  but  as  the 
root  is  deep  embosomed  in  the  earth,  which  makes  a 
tree  bear  a  storm  the  better. 

But  this  keepeth  men  from  putting  forth  themselves 
where  they  may  exercise  their  other  virtues.  Ay,  but 
itjoyethaJl  well  affected,  that  church  and  common- 


Ver.  3,  &c.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


35 


wealth  aboundeth  so  in  choice  that  there  is  no  need  of 
me.  And  those  whom  pride  putteth  forth  have  an  evil 
edition. 

2.  Their  next  confidence  was  in  the  situation  of 
their  dwelling,  resembled  to  an  eagle's  building  her 
nest  in  the  clefts  of  a  rock  on  high  ;  so  there  meets 
to  make  up  their  confidence,  strength  and  height  of 
dwelling. 

That  is  their  confidence,  and  that  is  dispersed  in 
the  fourth  verse,  '  Thence  will  I  bring  thee  down,  saith 
the  Lord.' 

This  opinion  of  the  strength  of  an  impregnable  habi- 
tation hath  deceived  many.  After  David  had  reigned 
seven  years  in  Hebron,  2  Sam.  v.  6,  '  The  king  and 
his  men  went  to  Jerusalem  to  the  Jebusites,  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land,  which  spake  unto  David,  saying, 
Except  thou  take  away  the  blind  and  the  lame,  thou 
shalt  not  come  in  hither,  thinking  David  cannot  come 
hither.' 

The  Hebrews  have  made  a  figurative  construction  of 
these  words,  namely,  that  the  Jebusites  did  preserve 
two  images,  the  one  of  Isaac,  who  was  blind,  the  other 
of  Jacob,  who  was  lame  ;  these  two,  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
made  a  covenant  with  Abimelech,  in  which  league  they 
comprehended  the  Jebusites ;  therefore  the  league  must 
be  broken  which  was  made  with  Isaac  and  Jacob  if 
they  did  come  thither  to  remove  the  Jebusites.  But 
this  is  vain  and  fabulous.  The  true  meaning  is,  that 
the  Jebusites  did  think  their  hold  so  strong  that  so 
long  as  there  were  any  men  therein  (though  blind  and 
lame),  they  would  be  able  to  defend  the  place  against 
David.  But  that  hope  was  despaired,  for,  ver.  9, 
'  David  dwelt  in  that  fort,  and  called  it  the  city  of 
David,'  &c. 

The  like  example  we  have  of  Babylon.  Hear  her 
in  her  rufi"  and  in  the  pride  of  her  heart :  Isa.  xiv.  13, 
'  Thou  hast  said  in  thy  heart,  I  will  ascend  into 
heaven,  I  will  exalt  my  throne  among  the  stars  of  God  : 
I  will  sit  also  upon  the  mount  of  the  congregation,  in 
the  sides  of  the  north  :  I  will  ascend  above  the  heights 
of  the  clouds  :  I  will  be  like  the  Most  High,'  Which 
pride  of  heart  smarteth  in  them,  for  it  foUoweth,  '  Yet 
thou  shalt  be  brought  down  to  hell,  to  the  sides  of  the 
pit.' 

I  deny  not  but  this  is  literally  to  be  understood  of 
Babylon  ;  but  it  troubleth  me  that  any  learned  man  of 
our  days*  should  charge  so  many  great  judgments  as 
have  applied  this  to  the  fall  of  the  angels  with  unskilful 

*  Dr  Eainolds  on  Obad.     [See  our  Edition,  p.  8. — Ed] 


application  thereof.  I  know  the  leamedst  and  gravest 
judgments  have  gone  that  way,  as  far  as  we  have  any- 
thing written  of  the  fall  of  angels  ;  and  men  of  yester- 
day do  not  well  to  impute  unskilfulness  to  such  expert 
scribes.  But  in  the  posthumous  writings  of  great 
learned  men,  the  publisher  may  shuffle  in  some  of  his 
own  bran  amongst  their  wheat. 

For  understand  this  either  literally  of  Babylon,  or 
allegorically  of  the  angels  that  fell,  either  of  them 
thought  their  dwellings  impregnable,  and  therefore  safe. 

Jerusalem,  called  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth,  was 
compassed  so  with  mountains,  that  the  prophet,  to  ex- 
press the  safety  of  the  church,  resembleth  it  to  Jeru- 
salem :  Ps.  cxxv.  2,  '  As  the  mountains  are  about 
Jerusalem,  so  is  the  Lord  round  about  his  people,'  &c. 
'  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord  shall  be  as  mount  Sion.' 
Yet  we  know  how  it  was  destroyed. 

David  was  gone  far  that  way  in  presuming  upon  the 
safety  of  his  person  and  state :  Dixi,  Xunquam  movehor, 
'  I  said  I  shall  not  be  removed ;  thou,  Lord,  of  thy 
goodness  hast  made  my  mountain  so  strong.' 

All  which  examples  and  all  experience  meeteth  in 
one  point  of  doctrine,  that  it  is  a  vain  confidence  to 
trust  in  the  strength  of  our  state  and  dwelling  on  earth. 
A  full  proof  of  this  truth  we  find  in  the  example  of  the 
Philistines'  garrison,  1  Sam.  xiv.  4,  for  '  Between  the 
passages  by  which  Jonathan  fought  to  go  over  to  the 
Philistines'  garrisons,  there  was  a  sharp  rock  on  the 
one  side,  and  a  sharp  rock  on  the  other  side.  Yet 
Jonathan  climbed  up  on  his  hands  and  on  his  feet,  and 
his  armour-bearer  after  him,  and  they  fell  before  Jona- 
than,' &c. 

The  reason  of  this  is  given  by  God  himself :  '  I  will 
bring  thee  down,  saith  the  Lord.'  The  Lord  taketh  on 
him  to  bring  down  high  looks,  and  whosoever  be  the 
instrument  and  means  of  their  overthrow,  it  is  the 
Lord's  doing. 

In  this  very  example  in  my  text,  God  claimeth  the 
glory  of  Edom's  ruin  ;  for  the  prophet  asketh  who  it 
is  that  Cometh  from  Edom,  and  why  his  garments  be 
red?  Isa.  Ixiii.  1.  It  is  answered,  'I  have  trod  the 
wine-press  alone,  there  was  not  one  with  me.'  Which 
prophecy  looketh  two  ways,  both  to  the  destruction  of 
Edom  in  the  letter,'which  God  assumeth  to  himself  as 
his  own  work,  and  specially  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan, 
which  Christ  in  the  blood  of  his  passion  did  alone 
conquer. 

We  had  a  fair  example  hereof  in  '83 ;  the  invin- 
cible armada  of  Spain,  then  our  enemy,  now  our  re- 


36 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  5,  6. 


conciled  friend,  came  forth  in  the  strength  of  ships, 
and  ordnance,  and  men,  and  promised  themselves  the 
conquest  of  this  land.  They  said,  '  We  will  rejoice 
and  divide  Shechem,  and  mete  out  the  valley  of  Suc- 
coth.'  God  gave  us  victory,  and  declared  that  no 
strength  prevaileth  against  the  Lord. 

Therefore  let  no  man  trust  in  the  strength  of  his 
dwelling ;  we  have  an  island  encompassed  and  moated 
about  with  the  sea,  walled  in  with  sands,  and  rocks, 
and  shelves,  which  maketh  the  passage  to  us  full  of 
dangers,  and  is  a  great  security  to  our  land,  yet  have 
the  Romans,  the  Danes,  and  the  Normans  conquered 
this  land.  Therefore  our  trust  is  not  in  the  strength 
of  our  dwellings,  but  God  is  our  rock.  On  the  cliffs 
of  this  rock  we  dwell  safe  ;  so  that  faith,  and  not  pre- 
sumption, do  build  our  nest.  To  him  if  we  address 
our  prayers,  to  him  if  we  give  the  sacrifices  of  praise, 
if  to  him  we  perform  the  duties  of  obedience,  who  can 
harm  us  ?  God  of  his  goodness  hath  made  our  moun- 
tain so  strong,  that  we  need  not  fear  what  man  can  do 
against  us. 


The  trust  of  Edom  was  vain,  and  the  vanity  there- 
of is  described  in  the  miserable  waste  that  was  made 
therein. 

Ver.  5,  6,  7/  thieves  come  to  thee,  if  robbers  by  night 
(how  art  thou  cut  off!),  icould  they  not  have  stolen  till 
they  had  enough  ?  If  the  grape-gatherers  come  to  thee, 
icould  they  not  leave  thee  some  grapes  ?  How  are  the 
things  of  Esau  searched  out!  how  are  his  hid  things 
sought  up ! 

The  words  do  express  the  full  ruin  of  Edom,  for  all 
his  strong  habitation. 

Thieves  that  rob  an  house  by  night  do  not  carry 
away  all,  and  they  that  gather  grapes  nearly,  the 
law  requires  to  leave  some  clusters  for  the  poor,  the 
fatherless,  and  the  widow.  Lev.  xix.  10. 

But  in  the  sacking  of  Edom  there  should  be  a 
carrying  away  of  all  in  sight,  and  a  curious  search 
for  all  hidden  things  ;  there  should  be  nothing  left. 
Neither  men  nor  goods  should  be  concealed,  but  the 
eye  of  search  should  find  them  out  all.  There  should 
neither  be  a  satiety  in  their  enemies  nor  a  compassion, 
neither  fulness  nor  pity  should  exempt  any  from  spoil. 
That  maketh  the  prophet  so  pathetical,  that  he  inter- 
poseth  this  admiration,  How  art  thou  cut  off ! 

In  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  chap.  xlix.  10,  it  is 
added  for  an  interpretation  of  this  text,  '  I  have  made 


Esau  bare,  I  have  uncovered  his  secret  places,  and 
he  shall  not  be  able  to  hide  himself:  his  seed  is 
spoiled,  and  his  brethren,  and  his  neighbours,  and  he 
is  not.' 

This  is  not  to  be  understood  so  as  if  the  nation  and 
name  of  Edom  should  cease  for  ever  upon  this  vasta- 
tion,  but  for  a  time  ;  for  they  were  again  to  build,  and 
were  again  to  pluck  down,-  as  Malachi  prophesied. 
But  in  the  end  there  should  be  nothing  left  of  Edom, 
his  very  name  should  be  forgotten  upon  earth,  even 
as  it  is  at  this  day  ;  for  who  can  say,  This  is  the  seed 
of  Esau? 

From  hence,  1,  we  are  taught  that  where  God 
Cometh  to  the  spoil  there  is  no  secret  and  close  recep- 
tacle, either  for  the  persons  or  for  the  wealth  and  trea- 
sures of  men,  but  he  will  search  it  out  and  lay  it  open. 
Their  bellies  be  full  of  hid  treasure  ;  those  bellies  will 
he  rip  up,  and  into  those  secret  parts  shall  his  search 
penetrate ;  nothing  shall  be  safe  from  it.  As  in  the 
fury  of  the  wars  of  the  Jews,  we  read  that  some  of  the 
Jews,  having  no  other  means  left  to  preserve  some- 
thing to  relieve  their  wants,  swallowed  certain  pieces 
of  gold,  to  keep  them  from  the  hand  of  the  enemy, 
which  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  Roman  soldiers, 
they  ripped  up  many  of  the  Jews'  bellies  to  seek  for 
gold. 

Edom  dwelt  in  mount  Seir  amongst  the  rocks,  and 
many  of  their  dwellings  were  in  rooms  hewed  out  of 
the  hard  stone,  yet  all  their  secret  cabins  were  searched 
and  spoiled. 

Ishbosheth  is  not  safe  on  his  bed,  nor  Ehud  in  his 
parlour.  '  Whither  shall  I  fly  from  his  presence  ? ' 
saith  David. 

God  himself  hath  spoken  to  this  purpose :  Amos 
ix.  1-4,  *  I  will  slay  the  last  of  them  with  the  sword  : 
he  that  flieth  shall  not  fly  away;  and  he  that  escapeth 
of  them  shall  not  be  delivered.  Though  they  dig  into 
hell,  thence  shall  my  hand  take  them ;  though  they 
climb  up  to  heaven,  thence  shall  my  hand  bring  them 
down :  and  though  they  hide  themselves  in  the  top  of 
Carmel,  I  will  search  and  take  them  out  thence ;  and 
though  they  may  be  hid  from  my  sight  in  the  bottom  of 
the  sea,  or  go  into  captivity,  thence  will  I  command 
the  sword,  and  it  shall  slay  them  :  and  I  will  set  mine 
eyes  upon  them  for  evil,  and  not  for  good.' 

Those  searchers  of  Edom  be  of  God's  sending,  and 
they  are  his  privy  search ;  he  will  bring  to  light  things 
hidden  in  darkness. 

Use.  Trust  not  to  the  secret  treasures  of  ungodliness, 


Vee.  5,  G.] 


MABBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


37 


not  to  the  goods  thou  hast  laid  up  for  many  years  to 
come ;  there  is  nothing  so  secret  but  shall  be  laid  open. 
God's  search  is  not  like  Laban's ;  he  searched  all  the 
places  but  where  Rachel  sat,  but  God  leaveth  no  place 
unsought.  If  the  secret  store  escape,/Mr«s  perfodiunt 
et  furantur,  yet  there  is  tinea  et  ccrugo,  the  moth  and 
the  rust ;  and  if  nothing  else,  tempus  edax  rerum, 
time,  the  consumer  of  all  things.  For  so  saith  the 
wise  man,  *  There  is  a  time  to  gather,  and  a  time  to 
scatter.' 

Let  us  not  be  too  much  in  love  with  these  things 
that  we  possess  here.  We  know  that  when  our 
Augustus  Caesar  began  his  reign  here  over  us,  all  neigh- 
bouring and  remote  nations  offered  him  peace,  and  he 
accepted  it,  and  turned  all  our  swords  into  sighs.*  I 
need  not  speak  figuratively.  Much  armour  was  turned 
into  utensils  for  domestical  uses,  and  then  there  was 
no  noise  abroad  of  hostility.  Even  then,  in  the 
peaceful  time  of  the  church  and  commonwealth,  the 
religion  of  Rome  stirred  up  certain  searchers,  that 
digged  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  their  hunger 
after  protestant  blood  brake  through  strong  walls,  and 
there  heaped  up  such  instruments  of  massacre  as  would 
have  searched  our  hidden  things.  Those  thieves  would 
never  have  had  enough,  those  grape-gatherers  would 
have  left  never  a  cluster  to  relieve  the  poor  church ; 
they  would  have  rooted  up  vine  and  all,  and  have  laid 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  desert  and  waste. 
These  were  papists,  the  ministers  of  hell ;  this  was 
religion,  falsely  so  called,  the  zeal  of  furies.  Such 
thieves  lurk  in  many  several  comers  of  the  land,  such 
grape-gatherers  hide  themselves  under  the  shade  of 
our  vine.  Let  all  that  love  the  peace  of  Jerusalem 
take  heed  of  them ;  our  houses,  closets,  nay,  our 
cellars,  are  not  safe  from  them ;  they  will  seek  out 
our  hidden  things  if  they  can  take  advantage  against 
us.  Against  this  Edom  let  us  bend  our  forces,  and 
the  idolatry,  and  superstition,  and  ignorance,  and 
imposture  of  that  religion  let  us  search  out  and 
detect. 

It  is  his  majesty's  express  command,  that  in  every 
parish  the  sworn  men  do  search  for  recusants,  that 
forsake  all  our  churches,  and  for  our  own  malcontent 
professors,  that  love  any  church  better  than  their  own. 
He  would  separate  the  clean  from  the  vile,  and  the 
peaceable  from  the  factious,  Edom  from  Israel ;  for 
we  hold  nothing  in  safety,  we  can  hide  nothing  out  of 
sight,  so  long  as  those  searchers  and  underminers  be 
*  Qu.  '  scythes '  ?— Ed. 


abroad  ;   the  peace  and   honour   and  safety  of  the 
church  is  their  prey  they  hunt  after. 

2.  We  are  taught  what  a  fearful  thing  it  is  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  living  God  ;  when  he  plucketh 
his  hand  out  of  his  bosom,  he  smiteth  home,  as  he 
saith,  '  Affliction  shall  not  arise  a  second  time ;'  he 
calleth  himself  in  his  law  '  a  jealous  God,'  his  jealousy 
bums  like  fire. 

He  can  give  Edom  high  and  strong  mountains  for 
his  habitation ;  he  can  give  him  the  fat  of  the  earth, 
and  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  let  him  multiply  on  the 
earth  exceedingly ;  he  can  forbear  him  in  his  wicked- 
ness and  cruelty  for  a  long  time.  But  when  he 
Cometh  to  execute  judgment,  his  right  hand  will  find 
out  all  his  enemies,  he  will  not  leave  a  place  or  comer 
unsearched,  but  he  '  will  cut  off  head  and  tail,  branch 
and  root,  in  one  day,  for  his  hand  is  not  shortened, 
but  is  stretched  out  still.' 

Why,  then,  doth  the  pride  of  our  hearts  deceive  us, 
flattering  us  that  all  shall  be  well  with  us,  though  we 
walk  in  the  lusts  of  our  own  hearts ;  though  pride  dis- 
guise us  in  our  clothing,  though  gluttony  fill  us  up 
to  the  throats,  though  drunkenness  stagger  us,  and 
our  oaths  and  blasphemies  fly  up  as  high  as  heaven. 
Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  righteous,  and  is  his  judg- 
ment-seat turned  all  to  mercy,  that  we  dare  him  with 
our  crying  sins,  and  awake  his  vengeance  with  our 
abominable  impieties  ?  Can  we  sin  the  sins  of  Edom, 
and  not  smart  with  their  punishment  ?  He  hath  a 
curious  and  searching  eye,  he  hath  looked  upon  our 
works,  he  hath  set  our  sins  before  him,  our  secret 
sins  in  the  sight  of  his  countenance. 

First,  his  eye  searcheth  out  the  sins  of  men,  then 
his  right  hand  searcheth  out  all  his  enemies  ;  '  If  he  be 
angry,  yea,  but  a  little,  blessed  are  all  they  that  put 
their  trust  in  him.'  '  They  shall  say  one  to  another, 
Come  and  see  what  desolations  he  hath  made  in  the 
earth;'  and,  as  it  is  in  my  text,  '  How  are  they  cut 
off!'  but  '  peace  shall  be  upon  Israel.' 

3.  Out  of  the  manner  of  speech  and  phrase  of  this 
prophecy  against  Edom,  I  observe  the  use  that  all 
ages  of  the  church  must  make  of  the  examples  of 
God's  judgments  upon  other  persons  and  nations  be- 
fore us,  recorded  in  Scripture,  or  in  story  registered, 
for  the  benefit  of  after  times.     For, 

(1.)  He  interposeth  this  clause  of  admiration,  '  How 
art  thou  cut  off!'  as  declaring  an  admirable  judgment 
to  be  executed  upon  them,  enough  to  strike  all  that 
see  it  or  hear  of  it  with  fear. 


38 


MARBUJRT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  5,  6. 


(2.)  By  a  comparison  of  dissimilitudes  he  sheweth 
that  thieves  and  vine-robbers  shall  be  merciful  men  in 
comparison  of  them  that  shall  fight  the  Lord's  battles 
against  Edom.  For  they  shall  leave  somewhat  behind 
them,  these  wasting  depopulators  of  Edom  shall  leave 
nothing. 

(3.)  He  saith  not  categorically  and  positively,  'The 
things  of  Esau  are  searched  out,  his  hid  things  are 
sought  up  ;'  but  in  a  more  pathetical  language  of  am- 
plification, by  way  of  question,  *  How  are  the  things 
of  Esau  searched  out!'  and  resuming  the  matter,  but 
with  addition  and  amplification,  •  How  are  his  hid 
things  sought  up !' 

Which  questions  do  put  it  upon  us  to  take  the  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  Edom  into  a  serious  consideration. 

It  is  a  question  amongst  great  learned  divines  of 
former  ages,  which  was  the  greatest  miracle  that  ever 
Christ  wrought  whilst  he  lived  upon  earth  ? 

St  Jerome  answereth.  Some  think  the  raising  of 
Lazarus ;  others  the  giving  sight  to  the  blind  ;  others 
the  voice  that  was  heard  at  his  baptism  ;  others  his 
transfiguration;  but  he,  for  his  own  judgment,  he 
thinks  that  the  whipping  of  men  that  bought  and  sold 
in  the  temple,  twice  by  him  performed,  was  the  greatest 
of  all  his  miracles.  For  that  a  man  so  weak  in  his 
own  person,  so  despised  of  men,  so  opposed  by  the 
merchants  of  the  temple,  should  play  Rex  in  the 
temple,  and  should  there  execute  judgment,  and  sub- 
due the  hearts  of  so  many  men,  who  thought  they  did 
well,  and  had  some  colour  to  defend  what  they  did, 
and  that  they  should  without  resistance  sufibr  the 
lash,  and  abandon  the  place  ; — 

St  Origen  doth  admire  this  miracle  of  his  justice, 
as  declaring  him  to  be  God,  as  David  saith.  God  is 
known  by  executing  judgment,  quo  domantur  hominum 
ingenia,  whereby  the  wits  of  men  are  subdued. 

Therefore,  when  the  judgments  of  God  are  preached, 
let  men  fear.  The  doctrines  of  Paul  were  soft  and 
gentle,  when  he  spake  of  righteousness  and  tempe- 
rance ;  but  when  he  spake  of  the  judgment  to  come, 
Felix  trembled ;  but  it  is  probably  thought  that  that 
last  doctrine  of  judgment  to  come  put  him  into  that 
quaking  and  shaking  fit,  and  made  the  earth  to  quake 
within  him. 

Therefore  the  prophet  David,  having  shewed  what 
search  God  maketh  for  sin,  addeth,  Ps.  1.  22,  '  Now 
consider  this,  you  that  forget  God,  lest  I  tear  you  in 
pieces,  and  there  be  none  to  deliver.' 

His  judgments  are  over  all  the  earth ;  it  is  a  medi- 


tation for  the  Sabbath,*  it  is  proper  for  the  day. 
And  David  saith,  Ps.  xcii.  4,  *  Thou  hast  made  me 
glad  through  thy  work.'  (One  of  his  works  is  of  judg- 
ment.) '  When  the  wicked  spring  as  grass,  and  when 
all  the  workers  of  iniquity  flourish,  it  is  that  they 
shall  be  destroyed  for  ever.'  '  For  lo,  thine  enemies, 
0  Lord,  lo,  thine  enemies  shall  perish ;  all  the  work- 
ers of  iniquity  shall  be  scattered.' 

This  is  matter  of  comfort  for  the  church  of  God  ;  it 
is  joy  in  the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous  ;  for  they  say 
the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  bringeth  mighty  things 
to  pass. 

It  serveth  also  to  mingle  some  trembling  with  their 
joy,  and  some  fear  with  their  faith,  to  keep  it  from 
overgrowing  to  presumption  ;  therefore  the  elect  of 
God,  upon  consideration  of  the  severe  judgments  of 
God,  do  feel  in  themselves  a  renewed  fear  of  the 
majesty  of  God,  which  humbleth  them,  as  Habakkuk 
confesseth :  chap.  iii.  16,  '  When  I  heard,  my  belly 
trembled  ;  my  lips  quivered  at  the  voice  :  rottenness 
entered  into  my  bones,  and  I  trembled  in  myself, 
that  I  might  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble.'  This  is  the 
sweet  fruit  of  that  consideration,  for  it  prepareth  rest 
for  the  souls  of  them  that  fear  the  Lord. 

Therefore  let  fortune's  and  time's  delicate  minions, 
the  daughters  of  ease  and  plenty,  which  study  nothing 
but  trim  and  bravery,  and  waste  the  precious  moments 
of  time,  which  should  be  spent  in  the  contrite  repent- 
ance of  their  sins,  in  the  curious  dress  of  their  bodies ; 
let  them  read  the  judgment  of  God  upon  the  daugh- 
ters of  Sion,  Isa.  iii.  16.  See  how  fine  they  were,  and 
how  God  threateneth  them  with  the  scab,  with  dis- 
covery of  their  nakedness,  with  stink,  with  baldness, 
with  divesting,  with  sackcloth. 

Let  the  drunkards  of  our  time  hear  what  God 
threatened  Ephraim :  Isa.  xxviii.  3,  '  The  crown  of 
pride,  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim  shall  be  trod  under 
foot.' 

Let  the  schismatical  resisters  of  authority,  which 
despise  Moses  their  king  and  Aaron  their  priest.  Num. 
xii.  1,  and  thiuk  much  to  be  subject  to  the  ordinances 
which  are  set  down,  remember  Miriam  the  sister  of 
Moses,  who,  resisting  Moses,  was  punished  with  a 
leprosy,  and  though  Aaron  besought  God  for  her, 
could  not  be  healed  till  she  had  been  shut  out  of  the 
camp  seven  days. 

Read  and  study  holy  Scriptures  ;    whatsoever  is 

*  Tliat  is,  it  occurs  in  Ps.  xcii.  the  title  of  which  is,  '  A 
Psalm  or  Song  for  the  Sabbath-day.' — Ed. 


Ver.  7.] 


MAEBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


3» 


there  written  is  for  our  learning.  Our  God  is  the 
same,  and  his  years  fail  not ;  he  hath  the  same  eye 
that  once  he  had  to  find  out  sinners  ;  he  hath  the 
same  hatred  that  once  he  had  to  sin  ;  he  hath  the 
same  justice  that  once  he  had  to  censure  it,  and  the 
same  right  hand  to  execute  his  wrath. 

All  Scriptures  will  tell  you  that  he  doth  it  severely, 
his  sword  is  sharp  and  his  arm  is  strong.  '  0  Lord, 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 


Yer.  7.  All  the  men  of  thy  confederacy  have  brought 
thee  even  to  the  border  :  the  men  that  irere  at  peace  tcith 
thee  have  deceived  thee,  and  prevailed  against  thee ;  they 
that  eat  thy  bread  have  laid  a  wound  under  thee,  there 
is  no  understanding  in  him. 

The  third  confidence  of  Edom  disappointed. 

This  point  is  rhetorically  amplified, 

1.  In  the  persons  in  whom  Edom  trusted. 

2.  In  the  failing  of  them. 

1.  The  persons  are  called, 

(1.)  Men  of  their  confederacy,  such  as  had  entered 
into  league  with  them,  saying,  Your  fi-iends  shall  be 
our  fidends,  your  enemies  shall  be  our  enemies,  we 
will  engage  our  strength  mutually  with  you,  we  will 
seek  our  good  in  the  common  good  of  both  ;  as  in  the 
Proverbs,  one  purse,  one  army. 

(2.)  The  men  that  were  at  peace  with  her,  that 
had  promised  them  love  from  themselves,  and  all 
offices  of  humanity. 

(3.)  They  that  eat  thy  bread;  such  as  did  com- 
municate with  them  in  the  necessities  of  life,  as  Judas 
did  with  Christ,  commensales  conviva,  table  guests. 

2.  Their  failing  is  also  amplified. 

(1.)  They  have  brought  thee  even  to  the  border ; 
that  is,  whilst  Edom  trusted  to  their  help,  they  came 
forth  of  their  strongholds  to  meet  with  their  enemies 
in  the  borders  of  their  territories,  who  but  for  their 
trust  in  them  might  have  been  more  safe  in  their  own 
fortresses.  For,  trusting  to  their  help,  whom  they 
found  perfidious,  they  left  their  habitations  and  strong 
castles  empty,  to  keep  the  enemy  from  coming  upon 
their  borders  ;  whilst  their  false  friends  expose  them 
to  invasion,  and  their  gates  to  direption,  in  their 
absence.     Relinquentes  et  prodentes. 

Thus  they  gave  their  enemies  advantage  against 
them,  to  keep  them  from  returning  again  into  their 
strongholds . 

(2.)  They  have  deceived  thee,  and  prevailed  against 


thee.  For  they  that  were  trusted  as  friends  to  Edom, 
betrayed  them  to  their  enemies,  and  fought  against 
them  and  prevailed. 

(3.)  They  have  laid  a  wound  under  thee ;  that  is, 
they  have  secretly  conveyed  under  thee  an  instrument 
to  wound  thee  ;  therefore  others  re^Ldi  ponierunt  insidia» 
sitbter  te,  declaring  how  cunningly  their  false  friends 
had  concealed  their  malice,  and  how  dangerously  they 
had  laid  their  plot  for  the  overthrow  of  Edom,  so  near 
as  under  them,  even  to  blow  them  up  :  like  our 
powder  traitors,  for  they  laid  wounds  under  the 
Parliament  House,  instruments  and  means  to  wound 
and  to  destroy  all. 

And  therefore  he  concludes  of  Edom,  '  there  is  no 
understanding  in  him ;'  that  is,  Edom  was  blinded 
and  befooled  with  this  vain  confidence,  to  trust  in  the 
perfidious  friendship  of  their  false  friends. 

From  this  place  these  doctrines  arise  : 

1.  It  was  Edom's  sin  against  the  first  command- 
ment to  put  confidence  in  man,  and  therefore  God 
punisheth  them  by  those  whom  they  trusted.  From 
whence  ariseth  this  doctrine. 

That  God  punisheth  one  sin  by  another ;  the  sin  of 
injury  and  oppression  of  Israel  by  the  sin  of  false 
confidence  in  men. 

2.  Consider  against  whom  Edom  oflended,  even 
against  Israel  their  brother  ;  for  was  not  Esau  Jacob's 
brother  ?  Therefore  God  punisheth  their  perfidious- 
ness  to  their  brother  with  the  perfidiousness  of  their 
friends  to  them.     From  whence  we  conclude. 

That  God  requiteth  the  wicked  with  the  same 
measure  which  they  have  meted  to  others. 

3.  "Whereas  the  friends  and  confederates  of  Edwn 
turn  enemies  and  traitors  to  them,  we  conclude  that, 

There  can  be  no  true  peace  nor  bonds  of  love  be- 
tween wicked  men. 

4.  From  all  these  antecedents,  we  may  conclude 
that  those  who  trust  in  men  have  no  understanding. 

Doct.  1.  God  punisheth  one  sin  by  another. 

Edom  first  sinned  against  the  second  table  of  the 
law  in  wrong  and  violence ;  and  then  he  sinned,  in  vain 
confidence  in  man,  against  the  first  table,  and  God  bj 
this  severe  *  sin  punished  the  first. 

It  is  the  manner  of  Satan,  after  a  speeding  tempta- 
tion to  one  sin,  to  suggest  another  to  hide,  or  to  de- 
fend and  bear  up  the  other  ;  our  lying  comes  in  to 
conceal  fraud,  as  in  the  case  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. 
And  so  cursing  and  sweai'ing  come  in  to  maintain  the 
*  Qu.  '  second  '  ? — Ed. 


40 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  7. 


•credit  of  a  lie,  as  in  Peter's  denial  of  his  Master.  So 
there  needs  a  great  many  lies  to  maintain  one,  if  in- 
terrogatories do  press  the  liar  far. 

If  it  were  no  more  but  so,  that  one  sin  doth  drive 
ns  into  another,  even  in  this  consideration  one  sin 
doth  punish  another,  because  the  more  sin  is  com- 
mitted the  more  punishment  is  deserved  ;  but  this  is 
much  more,  the  sin  is  punished  with  sin.  Thus 
Edom  first  breaketh  the  second  table  of  the  law  in 
doing  wrong  to  his  brother,  and  fearing  that  this  will 
one  day  cost  blows,  he  sinneth  another  sin  against  the 
first  table,  and  forsaketh  the  confidence  in  God,  and 
putteth  his  trust  in  men,  which  turneth  to  his  utter 
ruin  and  destruction.  So  even  the  saints  of  God  fall, 
as  David ;  for  his  adultery  began  to  defile  him,  and 
then  he  stained  himself  with  the  blood  of  his  well  de- 
serving and  faithful  subject.  This  is  the  plot  of 
David  in  the  matter  of  Uriah. 

The  reason  why  sin  should  be  the  punishment  of 
sin,  is  because,  nature  being  once  corrupted,  and  grace 
withdrawn,  we  are  then  prone  to  those  defections 
from  God  which  do  more  and  more  corrupt  us.  And 
that  is  a  great  punishment ;  St  Paul  clearly  sheweth  it 
in  the  degrees  thereof,  Rom.  i.  21  :  1.  When  they 
knew  Grod,  they  glorified  him  not  as  God ;  2.  They 
were  not  thankful ;  3.  They  became  vain  ;  4.  Their 
foolish  heart  was  darkened.  Thus  did  they  run  out 
of  one  sin  into  another,  and  at  last,  '  Therefore  God 
gave  them  up  to  uncleanness,  through  the  lusts  of 
their  own  hearts,  to  dishonour  their  own  bodies  be- 
tween themselves.'  *  For  this  cause  God  gave  them 
up  to  vile  afiections,  God  gave  them  up  to  a  reprobate 
■mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are  not  convenient.' 

Sin  in  the  heart  is  a  fire  in  the  bosom  :  Prov. 
vi.  27,  *  Can  a  man  take  fire  in  his  bosom,  and  his 
clothes  not  be  burnt  ?  Can  a  man  go  upon  hot  coals, 
and  his  feet  not  be  burnt  ?' 

St  Gregory  hath  a  good  description  of  sins. 

1.  Some  are  simple,  in  themselves  sins ;  such  is 
•every  thought,  word,  and  work  against  the  law. 

2.  Some  sins  are  causes  of  more  sins,  as  surfeiting 
and  fulness  causeth  luxury  and  uncleanness  of  the  flesh. 

3.  Other  sins  are  the  punishment  of  former  sins,  as  in 
my  text.    Edom  his  former  sin  is  punished  by  a  latter. 

4  Other  sins  are  the  punishment  of  former  sins, 
-and  the  causes  of  latter,  as  in  David. 

His  idleness  was  punished  by  his  adultery,  and  that 
adultery  was  the  cause  of  murder. 

Query.  But  here  is  a  query. 


If  sin  be  a  punishment,  it  is  of  God  ;  for  all  pun- 
ishment is  just,  and  is  of  God ;  but  God  is  not  author 
of  sin,  therefore  sin  is  no  punishment. 

Sol.  To  this  our  answer  is,  that  sin  may  be  con- 
sidered two  ways. 

1.  As  it  is  a  pollution  of  man. 

2.  As  it  is  in  the  effect  thereof  the  just  punishment 
of  man. 

God  is  not  the  author  of  sin  as  it  is  a  pollution,  but 
being  committed,  God  in  the  even  course  of  his  jus- 
tice turneth  it  into  punishment  of  man. 

And  man  is  punished,  saith  Thomas  Aquinas,  three 
ways. 

1.  In  prcBcedentibiis,  because  God  withdraweth  his 
preserving  grace  from  a  sinner,  and  maketh  the  means 
of  his  preservation  inefiectual. 

For  to  the  just  he  saith,  I  will  not  leave  thee  nor 
forsake  thee  ;  but  to  the  reprobate  he  shutteh  up  their 
eyes,  ne  videant,  he  stoppeth  their  ears,  ne  audiant ; 
he  hardeneth  their  hearts,  and  leaveth  them  to  their 
own  corruptions  to  be  wrought  upon. 

2.  In  concomitantibus,  these  are  either, 
(1.)  Inward,  the  pollution  of  the  heart. 
(2.)  Outward,  in  the  calamities  of  life. 

3.  In  subsequentibus,  that  is,  the  unrest  of  the  con- 
science and  the  distraction  of  the  mind. 

Excellent  and  full  to  this  purpose  is  the  example  of 
the  prodigal ;  for, 

1.  God  withdrew  his  grace  from  him,  and  left  him 
to  take  his  vicious  and  luxurious  courses  in  the  world, 
till  he  had  spent  all  and  was  cast  forth. 

2.  God  punished  him  in  his  mind,  by  giving  him 
over  for  a  time  to  the  pollution  of  sin  ;  he  outwardly 
punished  him  with  contempt,  and  beggary,  and  famine. 

3.  He  punished  him  in  his  conscience  with  the  re- 
morse of  his  sin,  which  wrought  with  him  so  efiec- 
tually  that  he  repented  him  of  his  sin  and  returned  to 
his  father ;  so  this  punishment  was  not  ad  amandu' 
tionem,  but  ad  emendationem.  Et  qua;  pana  fuit  facta 
est  medecina. 

Thus  sin  in  the  elect  may  be  the  punishment  of  sin, 
to  their  great  good,  and  the  recovery  of  them  again  to 
God,  as  in  David's  example,  and  in  the  example  of  Peter. 
But  the  reprobate  are  forsaken  of  grace,  polluted  in 
their  minds,  and  tormented  in  their  consciences,  and 
feel  crosses  and  afflictions  in  the  flesh  ;  and  these  be 
rods  of  their  own  making,  wherewith  God  scourge th 
them,  sending  the  angel  of  Satan  to  buffet  them. 

The  most  dangerous  and  damnable  estate  is  of  those 


Ver.  7.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


41 


who,  when  they  have  sinned,  do  not  love  the  word  of 
God  which  should  restore  them ;  like  those  froward  sick 
persons,  that  refuse  the  physic  that  should  heal  them. 

The  word  of  God  is  plain  dealing,  and  telleth  every 
one  of  his  faults,  and  revealeth  to  them  the  justice  of 
God. 

"When  men  begin  to  take  exceptions  at  the  word, 
and  quarrel  with  the  food  and  medicine  of  life,  and  to 
say,  Dunis  est  hie  sermo,  this  is  an  hard  saying,  then 
sin  groweth  an  heavy  punishment  to  them,  and  work- 
eth  their  destruction. 

Use.  Therefore,  let  all  those  that  would  not  be  their 
self-tormentors,  hear  what  the  Spirit  speaketh  to  the 
churches  :  Let  them  not  consult  with  flesh  and  blood, 
but  let  them  order  their  ways  according  to  the  word 
of  God.  Let  no  burden  seem  so  heavy  to  them  as  the 
weight  of  their  own  sins.  Let  no  annoyance  seem  so 
stenching  as  the  turpitude  and  pollution  of  their  own 
sins.  And  then,  Come  unto  me,  ye  that  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  ease  you.  Come  to  me, 
you  that  are  defiled  and  polluted  with  your  manifold 
corruptions,  and  I  will  wash  you  clean  in  my  blood, 
saith  the  Redeemer  of  men. 

TMien  our  sins  have  broken  our  hearts,  and  made  us 
contrite,  and  the  smart  of  them  hath  made  us  weary  of 
them,  then  shall  we  see  them  fastened  to  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  the  grace  of  God  will  be  sufficient  for  us. 

Doct.  2.  God  requiteth  the  wicked  with  the  same 
measure  which  they  have  meted  others.  Edom  dealt 
perfidiously  and  treacherously  with  Israel,  therefore 
their  confederates  and  professed  friends  deal  so  with 
them.  It  is  Christ's  rule  of  justice.  Mat.  vii.  22, 
*  "With  what  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to 
you  again  ;'  proved  Isa.  xxxiii.  1,  '"^^oe  to  thee  that 
spoilest,  and  wast  not  spoiled,  and  dealest  treacher- 
ously, and  they  dealt  not  treacherously  with  thee  : 
when  thou  shalt  cease  to  spoil,  thou  shalt  be  spoiled  ; 
and  when  thou  shalt  make  an  end  to  deal  treacherously, 
they  shall  deal  treacherously  with  thee.' 

It  is  the  threatening  of  God,  Exod.  xxii.  22,  *  Ye 
shall  not  afllict  the  widow  or  fatherless  child.  If  thou 
afflict  them  in  any  wise,  and  they  cry  at  all  unto  me, 
I  will  surely  hear  their  voice  :  and  my  wrath  shall 
wax  hot,  and  I  will  kill  you  with  the  sword ;  and 
your  wives  shall  be  widows,  and  your  children  father- 
less.' 

David  smarted  in  this  kind.  He  defiled  the  wife 
of  his  faithful  servant  Uriah.  Absalom,  his  son,  de- 
filed his  father's  concubines  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel. 


Cain  feared  this  judgment  so  soon  as  he  had  killed 
his  brother  Abel,  Gen.  iv.  14,  for  he  said  presently, 
'  It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  one  that  fiindeth  me 
shall  slay  me.' 

Adoni-Bezek  confessed  this  justice  of  retaliation 
executed  on  him,  for  they  took  him,  and  cut  off  his 
thumbs  and  great  toes,  and  he  said.  Judges  i.  6, 
'  Threescore  and  ten  kings,  having  their  thumbs  and 
toes  cut  off,  gathered  their  meat  at  my  table :  as  I 
have  done,  God  hath  requited  me.' 

So  saith  God  to  the  Chaldeans  :  Hab.  ii.  8,  '  Be- 
cause thou  hast  spoiled  many  nations,  all  the  remnant 
of  the  people  shall  spoil  thee.'  And  God  made  this 
judgment  good  against  Amalek,  for  they  sought  to 
destroy  Israel,  and  God  by  Israel  destroyed  them. 
Samuel  said  to  Agag  their  king,  1  Sam.  xv.  33,  '  As 
thy  sword  hath  made  women  childless,  so  shall  thy 
mother  be  childless  among  other  women :  so  he  hewed 
him  in  pieces  before  the  Lord.' 

Ahab  slew  Xaboth,  and  himself  was  slain,  1  Kings 
xxi.  19,  Jezebel  shed  Xaboth's  blood.  *  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  In  the  place  where  dogs  licked  the  blood  of 
Naboth  shall  dogs  lick  even  thy  blood  also.  The  dogs 
shall  eat  Jezebel  by  the  walls  of  Jezrec4.'  As  Solomon 
threateneth,  Prov.  i.  31,  '  They  shall  eat  the  fruit  of 
their  own  way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own  devices.' 

The  apostle  calleth  this  righteousness  in  God : 
2  Thess.  i.  6,  '  It  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to 
recompense  tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you.' 

The  word  is  decomposite,  uvra'Tohouvai,  and  signi- 
fieth  a  retribution  contrary  to  them,  that  in  the  same 
they  shall  be  patients  wherein  they  have  been  agents. 

From  this  fountain  of  justice  cometh  that  law 
judicial :  Exod.  xxi.  21,  '  An  eye  for  an  eye,  a  tooth 
for  a  tooth.'  "Which  law  Christ  did  not  abrogate,  but 
interpret,  and  put  it  into  the  power  of  the  magistrate, 
where  it  ought  to  be,  taking  it  away  from  private 
persons. 

Use.  Let  us  all  lay  this  justice  of  God  to  heart,  and 
let  us  look  for  it  at  the  hands  of  God,  that  he  will 
dvTifiiadin  to  us  our  iniquities  unrepented. 

Let  the  adulterer  hear  Job  :  chap.  xxxi.  9,  10,  '  If 
my  heart  have  been  deceived  by  a  woman,  or  if  I  have 
laid  wait  at  the  door  of  my  neighbour,  let  my  wife 
grind  to  another,  and  let  other  men  bow  down  upon  her.' 

Let  the  cruel  oppressor  of  his  brethren  look  to  be 
oppressed  in  himself,  or  in  his  posterity:  Ps.  cxxxvii.  8, 
If  the  daughter  of  Babel  oppress,  '  blessed  shall  he  be 
that  rewardeth  thee  as  thou  hast  served  us.' 


42 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  7. 


It  is  God's  own  word,  '  He  that  honoureth  me, 
him  will  I  honour ;  but  he  that  despiseth  me,  shall  be 
despised, 

Doct.  3.  There  is  no  true  love  and  peace  between 
the  ungodly. 

Here  hath  been  much  confederacy  between  Edom 
and  other  nations ;  they  were  men  of  peace,  they  did 
eat  and  drink  together,  yet  even  those  turned  perfidi- 
ous to  Edom,  and  betrayed  him. 

Christ  in  his  legacy  of  peace  said,  John  xiv.  27, 
Pacem  meam  do  vobis,  non  sieut  mundiis  dat,  *  My 
peace  I  give  unto  you,  not  as  the  world  giveth.'  For 
either  it  is  pax  ad  ul  alio  ids,  the  peace  of  adulation,  of 
•which  David  saith,  Oleum  peccatoris  non  confriiiget 
caput  nieum.  Ravenna's  note  is  that  in  all  sacrifices 
to  God  salt  was  used,  for  God  cannot  be  flattered  ; 
when  we  say  the  most  we  can  of  him,  we  come 
short.  Adulatio  quam  similis  est  amicitia,  non  imi- 
tatur  tantum,  scd  pracedit. 

Poor  men  have  the  advantage  of  the  rich  in  this,  for 
who  flattereth  them  ?  Sinners  say  we  need  not  this 
waste.  Why  should  we  bestow  it  on  them  that  cannot 
requite  us  ?  We  will  save  it,  and  give  it  to  them 
which  are  mighty. 

2.  Or  it  is  ^;«,j-  mala:  confederationis,  the  peace  of 
evil  confederacy,  such  as  is  between  thieves,  we  will 
all  have  one  purse.  These  be,  as  old  Jacob  said  of 
Simeon  and  ljQy\,  fratres  in  malo,  brothers  in  evil. 
St  Augustine  calleth  this  nefarlam  amicitiam,  a  wicked 
friendship  ;  into  their  secret  let  not  my  soul  come. 

These  tares  bind  themselves  in  bundles  for  the 
fire, 

8.  Pax  simul'iiionis,  a  dissembling  peace,  when  men 
hide  malice  under  a  show  of  peace,  that  they  may 
sub  amici  fallere  nomeii,  that  they  deceive  under  show 
of  friendship.  So  Judas  kisseth  and  betrayeth,  Amasa 
entreateth  and  sfabbeth. 

4.  Pax  temporalis,  a  temporal  peace,  when  men 
maintain  love  and  friendship,  and  exchange  great  gifts 
and  tender  love  and  service  to  serve  a  turn.  So  men 
set  up  the  ladders  that  they  climb  by  as  high  as  they 
can;  but  when  their  turn  is  served,  they  lay  them 
along  upon  the  ground. 

This  is  the  peace  which  the  world  giveth,  and  there 
is  no  true  friendship  in  it,  for,  Prov.  xvii.  17,  *  A 
friend  loveth  at  all  times.' 

Nee  ullis  divulsus  querimoniis 
Suprema  citius  solvit  amor  die. 


True  peace  is  like  the  dew  of  Hermon,  none  but  the 
elect  of  God  have  it.  *  My  peace  I  give  to  you  :'  it 
is  not  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  that  shines  on  good 
and  bad.  This  is  like  the  light  that  shined  on  Goshen, 
when  all  Egypt  else  was  in  palpable  darkness.  This 
is  like  '  the  precious  oil  poured  on  Aaron's  head,  and 
running  down  to  the  skirts  of  his  raiment ;  for  there 
the  Lord  commanded  the  blessing,  and  life  for  ever- 
more',' Ps.  cxxxiii,  2,  3. 

Aristotle  held  that  friendship  contracted  either  by 
pleasure  or  profit  could  not  hold  ;  for  the  cement  and 
glue  that  should  tie  them  together  is  but  weak.  This 
continuation  is  but  hujus  ad  hoc,  of  this  to  that.  But 
the  union  of  the  faithful  is  hujus  in  hoc,  of  this  in  that ; 
for  they  be  incorporate  in  one  body,  and  they  are  made 
members  of  Christ,  and  members  one  of  another — one 
flesh,  one  body. 

We  see  men  in  their  greatness  followed,  and  served, 
and  petitioned,  observed,  and  presented  with  choicest 
and  richest  gifts  ;  if  we  see  them  decline  in  favour  or 
power,  we  see  them  forsaken  of  their  servants.  We 
see  young  prodigals  frequented  with  company,  courted 
with  compliments,  feasted  and  swelled  with  all  delights ; 
but  when  the  fountain  of  this  friendship  is  drawn  dry, 
and  the  means  fail,  who  calleth  those  men  friends,  or 
seeketh  their  conversation  ? 

This  yet  appeareth  more  plainly  in  the  Idumeans  of 
Rome,  that  have  long  persecuted  the  true  church  of 
God  ;  for  though  they  have  laboured  ever  since  the 
first  corruption  of  the  church  to  maintain  their  hereti- 
cal opinions,  yet  could  they  never  be  at  any  perfect 
peace  amongst  themselves.  And  this  ofi'er  our  church 
may  boldly  make  to  them,  that  there  is  no  tenet  in 
our  religion  we  maintain  against  them  but  we  will  re- 
nounce it,  if  we  do  not  find  it  averred  by  some  one, 
or  most  of  eminent  learning  amongst  themselves. 

And  because  it  will  take  up  too  much  time  to  give 
instance  in  all  particulars  of  our  difference  from  the 
Trent  church,  for  a  taste  let  me  refer  so  many  as  are 
desirous  of  better  satisfaction  to  read  that  learned 
proof  of  this  truth  in  the  reverend  Dean  of  Gloucester's 
third  book  of  the  church,  at  the  end  of  it,  where  he 
nameth  the  agreement  of  our  church  with  their  best 
learned  in  points  wherein  the  Jesuits  at  this  day  ac- 
cuse us  of  heresy.  Therefore,  one  observed  well  that 
the  religion  of  Rome  was  like  Nebuchadnezzar's  im- 
age ;  the  height  of  it  was  sixty  cubits,  and  the  breadth 
was  but  six,  that  is,  without  any  proportion,  for  never 
could  they  make  the  parts  of  it  symmetrical. 


Veb.7.] 


MARBURT  ON  OBADDLH. 


4.3 


Therefore,  first,  we  are  comforted  against  all  the 
enemies  of  our  religion.  Their  strength  mav  be  great, 
and  their  malice  greater,  but  they  cannot  unite  them- 
selves with  the  bond  of  true  peace,  and  the  God  of 
peace  is  not  their  tutelary  God.  In  the  damnable 
conspiracy  of  the  powder  traitors,  Go  J,  by  one  of 
themselves,  diverted  the  treason.  I  deny  not  but 
Turks  have  had  many  great  prevailings  against  Chris- 
tians, papists  against  protestants,  and  their  confede- 
rates have  held  fast  with  them.  So  had  Moab  and 
Ammon,  Gebal,  the  Assyrians,  Philistines,  the  Chal- 
deans against  Israel.  But  God  found  a  time  to  con- 
sume these  nations  by  their  own  strength,  and  their 
own  confederates  were  the  ruin  of  them. 

"We  have  heard  that  war  is  one  of  the  sore  judg- 
ments wherewith  God  sconrgeth  ofienders. 

At  this  time  a  great  part  of  the  protestant  church 
is  hostilely  attempted  with  war.  We  have  many  of 
our  countrymen,  noble,  generous,  -and  valiant  volun- 
teers engaged  in  that  cause.  I  hope  we  shall  do  a 
charitable  Christian  duty  to  God  and  them,  to  pray 
God  to  cover  their  heads  in  the  day  of  battle,  to  be- 
seech him  whom  Job  calls  the  preserver  of  men  to 
save  them  from  all  evil.  Thou,  Lord,  preservest  man 
and  beast ;  do  thou  save  them  :  let  their  eye  have  its 
desire  upon  their  enemies.  And  for  ourselves,  we 
say,  '  0  Lord,  be  gracious  unto  us ;  we  have  waited 
for  thee  :  be  thou  their  arm  every  morning,  our  siU- 
vation  also  in  the  time  of  trouble,'  Isa.  xxxiii.  2. 

God  is  called  Lord  of  hosts,  and  so  he  can  master 
his  enemies  ;  the  stars  in  their  courses  by  their  in- 
fluences ;  the  elements  :  fire,  as  in  Sodom  ;  air,  as  in 
the  pestilence  in  David's  time ;  water,  as  in  the  deluge ; 
earth,  as  in  Korah's  transgression,  to  smite  sinners. 
He  can  punish  man  by  frogs,  by  flies,  by  lice,  by 
grasshoppers,  and  such  like  armies  of  his.  Yet  he 
chose  to  destroy  the  army  of  the  ilidianites  by  them- 
selves, rather  than  by  any  other  means  :  Judges  vii. 
22,  *  The  Lord  set  every  man's  sword  against  his  fel- 
low throughout  all  the  host.'  He  could  have  em- 
ployed other  executioners  to  have  done  vengeance  upon 
blaspheming  Sennacherib,  king  of  Assyria,  but  he  would 
shew  that  no  bonds  of  society  or  nature  can  hold  them 
together  whom  God  hath  not  joined  :  Isa.  rxxvii.  88, 
*  Therefore,  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  was  worshipping  in 
the  house  of  Nisroch  his  God,  that  Adrammelech  and 
Sharezer  his  sons  smote  him  with  a  sword.' 

2.  We  are  therefore  taught  to  imit€  ourselves  in  the 
Lord  by  the  bonds  of  true  love  ;  for  all  other  bonds 


will  be  like  the  new  cords  wherewith  Samson  was 
tied,  break  in  sunder,  and  we  shall  cast  them  from  us. 
The  great  friendship  that  is  made  by  bribes  cannot  be 
sincere  ;  for, 

1.  The  receiver  of  them  knows  that  his  love  is  a 
dear  pennyworth  to  his  friend  ;  it  is  not  a  gift,  but  a 
perquisite,  and  therefore  he  cannot  call  it  sure. 

2.  The  giver  knoweth  his  money,  and  not  his  love, 
made  the  friend ;  and  if  this  friendship  bear  him  out 
of  the  hands  of  justice,  his  conscience  will  still  tell 
him  that  his  money,  net  his  innocency,  acquitted 
him  :  if  this  friendship  prefer  him,  his  conscience 
within  him  wiU  say  that  his  money,  not  his  worthi- 
ness, had  advanced  him.  Therefore,  the  friendship 
thus  made  is  not  sincere. 

Bat  they  whom  religion  and  the  fear  of  God  doth 
unite  are  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul.  Here  is  no 
lack  of  anything,  if  any  of  them  may  supply  it,  Acts 
iv.  32.  The  wounded  man  shall  have  both  the  oil  and 
wine  of  the  Samaritan  out  of  his  vessels,  and  the  help 
of  his  hand,  and  of  his  beast,  and  of  his  word,  and  of 
his  purse.  Our  Saviour  Christ  saith,  '  Go  thou 
and  do  the  like.' 

How  can  we  say  we  are  neighbours,  when  we  are 
so  far  from  healing  our  brethren's  wounds,  that  we 
rather  set  them  into  a  fresh  bleeding,  and  open  them 
wider ;  we  rather  make  more  in  the  whole  and  sound 
flesh  ;  we  rather  take  away  their  oU  and  wine,  and 
beast,  and  money,  wherewith  they  should  help  them- 
selves ;  and  instead  of  putting  them  into  an  house,  we 
.  take  their  houses  over  their  heads,  and  expose  them 
to  storms  ?  The  God  of  peace  sanctify  us  throughout, 
that  his  peace  may  knit  us  together  in  him  ! 

Doct.  4.  Those  who  trust  in  men,  have  no  under- 
standing. 

Here  on  earth  we  do  much  value  the  wisdom  and 
judgment  of  man,  by  his  choice  of  adherence  and  de- 
pendence ;  and  we  judge  them  unwise  that  address 
themselves  to  such  as  cannot  either  support  them  as 
they  are,  or  put  them  on  farther.  But  the  word  of 
the  Lord  saith,  there  is  no  understanding  in  Edom  to 
trust  in  man ;  and  the  psalmist,  non  relinquat  homi- 
nem.  He  adviseth,  '  Trust  not  in  princes,  nor  in  any 
son  of  man,  for  there  is  no  help  in  him  ; '  God  goeth 
farther  in  my  text,  '  there  is  treason  in  him,'  subducet 
aiwiliiim,  super  inducet  exitium.  He  will  bring  thee 
to  thy  uttermost  border,  and  there  he  will  leave 
thee. 

Junius  reads,  cujus  vulneris  non  eril  intelUgentia,  as 


4t 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  8. 


pointing  out  so  great  a  plague  upon  Edom,  tit  ipsam 
nequeat  mens  huniana  comprehendere,  nedum  cxirarc  arte 
et  intelligentia. 

Joannes  Draconites  readeth  the  text  thus,  ante  pro- 
deris  hostibus  quhm  animadvertas.  But  the  sense  is 
easy,  God  censureth  them  for  fools  that  put  their 
trust  in  man;  for  God  himself  saith,  Jer.  ii.  13,  '  they 
commit  two  great  evils,  they  forsake  God  the  fountain 
of  living  waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken 
cisterns  that  can  hold  no  water.' 

The  Philistines,  1  Sam.  xvii.  10,  trusted  in  their 
great  champion  Goliath,  and  they  defied  the  host  of 
Israel,  and  despised  David ;  the  Aramites  sent  Israel 
word,  1  Kings  xx,  10,  that  *  the  dust  of  their  land 
should  not  be  enough  to  give  every  one  of  their  army 
an  handful.'  The  reason  of  this  folly  is,  2  Cor.  iv.  4, 
*  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  eyes  of  them 
that  believe  not ;  for  Satan  worketh  strongly  in  the 
children  of  disobedience,'  he  hath  strong  illusions  for 
them,  to  make  them  believe  lies.  *  They  that  trust 
in  lying  vanity,'  saith  Jonah,  '  do  forsake  their  own 
mercy.'  It  is  a  lying  vanity  to  trust  the  false  gods 
of  the  heathen.  God  upbraideth  the  apostate  Jews 
80,  Deut.  xxxii.  38,  *  Let  them  rise  up  and  help  you, 
let  them  be  a  refuge.'  It  is  a  lying  vanity  to  trust  in 
any  confederacy  against  God,  it  is  God's  woe :  Isa. 
XXX.  1,  *Woe  to  the  rebellious  children,  that  take 
counsel,  but  not  of  me ;  that  cover  with  a  covering, 
but  not  of  my  Spirit,  that  they  may  add  sin  unto  sin ; 
that  walk  to  go  down  into  Egypt  (and  have  not 
asked  at  my  mouth),  to  strengthen  themselves  in 
the  strength  of  Pharaoh,  and  to  trust  in  the  shadow 
of  Egypt.  Therefore  shall  the  strength  of  Pharaoh 
be  your  shame,  and  the  trust  in  the  shadow  of  Egypt 
your  confusion.' 

He  declareth  this  folly  in  the  next  chapter,  Isa. 
xxxi.  3,  '  Now  the  Egyptians  are  men,  and  not  God, 
and  their  horses  flesh,  and  not  spirit.  When  the 
Lord  shall  stretch  out  his  hand,  he  that  helpeth  shall 
fall,  and  he  that  is  holpen  shall  fall  down,  and  they 
all  shall  fail  together.'  This  sheweth  want  of  faith, 
when  we  trust  in  the  vain  help  of  friends. 

It  is  true,  that  we  must  use  all  good  means  to  fur- 
ther God's  providence,  but  we  must  not  put  any 
trust  in  these  means ;  there  may  be  help  by  them, 
there  is  no  help  in  them.  David  setteth  these  two  in 
opposition,  and  declareth  the  differing  success  of  them : 
Ps.  XX.  7,  8,  '  Some  trust  in  chariots,  and  some  in 
horses,  but  we  will  remember  the  name  of  our  Lord. 


They  are  brought  down  and  fallen,  but  we  are  risen, 
and  stand  upright.' 

Is  it  not  folly  for  man  to  run  himself  upon  the 
curse  of  God  ?  God  hath  said  it :  Jer.  xvii.  5, 
'  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm,  and  withdraweth  his  heart  from  the 
Lord.'  The  poets,  the  prophets  of  the  heathen,  can 
tell  us  what  ill  success  the  giants  of  the  earth  had, 
with  their  confederacy  against  the  gods.  Non  est 
consilium  contra  Dominum. 

The  use  of  this  point  is,  let  us  all  labour  and  pray 
for  understanding, 

1.  To  know  the  impotency  of  the  creature,  that  we 
may  not  trust  to  it. 

2.  To  know  the  omnipotency  of  our  Creator,  that 
we  may  not  oppose  it,  but  seek  our  rest  under  that 
shadow. 

This  will  change  our  vain  confidence  into  a  strong 
faith ;  and  faith  is  a  shield  in  all  our  wars. 


Ver.  8.  Shall  I  not  in  that  day  {saith  the  Lord)  even 
destroy  the  wise  men  out  of  Edom,  and  understanding 
out  of  the  mount  of  Esau? 

Their  fourth  hope  despaired. 

Doct.  They  trusted  to  their  wisdom  ;  God  doth 
threaten  to  destroy  both  the  wisdom  and  the  wise  men 
of  Edom. 

In  this  passage  consider  we, 

1.  The  judgment  upon  Edom  :  Destruam  sapientes, 
*  I  will  destroy  the  wise  men.' 

2.  The  assurance:  Dicit  Dominus,  '  saith  the  Lord.' 

3.  The  time  :  '  in  that  day.' 

1.  Concerning  the  judgment,  we  are  taught  that 
human  wisdom  and  counsels  without  God  are  no 
fence  for  a  state. 

Here  is  the  mother  disease  of  human  nature.  Eve 
heard  that  wisdom  was  to  be  gotten  by  eating  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  and  she  aspired  in  the  pride  of  her  heart 
to  be  like  God,  knowing  good  and  evil ;  ever  since, 
man  hath  much  affected  wisdom ;  therefore  God,  who 
hath  revealed  the  true  wisdom  to  his  church,  hath 
ever  professed  himself  an  enemy  to  the  wisdom  of  this 
world :  it  hath  two  titles,  inimicida;  apud  Deum,  et 
stultitia,  enmity  and  folly. 

The  true  and  saving  wisdom  is  Christ ;  he  is  '  made 
unto  us  of  God  wisdom,'  and  his  word  is  sufficient  to 
make  the  man  of  God  wise  unto  salvation :  Eccles. 
ix.  14,  '  There  was  a  little  city,  and  few  men  within 


Veb.  S.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


it ;  and  there  came  a  great  king  against  it,  and  be- 
sieged it,  and  bnilt  a  bulwark  against  it.  Now  there 
was  found  in  it  a  poor  wise  man,  and  he  bj  his  wis- 
dom delivered  the  city.'  This  little  city  is  the  church 
of  God,  the  few  men  in  it  be  the  little  flock  of  God's 
chosen,  the  enemy  that  assault^th  it  is  Satan,  the 
prince  of  darkness,  the  god  of  this  world.  The  poor 
wise  man  in  it  is  Jesus  Christ,  the  carpenter,  the  son 
of  poor  Mary,  of  whom  the  scribes  and  priests  said, 
'  Is  not  this  the  carpenter  ?'  He  by  his  wisdom  saved 
his  church. 

This  wisdom  directeth  to  the  whole  armour,  and 
teacheth  how  to  fit  it  to  us,  that  we  may  be  able  to 
resist  Satan,  Eph.  vi.  But  the  wisdom  that  is  of  the 
world,  that  studieth  how  to  carry  things  on  without 
God,  sometimes  against  God,  for  God  is  not  in  aU 
their  ways ;  and  this  was  ever  a  broken  reed,  it  doth 
both  deceive  and  wound  him  that  leaneth  on  it.  For, 
Rom.  viii.  7,  '  The  wisdom  of  the  flesh  cannot  be 
subject  to  the  law  of  God.'  Yet  it  striveth  in  vain ; 
for,  Prov.  xxi.  3,  '  there  is  no  wisdom,  nor  under- 
standing, nor  counsel  against  the  Lord ;  '  for  it  is 
written.  Job.  v.  13  and  1  Cor.  iii.  19,  '  He  taketh 
the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness.' 

1.  The  reason  is  given  by  the  prophet,  Isa.  xxxi.  2, 
'  Yet  he  also  is  wise,'  meaning  there  the  wisdom  of 
direction  and  counsel,  for  that  belongs  to  him  only ; 
the  wisdom  of  obedience  and  sequence  is  that  which 
we  most*  seek. 

Therefore  God  resisteth  and  destroyeth  all  those 
that  usurp  his  wisdom,  but  take  counsel,  and  not  of 
him,  and  cover  with  a  covering,  but  not  of  his  Spirit, 
Isa.  xsx.  1 ;  that  is,  seek  protection  and  coverture 
against  evils,  but  not  consulting  his  Spirit,  who  alone 
claimeth  right  in  that  title  to  be  custos  homimim,  the 
preserver  of  men. 

2.  *  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the 
world  to  destroy  the  wise,'  1  Cor.  i.  17 ;  the  reason 
is  given,  ver.  19,  *  That  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his 
presence.'  God  is  the  only  subject  of  glory  properly 
in  himself;  we  give  it  to  him  in  our  Lord's  prayer, 
Tuiim  est  reffnum,  potentia,  et  gloria,  '  Thine  is  king- 
dom,' &c. 

He  is  a  jealous  God,  he  hath  sworn  that  he  will 
not  give  his  glory  to  any  creature.  Wisdom  is  one 
of  his  glories,  for  '  the  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser 
than  men,'  1  Cor.  i.  25.  And  for  this  cause  God 
will  destroy  the  wise  men  of  Edom,  both  their  persons 
*  Qu.  'must'?— Ed. 


and  their  wisdom,  as  he  did  Ahithophel,  the  oracle  of 
those  times ;  he  defeated  him,  for  he  turned  his  wis- 
dom into  folly,  and  left  him  not  wisdom  enough  to 
save  himself  from  the  halter. 

Uie.  Therefore  by  Edom's  example  let  us  learn  not 
to  trust  to  human  wisdom,  flattering  ourselves  that 
we  can  do  anything  without  God  ;  for  even  the  wicked, 
when  they  oppress  the  church  and  hurt  the  saints,  do 
it  not  without  the  counsel  and  wisdom  of  God  ;  so  he 
saith  before,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  an  ambassador  is 
sent  to  the  nations,  arise  ye  against  him  in  battle.' 
It  is  God  that  maketh  their  confederates  forsake  Edom, 
and  the  men  of  their  peace  be  the  sword  of  God 
drawn  out  against  Esau.  Reviling  Rabshakeh,  the 
general  of  Sennacherib's  forces  against  Jerusalem, 
could  say,  Isa.  xxxvi.  10,  and  he  said  truly,  '  And  am 
I  now  come  up  without  the  Lord  against  this  land  ? 
The  Lord  said  unto  me.  Go  up  against  this  land.' 
For  God  stirred  them  up,  and  animated  them  to  fight 
his  battles  against  Israel. 

The  wisdom  of  the  world  is  not  worth  the  seeking, 
because  it  may  be  lost  and  taken  from  us.  The 
wisdom  of  God,  which  is  from  above,  God  giveth  to 
his  chosen,  and  he  cannot  take  it  away  from  us, 
because  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  re- 
pentance. But  the  wise  men  of  the  world,  when  they 
have  most  cause  to  use  their  wisdom,  then  it  faileth 
them  ;  like  the  seaman's  cunning  in  a  violent  storm,  it 
is  gone,  saith  David,  Ps.  cvii.  27. 

The  wisdom  of  God  in  man  is  ever  at  the  best  in 
the  greatest  tempest  of  danger  and  sense  of  sin.  The 
disciples,  when  they  are  brought  before  kings  and 
rulers,  are  promised,  Dabo  vobis  sapientiam,  I  wUl 
give  you  wisdom  ;  and  further,  Dabitnr  illd  hord,  it 
shall  be  given  in  that  hour.  Stephen  at  the  hour 
of  his  death,  not  distracted  with  the  fury  of  them 
that  stoned  him,  died  calling  upon  God,  calling  on 
him  for  them  that  killed  him. 

God  takes  away  wisdom  from  them  that  know  not 
how  to  use  it ;  such  as  are  wise  to  do  evil,  but  to  do 
good  have  no  understanding.  Wisdom  in  an  ungodly 
man  is  armata  nequitia,  armed  wickedness ;  and 
therefore  David  prayeth  against  it,  '  Let  not  their 
wicked  imagination  prosper.' 

It  was  David's  wisdom,  Audiam  quid  loquatur  in  me 
Deus,  '  I  will  hear  what  the  Lord  will  say.'  For  he 
will  speak  to  our  hearts  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  He  will  uphold  us  with  his  counsel ;  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  our  wisdom. 


46 


MAEBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  8. 


2.  The  assurance,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord.' 

For  the  trust  in  wisdom  is  so  confident,  that  the 
holy  prophet,  though  he  had  called  his  prophecy  his 
vision,  and  though  he  had  begun  his  whole  prophecy 
with  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  yet  the  more  to  assure  the 
events  threatened,  he  resumeth  this  authority, 

(1.)  He  bringeth  in  God  himself  dispersing  their 
first  hope,  *  I  have  made  thee  small,  the  pride  of  thy 
heart  hath  deceived  thee.' 

(2.)  In  their  second  hope,  which  was  in  the  strength 
of  their  habitation,  he  bringeth  in  God  speaking  to 
Edom,  '  I  will  bring  thee  down,  saith  the  Lord.' 

(3.)  Now  again,  in  this  third  hope  of  theirs,  in  the 
wisdom  of  their  wise  men,  two  things  do  meet  in  this 
verse  to  fortify  the  assurance. 

[l.J  The  authority  of  him  that  saith  and  doth  those 
things,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord.' 

[2. J  His  appeal  to  them  ;  for  he  doth  not  say,  I 
will  destroy  the  wise  men  out  of  Edom,  but  he  ap- 
pealeth  to  their  own  hearts,  saying,  '  Shall  I  not 
destroy  them  ?  '  q.  d.  Do  you  think  that  I  will  be 
over-reached  by  your  wise  men  ?  No ;  they  shall  not 
have  wit  enough  to  save  themselves,  much  less  to 
save  you,  '  For  I  will  destroy  them.'  Which  peremp- 
tory declaration  of  the  will  of  him  who  is  judge  of  all 
the  world,  doth  leave  no  place  for  evasion  ;  for  the 
psalmist  saith  of  him,  that  '  He  doth  whatsoever  he 
will  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  in  all  deep  places.' 

By  virtue  of  this  certain  word  of  God,  we  do  gather 
this  assurance  against  all  the  enemies  of  the  church, 
in  all  ages  thereof ;  for  he  hath  said  it  by  the  mouth 
of  Job,  chap.  xxi.  17,  '  How  often  is  the  candle  of  the 
wicked  put  out !  and  how  often  cometh  their  destruc- 
tion upon  them  !  God  distributeth  sorrows  in  his 
anger.'  What  though  the  execution  of  this  -wrath  be 
deferred  ?  He  addeth,  ver.  19,  '  God  laj^eth  up  his 
iniquity  for  his  children,'  that  is,  the  punishment  of 
his  iniquity.  As  there  is  a  decree  against  them  in 
the  counsel  of  God,  and  word  against  them,  declaring 
the  decree  of  God,  so  dies  erit,  there  shall  be  a  time. 

3.  The  time,  '  in  that  day.' 

Our  days  and  times  be  all  in  the  hand  of  God,  and 
they  be  hid  in  his  own  power,  who  in  his  secret  wis- 
dom hath  appointed  them.  When  that  day  should 
come,  he  hath  not  yet  revealed  to  Edom  in  this  pro- 
phecy. 

God  is  so  patient  and  longsufFering  that  he  doth 
not  punish  presently ;  for  vengeance  is  his,  he  may 
take  his  t'me  when  he  will,  and  no  man  can  resist  him. 


The  point  here  considerable  is,  that  God  in  hia 
secret  wisdom  hath  designed  a  particular  day  for  every 
execution  of  his  will ;  yea,  the  Scripture  goeth  so  far 
as  to  the  hoar,  even  to  a  moment,  the  least  fraction 
of  time.  This  declareth  that  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
and  of  flesh  hath  but  its  time  ;  there  is  a  period  fixed 
wherein  it  must  determine.  Ahithophel's  counsels 
went  for  oracles  till  this  day,  then  God  turned  his 
wisdom  into  folly  and  destruction.  So  God,  Isa.  iii.  2, 
threatened  Jerusalem  with  a  day  in  which  *  the  Lord 
would  take  away  from  them  the  mighty  men,  and  the 
men  of  war,  the  judge  and  the  prophet,  the  prudent 
and  the  ancient.' 

This  he  doth  two  ways. 

One,  by  turning  all  their  knowledge  into  ignorance, 
and  their  wisdom  into  folly. 

Another,  by  destroying  their  persons,  either  by  his 
sore  judgments,  or  by  leading  into  captivity.  Here  both 
are  threatened,  for  he  will  destroy  both  prnderites,  wise 
men,  Q,ndi  x>rudentiam,  their  wisdom,  in  that  day. 

This  may  remember  us  of  that  great  day  of  which 
St  Paul  preached  to  the  Athenians,  Acts  xvii.  31, 
that '  God  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  man  which  he 
hath  appointed.'  For  as  the  day  of  Jerusalem,  and 
the  day  of  Edom,  and  the  time  of  God's  particular 
judgments,  is  set  and  fixed,  so  is  the  day  of  the  last 
judgment,  in  which  every  man  shall  give  an  account 
to  God  of  himself,  and  all  our  works  shall  come  to 
judgment. 

What  manner  of  men,  then,  ought  we  to  be,  ex- 
pecting this  day,  and  providing  for  it  ? 

This  doctrine  of  the  set  day  of  particular  execution 
of  God's  threatened  wrath  against  sinners,  doth  teach, 

1.  Holy  patience  in  waiting  the  Lord's  pleasure  ; 
and  as  the  apostle  admonisheth,  Heb.  x.  35-37,  '  Cast 
not  away  therefore  your  confidence,  for  ye  have  need 
of  patience,  that  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God 
ye  may  receive  the  promise.  For  a  little  while,  and 
he  that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry. 
And  blessed  is  he  that  endureth  to  the  end.' 

This  living  under  the  rod  of  the  ungodly,  and  this 
beholding  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked,  doth  much 
disquiet  even  the  saints  of  God  on  earth,  as  in  the 
example  of  David  wo  see.  Therefore  we  have  need 
of  patience,  to  sweeten  the  sorrows  of  life  to  us,  and 
to  clear  our  eyes,  that  we  may  not  mourn  as  men 
without  hope. 

2.  It  teacheth  faith  ;  for  the  same  author  saith, 


Veb.  9.] 


MARBURY  ON  OB-U)IAH. 


47 


ver.  38,  '  Now  the  just  shall  live  by  faith,'  for  he  that 
hath  promised  is  faithful,  and  no  word  of  his  shall  fall 
to  the  ground  unfulfilled. 

'  Faith  Cometh  by  hearing,'  let  us  then  use  it  as  the 
best  remedy  against  the  oppressions  of  the  ungodly, 
to  be  swift  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  that  we  may  get 
the  shield  of  faith  to  bear  off  all  the  darts  of  Satan. 
So  David  in  that  disquiet  went  to  the  house  of  God, 
there  he  was  taught  the  end  of  those  oppressors. 

3.  It  teacheth  holiness  ;  for,  seeing  the  wrath  of 
God  from  heaven  is  revealed  against  the  enemies  of 
the  church ;  there  is  no  safety  but  in  the  church  of 
God,  and  that  is  the  congregation  of  saints.  These 
are  safe  in  that  day,  he  hideth  such  under  his  wings, 
'  his  faithfulness  and  truth  is  their  shield  and  buckler.' 
'  There  shall  no  evil  happen  to  them,  neither  shall 
any  plague  come  nigh  their  dwelling.' 

So  long  as  we  make  conscience  of  our  words,  and 
thoughts,  and  ways,  and  laboiur  our  sanctification,  and 
strive  against  sin,  we  need  not  fear  in  the  evil  day. 

HoUness  is  oar  door  mark,  and  our  forehead  mark, 
the  destroying  angel  shall  pass  over. 


Ver.  9.  And  thy  mighty  men,  0  Teman,  shall  be 
dismayed,  to  the  end  that  every  one  of  the  mount  of  Esau 
may  be  cut  of  by  slaughter. 

Their  last  hope  is  in  the  strength  of  their  own 
mighty  men.  This  is  addressed  to  Teman.  "Which 
word,  as  it  signifieth  the  coast  to  which  the  Idumeans 
lay  from  Jerusalem,  i,  e.  the  east,  so  it  is  the  name  of 
one  of  the  nephews  of  Esau,  Gen.  xxxvi.  11,  whose 
posterity  inhabited  a  part  of  Arabia,  called  also  by 
his  name.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  EUphaz,  the 
eldest  son  of  Esau ;  and  under  his  name  here  the 
whole  nation  of  the  Idumeans  is  threatened. 

And  as  the  hope  the  Idumeans  had  in  the  wisdom 
of  their  wise  men  faileth  them,  for  they  have  trusted 
to  false  friends,  and  all  their  providence  for  their  safety 
miscarrieth,  so  shall  they  fail  in  the  hope  that  they 
have  in  their  own  strong  men,  for  they  shall  not  be 
able  to  preserve  them  from  a  final  destruction,  even 
so  great  that  every  one  of  the  mount  of  Esau  shall  be 
cut  off  by  slaughter.  Excellently  is  their  judgment 
set  forth,  for  their  confederates  shall  turn  perfidious 
to  them  abroad,  and  their  strong  men  at  home  shall 
be  dismayed. 

Two  things  make  wars  advantageable  to  a  common- 
wealth, consilium  et  fortiludo,  counsel  and  strength  ; 


in  the  former  verse  God  befools  their  wisdom,  in  this 
he  enfeebles  their  strength.  The  reason  is,  he  hath 
decreed  that  every  one  of  the  mount  of  Esau  shall  be 
destroyed.  And  when  God  tumeth  enemy,  neither 
head  nor  hand,  neither  wisdom  nor  force  can  resist 
him.  David  and  his  sling  shall  discomfit  Goliath  and 
his  armour,  his  sword  and  spear,  and  admired  strength; 
the  two  little  flocks  of  Israel,  the  great  armies  of  the 
Aramites. 

It  is  worth  our  noting  that  God,  working  by  means, 
and  directing  our  operations  so,  even  in  this  work  of 
overthrow  threatened  to  Edom,  doth  destroy  them  by 
disabling  to  them  all  the  means  of  their  safety,  as  be- 
fore he  turneth  the  hearts  of  their  friends  against  them. 

He  destroyeth  the  wisdom  of  their  wise  men,  and 
now  he  takes  away  all  heart  and  courage  from  their 
strong  men.  To  teach  us  that  all  the  outward  means 
of  safety  are  not  sufficient  to  keep  us  from  ruin,  except 
the  Lord  be  on  our  side.  Therefore  we  pray,  '  Hal- 
lowed be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will 
be  done.'     And  we  acknowledge, 

'  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  power,  and  glory.' 

And  this  enforceth  upon  us  the  law  of  the  first  table, 
to  have  no  other  gods  but  one  ;  to  give  him  outward 
worship,  to  sanctify  his  Sabbath,  not  to  abuse  his 
name.  And  this  filleth  us  with  faith,  saying,  Credo 
in  Detnn  Patrem  omnipotentem,  '  I  believe  in  God,' 
&.C.  For  as  David  saith,  Domine,  quis  similis  tibi  ? 
Lord,  who  is  like  to  thee  ?  '  There  is  no  wisdom  or 
strength,'  not  that  which  is  in  the  god  of  this  world, 
the  prince  that  ruleth  in  the  air,  but  it  is  a  beam  of 
the  heavenly  light.  Can  God  suffer  any  of  his  own 
gifts  to  be  abused  against  him,  to  turn  edge  and  point 
against  the  author  of  them  ?  There  is  a  time  when 
God  winketh  at  the  outrage  of  the  imgodly,  for  the 
exercising  of  the  patience  of  his  servants ;  but  when 
he  intendeth  a  cutting  off  by  slaughter  of  his  enemies, 
in  that  day  the  Lord  wiU  be  known  to  be  God. 

These  things  are  written  for  our  sakes ;  for  the 
enemies  of  our  church  are  here  threatened  to  be  cut 
off  by  slaughter ;  even  antichrist,  the  man  of  sin,  who 
sitteth  in  the  place  of  God  as  God,  and  is  worshipped, 
whom  God  shall  scatter  with  the  breath  of  his  mouth, 
that  is,  by  the  power  of  his  word  preached ;  and  we 
have  comfort  against  him,  that  neither  his  wit  nor  his 
force  shall  prevail  against  us. 

We  have  two  examples  which  I  hope  no  time  wiU 
ever  forget  to  praise  God  for,  till  the  second  coming  of 
Jesus  Christ. 


48 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  10-U. 


The  power  of  antichrist  was  defeated  in  '88,  when 
the  pope  gave  away  the  kingdoms  of  England  and 
Ireland  to  the  king  of  Spain,  who  sent  his  invincible 
armada  hither,  not  as  a  challenger,  but  as  a  conqueror, 
to  take  possession  of  these  lands.  They  had  special 
revelations  to  assure  their  victory,  and  the  prayers  of 
the  popish  church  were  all  in  arms  against  us.  Bat, 
as  it  is  in  my  text,  their  mighty  men  were  dismayed, 
their  strong  ships  either  sunk  in  the  sea,  or  well  beaten, 
or  constrained  to  fly,  because  God  meant  to  cut  them 
off  by  slaughter,  and  the  power  of  Spain  so  weakened, 
and  the  coffers  of  their  treasure  so  emptied,  that  nothing 
was  more  welcome  to  them  than  the  news  of  peace  with 
England. 

The  wisdom  of  Rome  had  no  better  success  in  the 
year  1605,  for  when  some  men  of  blood,  the  sons  of 
Belial,  had  laid  a  plot  for  the  destruction  of  the  whole 
church  and  commonwealth  then  in  Parliament,  by 
powder ;  we  cannot  deny  but  the  serpent  put  his 
best  wits  to  the  rack,  to  stamp  a  device  with  his  own 
image  and  superscription.  Never  was  there  neqiiUia 
ingeniosior,  a  more  witty  wickedness,  than  to  bring  so 
many  precious  lives  to  the  mercy  of  one  executioner, 
who  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  put  fire  to  the  train. 
Yet  in  the  very  act  of  preparation,  and  the  night  be- 
fore the  intended  execution,  God  put  fire  to  his  own 
train  laid  for  them,  and  discovered  things  hidden  in 
darkness,  and  cast  them  into  the  pit  which  he  had 
digged  for  them ;  and  their  wit  and  policy  proved 
hanging  and  quartering  to  the  conspirators,  and  de- 
clared the  papist  our  secret  enemies,  such  whom  we 
must  carefully  look  to ;  for  if,  by  strength  or  wit,  he 
can  destroy  the  state  of  the  church  and  commonwealth, 
the  mercies  of  his  heart  are  so  cruel,  that  we  can  ex- 
pect no  favour. 

That  is  now  the  cause  why  His  Majesty,  intending  a 
parliament,  doth  require  so  strict  a  survey  of  the  land, 
for  the  detection  of  all  popish  recusants,  as  now  is 
both  by  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  magistrate  urged. 
For  they  have  given  us  fair  warning  that,  if  they  can 
do  anything  by  wit  or  force,  they  will  abate  nothing 
thereof  to  the  prejudice  of  this  church.  But  as  the 
confounding  of  the  wisdom  of  Edom,  and  the  disabling 
the  strength  of  Edom,  did  forerun  their  fall,  so  our 
faith  is,  that  antichrist,  God's  enemy  and  ours,  hath 
now  but  a  short  time  ;  and  every  one  of  the  mount  of 
Esau,  of  the  city  built  upon  the  hills,  shall  be  cut  off 
by  slaughter.  The  pride  of  their  own  hearts,  who 
think  they  have  the  keys  of  heaven  and  of  hell ;  not 


only  Peter's  keys,  but  David's  also  ;  who  bear  the 
world  in  hand,  that  they  can  save  or  condemn,  shall 
deceive  them.  The  rock  of  their  habitation  shall 
prove  to  them  like  an  undefenced  city.  Their  con- 
federates, and  men  of  their  peace,  that  eat  bread  with 
them,  shall  turn  edge  against  them.  Their  wise  men 
shall  fail  them,  and  their  triple  crown  and  the  tem- 
poral power  of  their  hierarchy  shall  be  disabled.  We 
have-  the  word  of  God  for  it :  '  The  man  of  sin  must 
be  destroyed.'  '  Even  so  let  all  thine  enemies  perish, 
0  Lord.'     Amen,  amen.       ' 


Ver.  10-14,  For  thy  violence  against  thy  brother 
Jacob  shame  shall  cover  thee,  and  thou  shall  be  cut  off 
for  ever.  In  the  day  that  thou  stoodest  on  the  other 
side,  in  the  day  that  the  strangers  carried  away  captive 
his  forces,  and  foreigners  entered  into  his  gates,  and 
cast  lots  upon  Jerusalem,  even  thou  wast  as  one  of 
them.  But  thou  shouldest  not  have  looked  on  the  day 
of  thy  brother  in  the  day  that  he  became  a  stranger  ; 
neither  shoiddest  thou  have  rejoiced  over  the  children  of 
Judah  in  the  day  of  their  destruction  ;  neither  shouldest 
thou  have  spoken  proudly  in  the  day  of  their  distress. 
Thou  shouldest  not  have  entered  into  the  gate  of  my 
people  in  the  day  of  their  calamity  ;  yea,  thou  shouldest 
not  have  looked  on  their  affliction  in  the  day  of  their 
calamity,  nor  liave  laid  hands  on  their  substance  in  the 
day  of  their  calamity :  neither  shouldest  thou  have 
stood  in  the  cross-way,  to  cut  off  those  of  his  which  did 
escape ;  neither  shouldest  thou  have  delivered  those^  of 
his  that  did  remain  in  the  day  of  distress. 

The  cause  provoking  God  to  this  severe  process 
against  Edom. 

This  is  set  down, 

1.  In  general  terms,  ver.  10,  *  violence  against  their 
brother.' 

2.  In  a  particular  description,  ver.  11-14. 

1.  The  general  term  is,  violence,  or  as  the  old  read- 
ing was,  a-uelty  ;  and  the  word  here  used^doth  express 
all  injury. 

Either  done  by  strong  hand  or  force, 
Or  done  by  subtlety  and  cunning. 

2.  In  the  particulars  of  their  cruelty,  there  is, 

(1.)  Their  confederacy  with  the  enemies  of  their 
brother  Jacob,  ver.  11.  This  is  cruelty  of  combination, 
stabant  ex  opposite;  they  were  rather  for  the  enemies  of 
Jacob  than  for  their  brother;  as  David  saith,  they  take 
the  contrary  part,  they  were  as  one  of  them. 


Ver.  10-14.] 


MAHBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


49 


By  the  strangers  that  carried  away  the  forces  of 
Jacob  captive,  and  the  foreigners  that  entered  into  his 
gates,  and  cast  lots  upon  Jerusalem,  are  meant  the 
Chaldeans,  which  referreth  us  to  the  story  of  those 
times,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  17-19. 

'  Therefore  he  brought  upon  them  the  king  of  the 
Chaldeans,  who  slew  their  young  men  with  the  sword 
in  the  house  of  their  sanctuary,  and  had  no  compas- 
sion upon  young  man  or  maiden,  old  man  or  him  that 
stooped  for  age ;  he  gave  them  all  into  his  hand.' 

There  was  direption  of  the  sanctuary,  robbing  the 
treasury  of  the  king,  burning  the  house  of  God,  and 
deportation  of  the  residue  into  captivity. 

In  that  day  Edom  was  as  one  of  them  ;  for  then,  as 
the  psalmist  saith,  Ps.  cxsxvii.  7,  *  In  the  day  of 
Jerusalem,  they  cried.  Rase  it,  rase  it,  even  to  the 
foundation  thereof.' 

(2.)  They  are  charged  with  the  cruelty  of  their  eye, 
and  that  twice:  ver.  12,  '  But  thou 'shouldest  not  have 
looked  on  the  day  of  thy  brother  in  the  day  that  he 
became  a  stranger.'  Again,  ver.  13,  '  Thou  shouldest 
not  have  looked  on  their  affliction  in  the  day  of  their 
calamity.' 

(3.)  They  are  charged  with  cruelty  of  heart :  ver. 
12,  '  Neither  shouldest  thou  have  rejoiced  over  the 
children  of  Judah  in  the  day  of  their  destruction.' 
The  heart  is  the  scat  of  affections,  they  joyed  in  the 
sorrow  of  Edom. 

(4.)  They  are  charged  with  the  cruelty  of  the 
tongue  :  ver.  12,  '  Neither  shouldest  thou  have  spoken 
proudly  in  the  day  of  their  distresses.' 

(5.)  With  the  cruelty  of  their  hands,  violent  actions 
against  their  brother  :  ver.  13,  14,  '  Thou  shouldest 
not  have  entered  into  the  gate  of  my  people  in  the 
day  of  their  calamity,  nor  have  laid  hand  on  their  sub- 
stance in  the  day  of  their  calamity  :  neither  shouldest 
thou  have  stood  in  the  cross  way,  to  cut  off  those  of  his 
that  did  escape  ;  neither  shouldest  thou  have  delivered 
those  of  his  that  did  remain  in  the  day  of  distress.' 

Which  charge th  them  with  four  cruelties  : 

1.  Invasion  of  their  cities. 

2.  Direption  of  their  goods. 

3.  Insidiation,  lying  in  wait  for  them. 

4.  Depopulation,  not  sparing  the  residue. 

We  have  seen  the  sin  of  Edom  in  the  total  cruelty 
against  their  brother  Jacob.  We  summed  up  the 
particulars,  and  find  that  God  had  just  cause  to  enter 
into  judgment  with  Edom,  and^to  execute  upon  them 
his  fierce  wrath. 


The  sin  was  breach  of  the  law,  and  a  trespass 
against  the  second  table  ;  against  Jacob,  that  is,  the 
posterity  of  Jacob  their  brother.  And  here  I  note 
that  especially  two  commandments  of  the  second 
table  are  broken. 

1.  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder. 

2.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

For  what  part  of  their  cruelty  toucheth  the  life  of 
Jacob,  is  a  breach  of  the  first. 

What  toucheth  his  estate  and  goods,  is  a  breach  of 
the  latter  commandment. 

And  this  example  may  serve  for  a  commentary 
upon  those  two  commandments,  teaching  how  they 
are  broken  ;  for  Edom  is  a  very  full  example  of  trans- 
gression. 

(1.)  In  the  craelty  of  combination.  They  that  join 
with  others  that  seek  the  life  of  man,  are  murderers  ; 
not  accessories,  but  principals.  So  did  Edom,  for  he 
was  even  as  they. 

Saul,  after  Paul,  a  blessed  apostle,  doth  charge  the 
murder  of  Stephen  upon  himself,  because,  as  here,  he 
was  of  the  other  side,  and  sat  by  and  kept  the  clothes 
of  them  that  stoned  him.  It  is  a  fleshing  of  men  in 
cruelty  to  associate  in  blood,  and  to  communicate  with 
the  blood-thirsty.  We  see  it  after  in  Saul ;  he  was  a 
principal  actor,  and  got  commission  to  persecute,  and 
went  about  breathing  threatenings  against  the  church. 

And  as  it  is  in  the  law  of  murder,  so  it  is  in  the 
law  of  theft,  for  every  association  with  thieves  and 
robbers  is  the  breach  of  that  commandment ;  and 
Edom  brake  both  these  laws,  for  they  were  even  as 
the}'  that  robbed  Israel,  and  sought  their  life.  Though 
they  commenced  not  the  war  against  their  brother 
Jacob,  yet  they  joined  with  them  that  did,  and  so 
they  are  pares  culpa,  alike  in  fault. 

Use.  This  teacheth  us  to  be  very  careful,  not  only 
how  we  be  authors  of  murder  and  theft,  but  how  we 
be  actors  or  abettors  of  the  same,  and  helps  of  the 
wicked  against  the  church  of  God ;  for  God  said  to 
Jehoshaphat  aiding  of  Ahab,  2  Chron.  xix.  2,  '  Wouldst 
thou  help  the  wicked,  and  love  them  that  hate  the 
Lord  ?  therefore  there  is  wrath  upon  thee  before  the 
Lord.' 

Do  not  think  that  all  the  blame  shall  light  upon 
the  authors  of  evil.  Do  not  wipe  thy  mouth  with  the 
harlot  in  the  Proverbs,  chap.  xxx.  20,  and  say,  I  have 
done  no  wickedness,  for  all  society  with  sinners  in 
their  sins  are  forbidden ;  the  apostle  is  very  precise 
herein :  2  Thess.  iii.  14,  '  If  any  man  obey  not  our 


50 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  10-14. 


word,  note  that  man,  and  have  no  company  with 
him.' 

The  manifest  breakers  of  the  law  are  despisers  of 
the  word  ;  with  such  eat  not.  God  saith  that  such  as 
converse  with  them  be  as  they,  that  is,  equally  cul- 
pable. 

Upon  this  evidence  we  find  the  church  of  Rome 
guilty  of  the  powder  treason  ;  it  was  secretly  animated 
and  abetted  by  them,  and  they  prayed  for  the  success 
thereof. 

(2.)  The  cruelty  of  the  eye.  This  is  twice  here  urged, 
ver.  12,  13,  for  the  eye  of  humanity  doth  abhor  the 
sight  of  murder.  To  look  on,  and  behold  the  wrongs 
done  to  our  brethren  in  their  life  or  goods,  is  murder 
and  theft.  Hagar  was  so  tender,  that  when  her  son 
Ishmael  was  ready  to  perish  for  want  of  water,  she  cast 
the  child  under  one  of  the  shrubs  :  Gen.  xxi.  15,  16, 

*  And  she  went  and  sat  her  down  over  against  him  a 
good  way  off,  as  it  were  a  bow-shoot ;  for  she  said,  Let 
me  not  see  the  death  of  the  child.'  2  Sam.  xx.  12,  the 
sight  of  Amasa  murdered,  and  weltering  in  his  blood 
in  the  way,  was  a  stop  in  the  way  of  Joab's  soldiers, 

*  and  all  the  people  stood  still.'  It  was  a  grievous 
sight,  and  troubled  soldiers,  men  used  to  acts  and 
sights  of  death,  for  Amasa  was  a  worthy  captain. 
They  looked  on  in  condolement,  not  in  rejoicing 

It  is  reported  that,  after  the  massacre  of  the  protes- 
tants  in  France,  on  the  Bartholmew  night  following, 
the  queen-mother,  with  many  others,  went  out  to  behold 
the  dead  carcases  ;  and  having  caused  the  body  of 
the  noble  admiral  of  France  to  be  hanged  upon  a 
gibbet,  they  went  out  of  the  city  to  feed  their  eyes 
with  that  spectacle. 

God  will  one  day  require  the  blood  of  those  men  at 
the  hands  of  all  those  whose  cruel  ej^es  delighted  in 
that  spectacle  :  *  For  thou  shouldest  not  have  looked 
on  thy  brother  in  the  day  of  his  aflOiiction  with  cruel 
eyes.' 

With  compassionate  eyes  we  may ;  so  it  is  foretold 
of  the  elect :  Zech.  xii.  20,  '  They  shall  see  him  whom 
they  have  pierced,  and  shall  mourn  for  him.'  So 
Mary  and  John  saw  Christ  crucified,  and  Christ  in- 
vited to  that  sight :  '  Have  ye  no  regard,  all  ye  that 
pass  by  ?  see  if  there  be  any  sorrow  like  to  my  sorrow,' 
But  when  the  ungodly  of  the  earth  perish,  there  is 
joy,  as  the  wise  man  saith ;  it  is  one  of  the  comforts 
of  the  church  against  the  enemies  thereof:  Isa.  Ixvi. 
24,  '  And  they  shall  go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  car- 
cases of  the  men  that  have  transgressed  against  me,  for 


their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be 
quenched,  and  they  shall  be  an  abhorring  to  all  flesh.' 
And  David  saith,  Ps.  xcii.  11,  *  Mine  eye  also  shall 
see  my  desire  upon  mine  enemies.' 

These  be  special  executions  of  wrath  upon  the  un- 
godly, but  the  general  rule  of  charity  doth  convince 
that  eye  of  cruelty  which  beholdeth  the  blood  of  man 
with  joy,  shed  on  the  earth  ;  and  the  law  of  piety 
doth  find  that  man  guilty  of  murder  that  looketh  on, 
whilst  an  Egyptian  smiteth  an  Israelite,  which  Moses 
could  not  endure  to  see,  for  as  Seneca,  ocuH  augent 
dolorem,  the  eye  inci'easeth  sorrow :  Exod.  ii.  12, 
'  He  slew  the  Egyptian  and  hid  him  in  the  sand.' 

This  is  no  example  for  imitation,  for  lookers  on  to 
become  gamesters  of  a  sudden.  How  justifiable  that 
fact  of  Moses  was  I  will  not  now  dispute ;  the  point 
is,  Moses  could  not  look  on  and  see  wrong  done  to  an 
Hebrew.  It  [is  a  cruel  eye  that  can  see  a  neighbour 
sufier  injury  in  his  person  or  in  his  goods,  and  will 
pass  by  and  not  give  him  help.  It  is  a  cruel  ear  that 
will  suffer  a  neighbour  to  be  scandaHzed  in  his  good 
name,  and  will  not  open  a  mouth  to  defend  him.  If 
thine  eye  so  offend  thee,  Christ  adviseth  thee  to  pull 
it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee. 

When  Pilate  had  caused  Christ  to  be  cruelly  whipped, 
he  brought  him  forth  to  the  people  to  shame  him 
openly,  saying,  Ecce  homo,  Behold  the  man,  huping 
that  their  eyes  satisfied  with  that  lamentable  sight  of 
his  stripes  would  have  cried,  Enough,  let  him  go. 
But  this  gave  their  eye  a  new  appetite  to  see  more, 
and  they  cried  out,  'Crucify  him,  crucify  him  !'  Those 
eyes  that  hunger  thus,  let  the  curses  of  Agur  the 
son'  of  Jakeh  fall  on  them  :  Prov.  xxx.  17,  *  Let  the 
ravens  of  the  valley  pick  them  out,  and  let  the  young 
eagle  eat  them.' 

(3.)  The  ciuelty  of  the  heart :  '  They  rejoice  over 
the  children  of  Judah  in  the  day  of  their  destruction.' 
This  also  is  murder,  to  joy  in  the  destruction  of  our 
brethren,  though  we  put  neither  hand  nor  counsel 
to  it. 

This  evidence  doth  pronounce  the  church  of  Rome 
guilty  of  that  murder  in  the  cruel  massacre  of  Paris 
under  Charles  the  Ninth  before  mentioned,  Avherein,  by 
a  cunning  pretence  of  friendship,  there  were  destroyed 
80,000  protestants  ;  for  after  the  massacre  there  was 
a  solemn  procession  throughout  the  city;  and  that 
this  was  the  joy  of  the  whole  church  of  Rome,  we 
may  avouch  it  from  the  testimony  of  the  head  of 
the  church.     For  Gregory  XIII.  hearing  of  it,  caused 


Vkr.  10-14.] 


MARBURY  OX  OBADIAH. 


51 


all  the  ordnance  of  his  castle  of  St  Argelo  to  be  shot 
oflf  in  token  of  joy,  and  a  mass  to  be  sung  in  St  Lucy's 
church  for  honour  of  the  exploit.  And  the  parliament 
of  Paris  enacted  it,  that  in  honour  thereof,  every  year, 
on  St  Bartholmew's  day,  should  a  solemn  procession 
be  observed  through  the  city  of  Paris.  The  cardinal 
also  of  Lorraine,  in  a  public  oration,  magnified  the 
fact,  and  caused  monuments  thereof  to  be  erected. 

Far  be  it  then  from  us,  who  carry  the  names  of 
Christians,  to  rejoice  at  the  sufferings  of  our  brethren, 
for  this  is  murder.  Let  Roman  Christians  teach 
Turks,  and  Indians,  and  Massagets  to  be  barbarous, 
let  their  mercies  be  cruel ;  for  so  would  they  have 
joyed  if  their  powder-treason  had  sped.  But  as  dear 
brethren,  let  us  put  on  the  bowels  of  compassion,  and 
love,  and  tenderness.  Let  not  ns  rejoice  in  the  ruin 
of  their  persons  that  are  executed  for  heinous  pre- 
varications of  the  laws  of  the  kingdom,  but  rather 
gush  out  rivers  of  water  for  theifi  that  keep  not  the 
law.  The  puni.-hment  of  sin  is  the  joy,  but  the  de- 
struction of  the  person  of  the  sinner  is  the  grief,  of  all 
them  that  fear  God. 

The  heart  is  a  principal  in  murder,  for  out  of  the 
heart  cometh  murder,  and  an  evil  eye  to  look  upon  it. 
It  proceedeth  from  a  corrupt  and  cruel  heart,  when  we 
pass  by  and  regard  not  the  afflictions  of  our  brethren 
to  relieve  them,  as  the  Samaritan  did ;  but  when  we 
rejoice  over  them,  as  Edom  here  did,  and  make  our- 
selves merry  with  their  sins,  or  their  punishments, 
our  hearts  are  murderers  of  our  brethren ;  and  when 
he  cometh  that  will  one  day  make  inquisition  for 
blood,  he  will  remember  the  complaint  of  the  poor. 
The  God  of  our  salvation  is  called  the  God  of  mercies, 
and  the  Father  of  all  consolation.  If  we  be  sons  of 
this  Father,  '  be  you  merciful,  as  your  heavenly 
Father  is  merciful ;'  'love  as  brethren,'  comfort  the 
heavy-hearted,  strengthen  the  weak,  bring  him  that 
wandereth  into  the  way,  and  let  not  thy  brother's 
blood  cry  from  the  earth  for  vengeance  against  thee. 
There  is  vox  sanguinis,  a  voice  of  blood ;  and  '  He 
that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear  ?'  It  covered 
the  old  world  with  waters.  The  earth  is  filled  with 
cruelty ;  it  was  vox  sanguinis  that  cried,  and  the 
heavens  heard  the  earth,  and  the  windows  of  heaven 
opened,  to  let  fall  judgment  and  vengeance  upon  it. 

The  joy  that  the  Jews  had  at  the  death  of  Christ, 
what  sorrow  hath  it  cost  them  ever  since  !  They 
have  gone,  like  Cain,  with  a  mark  upon  them,  stigma- 
tized and  branded  as  murderers,  and  they  are  scattered 


upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  IGOO  years  almost  of  de- 
portation have  they  endured  ;  and  who  cries  now,  It 
is  time  for  the  Lord  to  have  mercy  upon  Zion  ! 

The  author  of  the  Three  Convtrsions  of  England  writeaf 
a  congratulatory  epistle  to  the  catholics  in  England, 
rejoicing  at  the  timely  quiet  death  of  Queen  Elizabeth, 
in  a  full  age,  full  of  days  and  full  of  honour,,  and 
telleth  them  that  they  have  as  much  cause  of  joy  aa 
ever  the  Christians  had  in  the  primitive  times  for  the 
death  of  the  bloody  and  cruel  emperors.  This  candle 
of  the  wicked  was  soon  put  out,  for  ere  that  epistle 
could  come  to  them,  our  gracious  king  was  proclaimed 
the  heir  of  her  crowns  and  of  her  faith. 

(4.)  They  are  charged  with  the  cruelty  of  the 
tongue  :  ver.  12,  '  Neither  shouldest  thou  have  spoken 
proudly  in  the  day  of  their  distress.'  This  is  another 
kind  of  breach  of  the  law,  Non  occides,  '  thou  shalt  not 
kill ;'  to  speak  proudly,  or,  as  the  original  doth  ex- 
press it,  to  make  the  mouth  great,  or  wide,  against 
our  brethren  in  their  distress.  For  they  animate! 
the  persecutors  of  their  brethren  '  in  the  day  of  Jeru- 
salem ;  and  said,  Rase,  rase  it,  even  to  the  founda- 
tions thereof,'  Ps.  cxxxvii.  They  opened  their  mouth 
wide  in  cruelt}',  or,  as  Ezekiel  speaketh  for  them : 
chap.  XXV.  8,  '  Moab  and  Seir  did  say.  Behold,  the 
house  of  Judah  is  like  unto  all  the  heathen,'  i.e.  God 
taketh  no  more  care  for  them  than  for  any  other 
people.  It  is  one  of  the  provocations  wherewith  God 
was  provoked  against  Edom  :  Ezek.  xxxv.  10,  '  Be- 
cause thou  hast  said,  These  two  nations,  and  these 
two  countries,  shall  be  mine,  and  we  will  possess  it ; 
though  the  Lord  was  there.'  He  accuseth  them  of 
anger  and  envy  against  those  two  nations,  i.  e.  Israel 
and  Judah  ;  so  called  because  the  land  was  divided  in 
Jeroboam's  time  into  two  kingdoms. 

Anger  and  envy  are  by  our  Saviour  declared  to  be 
murder,  and  the  tongue  is  called  by  David  a  sharp 
sword  ;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips.  It  is 
the  bow  out  of  which  they  shoot  for  *  arrows,  bitter 
words.  '  Thou  hast  loved  all  the  words  that  may  do 
hurt.'  Yerha\>G.  verbera.  Venite percutiamus eum  lingua, 
'  Come  let  us  smite  him  with  the  tongue,'  said  the 
enemies  of  Jeremiah,  Jer.  xviii.  18 ;  and  Saint  James, 
chap.  iii.  5,  6,  saith  there  is  ignis  in  lingua,  a  fire  in 
the  tongue,  '  Behold  how  great  a  matter  a  Uttle  fire 
kindleth  !'  '  The  tongue  is  a  fire,  a  world  of  iniquity  : 
so  is  the  tongue  amongst  the  members,  that  it  defileth 
the  whole  body,  and  it  setteth  on  fire  the  course^  of 
*  ^u.  'forth'?— Ed. 


52 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  10-14. 


nature  ;  and  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell.  It  is  an  unruly 
evil,  full  of  deadly  poison.'  Prov.  xii.  18,  '  There  is 
that  speaketh  like  the  piercings  of  a  sword.' 

1.  In  their  anger  they  spake  cruelly,  instigating 
their  enemies  to  destroy  them. 

2.  In  their  pride  they  spake  insolently,  expressing 
their  inward  joy  at  their  ruin,  by  speeches  of  scorn 
and  disdain,  and  of  triumph  over  them. 

The  Jews  are  a  fearful  example  of  this  in  their 
process  against  Christ,  for  they  cruelly  said,  *  Crucify 
him,  crucify  him,'  *  not  him  but  Barabbas.'  *  If  thou 
let  him  go,  thou  art  not  Caesar's  friend.  And  after, 
tauntingly,  when  he  was  upon  the  cross,  to  him,  '  He 
saved  others,  let  him  save  himself;'  to  his  Father, 
*  Let  him  now  save  him,  if  he  will  have  him.'  Which 
how  dear  it  cost  them,  let  their  own  tongues  repeat 
their  judgment.  Sanguis  ejus  super  nos,  et  filios 
nostras,  '  His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  chil- 
dren.' It  was  so  ever  since  ;  and  as  God  wrote  the 
cruelty  of  Amalek  in  a  book,  and  vowed  never  to  for- 
get, so  even  to  this  day  he  remembereth  what  that 
Amalek  did  to  Israel.  The  desolation  of  their  city 
and  temple,  the  glory,  and  pride,  and  praise  of  the 
earth,  their  miserable  dispersion  to  this  day,  is  a 
certain  testimony  of  God'«  unappeased  displeasure  to 
them. 

Sarah  saw  Ishmael  working  ;*  he  doth  not  say  she 
heard  him.  Perad venture  it  was  but  a  scornful  or 
proud  look  that  she  observed  ;  but  it  is  understood 
that  he  scoffed  him  with  some  words  of  disdain,  that 
he  should  be  the  young  master  and  heir  of  the  house. 
And  this  provoked  Sarah  to  solicit  his  casting  out  of 
the  house ;  and  the  apostle  doth  call  it  persecution, 
and  a  kind  of  murder. 

Beloved,  do  you  know  that  cursing  is  murder  ?  Do 
you  know  that  bitter  and  scornful  slandering,  which 
toucheth  the  good  name  of  a  brother,  is  murder  ?  Do 
you  know  that  every  word  you  speak  to  animate  and 
encourage  against  a  brother  is  murder  ?  Do  you  know 
that  those  reviling  speeches  which  anger  venteth  in 
your  common  scoldings,  and  reproachful  railings  one 
upon  another,  and  that  secret  and  private  whispers 
wherewith  you  deprave  one  another,  be  murder  ? 

Saint  James  teacheth  you,  chap.  iv.  11,  that  *  he 
that  speaketh  evil  of  his  brother,  and  judgeth  his 
brother,  speaketh  evil  of  the  law,  and  jadgeth  the 
law  ;'  that  is,  he  declareth  himself  to  be  above  the 
law,  and  takes  upon  him  to  judge ;  for  he  that  judgeth 
*  Qu.  'mocking'? — Ed. 


the  law,  and  thinketh  that  the  law  of  God  doth  not 
bind  him  to  obedience,  he  is  not  a  doer  of  the  law, 
but  a  judge.  Christ  saith,  '  He  that  saith  to  his 
brother,  Fatue,'t\ion  fool,  is  obnoxious  to  hell  fire.' 
Let  us  all  judge  ourselves  by  this  law,  and  we  shall 
find  that  we  had  need  to  '  take  heed  to  our  ways,  that 
we  offend  not  with  our  tongue.'  It  is  no  easy  work 
to  govern  the  tongue,  it  asketh  care  and  caution. 
David  himself  must  take  heed. 

That  was  the  lesson  Pambus  found  so  hard,  that  it 
was  enough  to  take  up  his  whole  life.  And  in  our 
anger  and  fury  we  do  little  think  upon  it,  that  '  by 
our  words  we  shall  be  judged,  by  our  words  we  shall 
be  condemned  ;'  and  if  '  of  every  idle  word  we  shall 
give  an  account  to  God,'  how  much  rather  of  every 
angry  word,  of  every  lying  word,  of  every  spiteful 
and  scornful  word,  every  cruel  and  bloody  word,  of 
every  profane  and  blasphemous  word  ? 

This  is  commonly  the  revenge  of  the  poor,  for  when 
they  have  no  other  way  to  right  themselves  against 
injuries,  they  fall  to  cursing  and  imprecations.  Saint 
James  telleth  you,  chap.  i.  26,  *  If  a  man  among  you 
seem  religious,  and  bridle  not  his  tongue,  he  deceiveth 
his  own  heart,  this  man's  religion  is  in  vain.*  And 
again,  chap.  iii.  2,  '  If  any  man  offend  not  in  word, 
the  same  is  a  perfect  man,  and  able  to  bridle  the  whole 
body.'  It  is  a  master-piece  to  govern  the  tongue. 
Ps.  xxxiv.  12,  13,  *  What  man  is  he  that  desireth  life, 
and  loveth  many  days,  that  he  may  see  good  ?  Keep 
thy  tongue  from  evil.' 

But  of  all  kind  of  evil  speaking  against  our  brother, 
this  sin  of  Edom,  to  sharpen  an  enemy  against  our 
brother  in  the  day  of  his  sorrow  and  distress,  this 
opening  of  the  mouth  wide  against  him  to  insult  over 
him  in  his  calamity,  is  most  barbarous  and  unchris- 
tian. Yet  I  deny  not  but  that  God  giveth  matter  of 
joy  to  his  church  when  he  destroyeth  the  enemies 
thereof,  and  it  may  be  sometimes  lawful  to  open  our 
mouths  wide  in  the  praise  of  God  for  the  destruction 
of  the  ungodly  ;  as  I  find  joy  in  the  camp  of  Israel  for 
the  devouring  of  proud  and  cruel  Pharaoh  and  his 
armies  in  the  Red  Sea :  Exod.  xv.,  *  Then  Moses 
taught  them  a  song,'  not  only  of  thanksgiving  unto 
God,  but  of  insultation  over  those  enemies,  wherein 
they  said,  '  Pharaoh's  chariots  and  his  host  hath  he 
cast  into  the  sea:  his  chosen  captains  also  are  drowned 
in  the  Red  Sea.  The  depths  have  covered  them:  he 
sank  into  the  bottom  as  a  stone.  The  horse  and  his 
rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea.'     This  was  the  first 


Yer.  10-14.] 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


53 


song  that  we  do  read  of  in  holy  Scripture,  the 
ancientest  song  that  is  extant  in  the  world  upon 
record.  And  therefore  it  is  a  type  of  the  jubilation  of 
the  saints  in  heaven  for  the  destruction  of  the  beast ; 
and  it  said,  Rev.  xv,  3,  that  they  '  sing  the  song  of 
Moses  the  servant  of  God.'  For  there  was  more 
cause  of  joy  in  the  whole  church  for  the  fall  of  the 
beast,  than  Israel  had  for  the  fall  of  king  Pharaoh, 
for  indeed  that  of  Israel  was  but  a  type  of  this.  But 
Moses  was  warrant  enough  for  the  one,  and  the 
same  Spirit  which  directed  Moses  shall  authorise  the 
oLher. 

Yet  here  is  a  dangerous  way,  and  exceeding  slip- 
pery, and  wonderful  circumspection  must  be  used, 
and  David's  caution,  '  I  said,  I  will  take  heed  that  I 
offend  not  in  my  tongue.'  For  Christ  hath  put  a 
duty  upon  us  in  his  evangelical  law,  to  ivXaXih  and 
iuTsaTTiiv,  to  speak  well  and  do  weU. 

There  is  in  the  enemies  with  whom  we  have  to  do 
a  double  opposition,  which  maketh  a  double  quarrel. 

1.  They  are  opposite  to  God  himself,  when  they 
oppugn  the  church  of  God,  or  any  member  of  that 
church  for  God's  sake.     This  is  God's  quarrel. 

2.  "When  they  personally  violate  the  servants  of 
God  in  life,  goods,  or  good  name,  this  is  our  quarrel, 
whether  in  passion  the  case  be  ours,  or  our  brothers'  in 
compassion. 

There  is  a  double  respect  to  be  had  to  enemies : 

1,  As  they  are  men. 

2.  As  they  are  enemies. 

This  ground  being  laid,  these  conclusions  do  result 
concerning  this  point. 

1.  That  no  man  ought  to  rejoice  at  the  ruin  and 
destruction  of  a  man  as  he  is  a  man,  for  this  is  a 
natural  tie  that  bindeth  us  one  to  another.  And 
religion  doth  not  unbind  the  bonds  of  nature;  rather 
it  is  religatio,  and  tieth  them  much  faster.  The 
reason  is,  for  though  the  image  of  God  in  which 
man  was  created  were  much  defaced  in  the  fall  of 
man,  yet  was  it  not  wholly  extinguished ;  for  the 
image  of  the  Trinity  is  an  indelible  character,  it  can- 
not be  wholly  lost;  not  in  the  reprobate,  I  may  add, 
not  in  the  damned,  for  even  they  also  are  the  workman- 
ship of  God.  Therefore,  as  they  are  the  creatures  of 
God,  we  do  owe  them  love  and  pity,  in  honour  of  the 
image  of  God  in  them,  and  ought  not  to  rejoice  to  see 
the  blemishes  of  God's  image. 

So  the  Samaritan  shewed  kindness  to  the  Jew  that 
fell  among  thieves,  although,  as  the  woman  of  Samaria 


said,  they  converse  not  together.  And  so  Jacob 
cursed  the  cruel  fury  of  his  sons  for  destroying  the 
Shechemites,  though  aliens  from  Israel,  and  usurping 
their  land.  And  so  God  hating  both  the  Moabite  and 
the  Edomite,  yet  he  avenged  the  cause  of  them  against 
the  king  of  Moab,  saying,  Amos  ii.  1,2,'  For  three 
transgressions  of  Moab,  and  for  four,  I  will  not  turn 
away  the  punishment  thereof;  because  he  burnt  the 
bones  of  the  king  of  Edom  into  lime.  But  I  will  send 
a  fire  upon  Moab,  and  it  shall  devour  the  palaces  of 
Kirioth.'  And  to  go  lower,  when  the  rich  man  in 
hell-fire  saw  Abraham  afar  ofl",  and  besought  him  for 
help,  he  answered  him  by  that  loving  compellation, 
'  Son,  thou  in  thy  lifetime,'  &c.  Hell  would  not  take 
that  from  him  but  that  he  was  Abraham's  son  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh.  And  whilst  we  hve  here,  we  ought 
much  rather  to  do  all  offices  of  humanity  to  our 
enemies,  because  they  are  men,  and  because  only  God 
knoweth  who  are  his,  and  they  may  be  converted,  and 
come  into  the  vineyard  at  the  last  hour. 
2.  As  they  are  enemies  : 

(1.)  We  consider  them  as  God's  enemies,  so  we 
hate  them ;  not  their  persons,  but  their  vices ;  for  that, 
as  Augustine  defineth,  it  is  odium  perfectitm,  a  perfect 
hatred.  And  indeed  it  is  the  hatred  that  God  beareth 
to  his  enemies ;  for  '  the  wrath  of  God  from  heaven 
is  revealed  against  the  unrighteousness  and  ungod- 
liness of  men,'  Rom.  i.  18, — not  against  their  persons, 
they  are  his  workmanship,  and  carry  his  image  in  some 
sort,  though  much  disfigured ;  but  against  the  unright- 
eousness and  ungodliness  of  men,  by  which  their  per- 
sons do  stand  obnoxious  to  his  displeasure.  And  thus 
I  find  the  saints  of  God  have  insulted  over  the  wicked, 
as  Israel  over  Pharaoh,  and  the  Gileadites  over  the 
children  of  Ammon ;  not  rejoicing  in  the  destrnction 
of  God's  creatures,  but  of  God's  enemies,  and  wishing 
with  Deborah  and  Barak,  '  So  let  all  thine  enemies 
perish,  0  Lord.'  This  is  no  more  but  an  applauding 
of  the  judgment  of  God,  and  a  celebration  of  his  jus- 
tice ;  and  of  this  we  have  examples  both  in  the  militant 
and  in  the  triumphant  church. 

[1.]  In  the  militant.  Babylon,  where  the  Israel  of 
God  were  captives  and  despitefully  entreated,  and 
where  they  hung  up  their  harps  and  were  scomfally 
and  sarcasmatically  required  to  sing  one  of  the  songg 
of  Sion,  is  thus  insulted  over :  Ps.  cxxxvii.  8,  '  O 
daughter  of  Babylon,  who  art  to  be  wasted ;  happy 
shall  he  be  that  rewardeth  thee  as  thou  hast  served 
us.     Happy  shall  he  be  that  taketh  and  dasheth  thy 


54 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  10-1 4. 


little  ones  against  the  stones.'  Isa.  xiii.  2,  '  Lift  ye 
up  a  banner  upon  the  high  mountains,  exalt  the  voice 
unto  them,  shake  the  hand.  I  have  commanded  my 
sanctified  ones,  I  have  also  called  my  mighty  ones  for 
my  anger.'  Jer.  1.  2,  '  Declare  ye  among  the  nations, 
and  publish,  and  set  up  a  standard,  publish,  and  con- 
ceal not ;  say,  Babylon  is  taken,  Bel  is  confounded, 
Merodach  is  broken  in  pieces,'  &c. 

[2.]  In  the  triumphant  church :  Rev.  xviii.  20, 
*  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles 
and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her.' 
Yet  I  will  not  conceal  from  you  that  many  learned 
expositors  of  the  Revelation  do  understand  this  text 
of  "the  militant'  church.  But  no  doubt  the  saints 
judging  the  world  in  the  last  day  do  rejoice  against 
the  world  in  the  execution  of  God's  just  judgment 
upon  them ;  for  they  are  then  entered  into  their 
Master's  joy,  and  all  tears  are  wiped  from  their  eyes. 
Thus,  then,  it  is  lawful,  when  God  hath  executed  his 
judgment  upon  his  enemies,  for  all  the  friends  of  God 
to  insult  over  them,  and  to  lift  up  their  voice  and  hand 
against  them,  for  this  is  part  of  the  punishment  of 
God's  enemies :  '  They  that  despise  me  shall  be  de- 
spised.' This  is  the  last  perpetual  shame  that  shall 
evermore  continue  upon  them,  the  just  reward  of 
their  bold  presumption,  who  durst  advance  themselves 
against  God. 

(2.)  We  must  consider  the  Avicked  as  our  enemies, 
and  this  way  we  must  be  tender  how  we  insult  over 
them  in  this  life,  because  we  do  not  know  whether 
their  destruction  here  be  their  full  punishment  or  no. 
[1.]  Because  God  sometimes  chasteneth  with  tem- 
poral judgments  that  he  may  forbear  eternal,  and 
sometimes  he  punisheth  rather  ad  dignam  emenda- 
tionem  than  ad  amandationem ,  and  by  that  temporal 
punishment  doth,  as  by  some  sharp  physic,  restore 
them  to  health.  It  is  the  voice  of  God's  church : 
Micah  vii.  8,  '  Rejoice  not  against  me,  0  mine  enemy, 
when  I  fall,  I  shall  arise ;  when  I  sit  in  darkness,  the 
Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me.  I  will  bear  the  indig- 
nation of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned  against  him.' 
[2.]  Because  this  opening  of  the  mouth,  and  insult- 
ing over  the  adversities  of  men,  is  one  of  the  practices 
of  the  ungodly ;  they  use,  as  David  saith,  to  say, 
'  Where  is  now  their  God  ? '  So  insolently  did  proud 
Sennacherib  insult  over  the  cities  that  he  had  sub- 
dued :  Isa.  xxxvii.  13,  *  Where  is  the  king  of  Hamath, 
and  of  Arphad,  and  the  king  of  the  city  of  Sepharvaim, 
Hena,  and  Ivah.'  ^ 


With  them  is  the  chair  of  the  scornful. 

Rather  should  we  commit  our  cause  to  God,  and 
comfort  ourselves  in  his  justice,  and  say  no  more, 
when  we  suffer,  than  the  son  of  Jehoiada  said,  when 
Joash,  forgetting  his  father's  love  to  him,  put  him  to 
death.  '  The  Lord  look  upon  it,  and  requite  it,' 
2  Chron.  xxiv.  22.  And  when  we  see  that  God  hath 
executed  his  judgment  on  our  behalf,  let  us  give  God 
the  'honour  due  unto  his  equal  justice,  with  joy 
therein. 

Yet  I  love  the  example  of  Israel,  M'hen  in  the  case 
of  wrong  done  in  Benjamin  to  the  Levite  in  his  con- 
cubine, they,  by  God's  appointment,  destroyed  the 
most  of  that  tribe,  when  they  had  so  done.  Judges 
xxi.  2,  '  The  people  came  to  the  house  of  God,  and 
abode  there  till  even  before  God,  and  lift  up  their 
voices  and  wept  sore.' 

4.  They  are  charged  with  cruelty  of  hands. 
(1.)  Invasion  of  their  city. 

Ver.  13.  Thou  shouldest  not  have  entered  into  the 
gate  of  my  people  in  the  day  of  their  calamity.  This 
Edom  did,  to  behold  the  calamity  of  Jacob,  not  to 
help ;  but,  as  it  after  folio weth,  to  rob  him  ;  for  the 
Idumeans  joined  with  the  Chaldeans  in  the  invasion 
of  the  city,  and  were  as  they,  and  entered  in  by  the 
gate  with  them.  It  was  a  double  calamity  to  Israel, 
to  behold  their  brother  Edom  confederates  with  their 
enemies,  and  auxiliaries  to  them  in  their  wars.  This 
bringeth  Edom  into  the  former  charge  of  cruelty  of 
combination,  and  maketh  them  equally  culpable  with 
the  Chaldeans,  with  whom  they  joined  in  society  of 
war  against  Israel. 

(2.)  Of  direption  of  their  goods. 

Ver.  13.  Neither  shouldest  thou  have  laid  hand  on 
their  substance  in  the  day  of  their  calamity.  This 
chargeth  them  with  theft,  against  that  commandment, 
'  Thou  shalt  not  steal ;'  for  not  only  secret  stealth  is 
therein  forbidden,  but  all  depredation  by  violent  and 
unjust  war.  As  a  pirate  told  Alexander,  I  am  ac- 
counted a  pirate,  because  I  rob  in  a  small  ship ;  but 
thou,  because  thou  robbestin  great  fleets,  art  esteemed 
a  great  captain  I 

Thomas  Aquinas,  Prohibentur  nocumenta  qua;  infe- 
runtur  facto ;  and  it  extendeth,  saith  Borhanus,  ad 
quamlibet  alienee  rei  usurpationem.  And,  therefore, 
when  a  company  of  pilling  and  pirting  offenders  were 
carrying  a  thief  to  the  gallows,  Demosthenes  said, 


Ver.  10-1-t.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADUH. 


55 


Pari'um  furem  a  majoribiis  duci,  the  lesser  tbief  to  be 
led  by  the  greater. 

This  sin  is  so  near  bordering  upon  the  sin  of  mur- 
der, as  sometimes,  and  even  in  this  case  in  my  text, 
it  is  both  theft  and  murder  too ;  for  to  take  away  life 
is  murder,  and  to  take  away  the  necessaries  by  which 
life  is  sustained,  is  theft  and  murder  too  ;  and  there- 
fore the  apocryphal  author  of  the  book  called  Eccle- 
siasticus  avoacheth  a  canonical  truth,  saying,  chap, 
xxxiv.  22,  '  He  that  taketh  away  his  neighbour's 
living,  slayeth  him  ;  and  he'  that  defraudeth  the  la- 
bourer of  his  hire  is  a  blood- shedder.'  He  gave  the 
reason  in  the  former  verse  :  '  The  bread  of  the  needy 
is  their  -life ;  he  that  defraudeth  them  thereof  is  a  man 
of  blood.'  "WTien  Abraham,  Gen.  xiv.,  heard  that  his 
brother  Lot  was  taken  captive,  and  that  the  four  kings 
had  taken  all  the  goods  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
and  all  their  victnals,  '  He  armed  them  of  his  own 
household,  and  set  upon  the  enemy  by  night,  and 
brought  back  all  the  goods  ;  he  rescued  Lot,  and  his 
women  and  people.'  Melchisedek  blessed  him,  there- 
fore, and  said,  *  Blessed  be  the  most  high  God,  which 
hath  delivered  thine  enemies  into  thine  hand.'  Here 
God  punished  theft  and  prey ;  yet  he  that  readeth  the 
story  shall  find  that  the  quarrel  of  the  assailant  was 
for  rebellion  against  him.  '  Twelve  years  they  sei-red 
Chedorlaomer,  but  in  the  thirteenth  they  rebelled.' 

This  fact  of  Abraham,  thus  blessed  by  Melchisedek, 
thus  prospered  by  God  himself,  doth  declare  the  sub- 
jection of  these  kingdoms  to  Chedorlaomer  to  have 
been  oppression,  and  their  rebellion  a  just  prosecu- 
tion of  their  Ube'rty,  and  therefore  the  war  of  Abra- 
ham a  just  war.  And  God  gave  the  robbed  their  goods 
again. 

The  law  of  God  which  saith,  Non  furaberis,  Thou 
shalt  not  steal,  doth  declare  that  there  is  meitm  et 
tuiim,  mine  and  thine,  in  the  things  of  this  world,  and 
that  God  hath  not  left  an  anabaptistical  community 
of  all  those  things  on  earth,  and  a  parity  of  interest 
in  all  men  to  all  things  ;  for  then  there  would  be  no 
theft,  seeing  whatsoever  any  man  did  seize  on  was 
his  own. 

This  was  no  new  heresy,  but  a  reviving  of  the  old, 
of  them  that  called  themselves  Apostolici,  mentioned 
by  St  Augustine,  who,  in  imitation  of  the  apostles, 
would  have  all  things  common.  True,  that  in  those 
beginnings  of  Christ's  church,  when  the  number  of 
Christians  were  yet  but  small,  it  was  a  voluntary,  not 
a  compulsory,  communication  of  goods  that  was  then, 


and  for  a  small  time  used,  as  a  fortifying  of  them- 
selves against  the  common  adversary.  But  there  was 
no  law  but  of  their  own  piety  and  charity  that  did  im- 
pose this  as  a  duty  upon  them ;  so  that  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  were  not  punished  with  sudden  death  for 
detaining  a  part  of  the  price  of  the  field  which  they 
sold,  for  they  might  have  withheld  all ;  but  they  were 
punished  for  lying  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  bringing  but  a 
part,  and  affirming  that  they  brought  all.  For  Peter 
saith  to  Ananias,  Acts  v.  4,  *  After  it  was  sold,  was  it 
not  in  thine  own  power  ?'  Yet  in  that  communication 
it  was  not  lawful  for  every  man  to  take  what  he  would  ; 
but  the  apostles  '  distributed  to  ever}-  one  according 
to  their  need,'  Acts  iv.  35. 

Surely  if  Edom  and  the  Chaldeans  had  had  as  good 
right  to  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  to  the  goods  therein, 
as  Israel  had,  God  had  not  laid  this  for  an  evidence 
against  Edom,  that  he  laid  hand  on  their  substance. 
God  is  Lord  of  all,  and  he  hath  given  the  earth  to 
the  sons  of  men,  yet  not  in  common,  nor  in  equal 
distribution.  Here  *  the  rich  and  poor  meet  toge- 
ther, and  the  Lord  is  maker  of  them  both,'  Prov. 
xxii.  2. 

The  apostle  learnt  how  to  abound,  and  how  to 
want ;  and  God  giveth  to  the  rich  things  necessary  in 
possession,  as  to  owners  thereof  during  his  pleasure ; 
he  giveth  them  things  sapertiuous,  that  their  cup  may 
run  over  to  the  relief  of  others,  as  to  his  stewards  put 
in  trust,  to  see  that  their  brethren  want  not. 

And  there  be  two  virtues  commended  in  holy  Scrip- 
ture which  make  men  proprietaries  in  the  things  of 
this  world :  that  is,  justitia  qua  suiim  cuiqiie  tribuis, 
justice,  whereby  thou  givest  to  every  one  his  own ; 
misericonlia  qua  tuiim,  and  mercy,  whereby  thou  givest 
of  thine  own. 

The  use  of  this  point  is,  let  every  one  know  his 
own,  and  not  lay  hand  on  the  substance  of  his  bro- 
ther ;  and  *  let  him  that  stole,  steal  no  more,  but  let 
him  labour,'  not  all  for  himself,  but '  that  he  may  give 
to  him  that  needeth,'  Eph.  iv.  28 ;  that  the  poor  may 
grow  up  with  him,  as  he  did  with  Job,  and  that  none 
perish  for  want  of  meat  and  clothing. 

Godliness  must  be  joined  with  contentment ;  the 
law  doth  not  only  bind  the  hand,  non  furaberis,  thou 
shalt  not  steal ;  but  it  bindeth  the  heart  too,  non  con- 
cupisces,  thou  shalt  not  covet,  not  his  house,  not  his 
ground,  not  his  wife,  not  his  servant,  not  any  thing 
of  his. 

There  may  be  many  ways  of  theft ;  I  am  limited  to 


56 


MAllBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  10-14. 


that  of  violent  taking  away  of  our  neighbour's  sub- 
stance, for  that  only  is  here  named  and  judged,  and 
that  is  either  directly  by  invasion,  or  secretly  prac- 
tised by  oppression. 

Oppression,  like  other  sins,  putteth  on  the  habit  of 
virtue,  and  passeth  for  good  husbandry  ;  but  all  stop- 
ping of  the  wells  whereof  Isaac  and  his  cattle  should 
drink,  is  oppression  and  theft ;  and  whatsoever  is 
saved  from  the  poor  by  it,  is  the  treasure  of  wicked- 
ness ;  and  the  wise  man  telleth  us,  Prov.  x.  2,  '  The 
treasures  of  wickedness  profit  nothing.'  We  shall  see 
it  clearer  when  we  come  to  God's  revenge  upon  Edom, 
for  laying  hand  upon  his  brother's  substance. 

(3.)  They  are  charged  with  insidiation  for  life. 

Ver.  14.  Neither  shoiiJdest  thou  have  stood  in  the 
cross- way  to  cut  off  those  that  did  escape. 

Edom  divided  himself  against  Israel,  some  entering 
the  city  to  rob  and  spoil  their  goods,  and  to  destroy 
them  that  abode  there ;  others  attended  without  the 
city  to  cut  off  them,  who,  to  save  their  lives,  did 
escape  out  of  the  city.  The  Chaldeans,  that  came 
from  far  to  invade  Jerusalem,  were  not  so  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  ways  and  passages  for  escape  near 
to  the  city  as  the  Edomites,  their  brethren  and  neigh- 
bours were  ;  therefore  that  cruel  ofiice  they  take  upon 
them,  to  declare  their  full  malice  to  Jacob,  and  to 
make  up  a  complete  destructioD.  The  history  of  those 
times  doth  make  this  plain  :  2  Kings  xxv.  4,  '  And  the 
city  was  broken  up,  and  all  the  men  of  war  fled  by 
night  by  the  way  of  the  gate,  between  two  walls,  which 
is  by  the  king's  garden  (now  the  Chaldees  were  against 
the  city  round  about) ;  and  the  king  went  the  way  to- 
ward the  plain.'  At  that  time  the  Edomite,  knowing 
the  secret  ways,  mingled  himself  with  the  Chaldees  to 
cut  off  such  as  escaped. 

In  this  passage,  note, 

1.  The  miserable  calamity  of  war,  how  it  maketh 
desolations,  and  filleth  all  places  with  blood;  na safety 
from  invasion  in  the  city,  and  none  from  insidiation 
without  the  city. 

(1.)  When  you  hear  of  these  things,  thank  God  for 
the  peace  of  the  commonwealth  in  which  you  live,  and 
reckon  it  amongst  the  great  blessings  of  God  that  you 
are  born  in  a  time  of  peace,  and  live  in  peace  every 
one  under  his  own  vine  and  under  his  own  fig-tree, 
every  one  enjoying  the  comforts  of  life  without  the 
noise  of  invasion,  no  leading  into  captivity,  and  no 
complaining  in  our  streets. 


(2.)  Let  us  also  think  of  the  woful  calamity  of  that 
part  of  the  church  wherein  we  have  so  great  a  part, 
so  much  of  the  best  blood  of  this  land  and  crown  in 
danger  of  this  cruelty ;  and  if  either  our  persons  or 
purses,  or  our  prayers  to  God,  may  relieve  them,  let 
us  not  spare  to  comfort  their  distresses,  as  we  would 
desire  in  like  extremity  to  be  comforted  ourselves. 

(3.)  Let  us  learn  to  abhor  the  bloody  religion  of 
the  scarlet  strumpet  of  Rome,  that  maintaineth  and 
abetteth  these  quarrels,  and  kindleth  those  coals  in 
Christendom  which  threaten  conflagration. 

(4.)  Let  us  observe  all  them  that  make  contention, 
and  move  the  hearts  of  their  brethren  to  schism,  to 
alienate  their  afiections  from  the  peace  of  the  church, 
lest  this  fire,  which  beginneth  but  amongst  thorns 
and  brambles,  inflame  the  cedars  of  our  Libanus. 

2.  See  the  afilictions  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  and 
search  the  cause  thereof :  2  Kings  xxiv.  3,  4,  '  Surely 
at  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  came  this  upon 
Judah,  to  remove  them  out  of  his  sight,  for  the  sins 
of  Manasseh,  according  to  all  that  he  did,  and  also  for 
the  innocent  blood  that  he  shed  (for  he  filled  Jeru- 
salem with  innocent  blood),  which  the  Lord  would 
not  pardon.' 

Have  not  we  provoked  the  God  of  mercies  to  awake 
his  justice  against  our  land  ?  Did  ever  pride  put  on 
more  forms  of  costly  vanity  and  shameless  disguise 
than  our  eyes  behold  ?  Did  drunkenness  ever  waste 
and  consume  more  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  which 
many  poor  Christians  want,  than  now  ?  Were  the 
prophets  and  ministers  of  the  word  rebuking  the  vices 
of  the  times  less  hearkened  to  than  in  our  days  ?  Was 
there  ever  a  more  curious  search  into  men's  estates 
and  lands,  or  more  advantage  taken,  or  more  new  in- 
ventions to  get  wealth,  than  we  have  heard  of  ?  Was 
the  church  at  any  time  more  rent  with  schisms,  and 
maimed  by  defections  and  separations,  and  the  faith- 
ful ministers  more  opposed  with  contradictions,  and 
depraved  by  unjust  calumniations,  by  those  that  usurp 
the  appearance  of  great  professors,  than  now  ?  Did 
knowledge  ever  swell  and  pufi"  men  up  more  than 
now  ?  The  times  are  foul,  and  the  crimes  thereof 
are  clamorous ;  why,  then,  should  not  we  expect 
Judah's  punishment,  that  live  in  Judah's  sins  ?  Oh 
sin  no  more,  lest  some  worse  evil  fall  on  thee ! 

(1.)  Let  us  break  off  these  sins  by  repentance,  and 
seek  the  Lord  whilst  he  may  be  found  ;  and,  seeing 
the  light  of  his  countenance  shineth  on  us,  let  us  walk 
worthy  of  this  light. 


Ver.  lo,  16.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIiJI, 


57 


(2.)  Let  us  serve  the  Lord  in  fear,  and  pray  to  God 
that  the  thoughts  of  our  heart,  which  are  only  evil 
continually,  may  be  forgiven  us. 

(3.)  Let  us  receive  with  meekness  the  word  of  truth, 
and  snffer  it  to  be  grafted  in  us,  that  we  may  bring 
forth  no  longer  our  own  sins  with  the  fruits  of  evil 
works,  but  the  fruits  of  the  word. 

(4.)  Let  us  pray  that  God  would  pass  by  oar  offences, 
and  establish  us  with  grace,  and  pluck  up  sin  within 
us,  that  root  of  bitterness  which  bringeth  forth  corrupt 
fruits  of  disobedience,  that  God  would  continue  upon 
us  the  light  of  his  countenance. 

(.5.)  Let  us  not  flatter  ourselves  and  say.  None  of 
these  things  shall  come  upon  us,  because  we  have  so 
long  enjoyed  the  favours  of  God ;  for  Judah,  where 
God  put  his  sanctuary,  and  Zion,  where  he  made 
himself  a  dwelling,  was  not  spared.  The  righteous 
judge  of  the  world  is  not  such  a  one  as  we,  though  he 
hold  his  peace  awhile  ;  our  provocations  may  make 
him  whet  his  sword,  and  prepare  against  us  instru- 
ments of  death. 

Observe  the  cruelty  of  the  Edomite  ;  he  not  only 
joineth  in  open  hostility,  but  in  secret  insidiation,  to 
cut  off  all,  root  and  branch,  all  in  a  day  ;  he  is  im- 
placable. 

Such  is  the  hatred  of  the  Romish  church  to  ours. 
Did  we  not  see  it  in  the  attempt  in  '88  for  invasion 
and  possession  ?  Did  we  not  see  the  heart  of  anti- 
christ in  the  powder  treason  plotted  to  a  perfect  and 
full  destruction  ? 

Surely  David  had  cause  to  pray  to  God,  '  Let  me 
not  fall  into  the  hands  of  man.' 

This  is  further  declared  in  the  next  circumstance, 
'  Neither  shouldst  thou  have  deUvered  those  of  his 
that  remained  in  the  day  of  distress.' 

4.  Depopulation.  For  if  any  remained  whom  nei- 
ther the  invasion  had  met  with  in  the  city,  nor  the 
insidiation  without,  those  the  Edomite  found  oat, 
and  delivered  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies. 

Of  those,  some  fell  off  to  the  enemy,  others  were 
carried  away  captives,  others  of  the  poorer  sort  were 
left  in  the  land  to  serve  the  enemy  there,  to  be  vine- 
dressers and  husbandmen.  This  is  called  sweeping 
with  a  besom,  and  wiping  as  one  wipeth  a  dish. 

Two  things  do  aggravate  this  cruelty  of  Edom:  1, 
against  thy  brother  Jacob. 

For  a  Turk  to  oppress  a  Christian,  an  infidel  a 
believer,  is  but  a  trespass  against  humanity  ;■  for  He- 
brews to  strive,  and  one  Christian  to  afflict  another, 


woundeth  reUgion  also.  The  papist  calleth  himself  a 
Christian,  and  pretendeth  great  love  to  Christ ;  he  is 
our  unnatural  brother,  and  he  casteth  us  out  by  ex- 
communication ;  he  hateth  us  in  our  affliction,  yet  he 
saith,  Let  the  Lord  be  glorified.  But  for  us  to  wound 
and  smite  one  another  of  us,  protestant  against  pro- 
testant,  this  is  seven  spirits  worse  than  the  former. 
Brethren  by  nation,  brethren  by  religion,  should  live  as 
brethren  by  nature  ;  live  as  brethren,  and  our  Father 
wUl  be  angry  if  we  do  not,  and  the  God  of  peace  will 
fight  against  us. 

(2.)  Another  circumstance  of  time  is  much  urged, 
and  it  maketh  weight ;  for  when  was  Edom  so  bloody  ? 
You  shall  see  that  in  the  time,  and  you  wiU  say  with 
Solomon,  that  the  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel. 
Yer.  11,  '  Li  the  day  that  strangers  carried  away 
captive  his  forces,  and  foreigners  entered  into  his 
gates,  and  cast  lots  upon  Jerusalem.'  Yer.  12,  '  In 
the  day  that  thy  brother  became  a  stranger,  in  the 
day  of  their  destruction,  in  the  day  of  distress.' 
Yer.  13,  Thrice  named  *  in  the  day  of  their  cala- 
mity.'    Yer.  1-1,  '  In  the  day  of  distress.' 

1.  Observe  in  this  how  their  cruelty  is  aggravated 
by  the  time  ;  the  wofullest  time  that  ever  Jerusalem 
had,  called  therefore  the  day  of  Jerusalem.  When  all 
things  conspired  to  make  their  sorrow  full,  then,  in 
the  anguish  and  fit  of  their  mortal  disease,  then  did 
Edom  arm  his  eye,  his  tongue,  his  heart,  his  hand, 
and  join  all  those  with  the  enemy  against  his  brother. 

2.  Observe  that  God  taketh  notice  not  only  ichat 
we  do  one  against  another,  but  ichen ;  for  he  will  set 
these  things  in  order  before  thee,  for  the  God  of 
mercy  cannot  abide  cruelty. 

To  strengthen  the  hand  of  affliction,  and  to  put 
more  weight  to  the  burdens  of  them  that  be  over- 
charged, this  is  bloody  cruelty ;  as  to  oppress  the  poor 
is  always  abominable  to  God,  but  to  oppress  him  in 
his  tender  and  orphan  infancy,  or  in  his  feeble  and 
decrepit  age,  doubleth  the  offence.  To  hinder  the 
willing  labourer  from  his  labour  at  all  times,  it  is  a 
crying  sin,  and  they  are  men  of  blood  that  dp  so  ;  but 
in  times  of  dearth,  or  in  times  of  his  greatest  expense, 
to  deprive  him  of  his  labour  or  his  pay,  this  God  con- 
sidereth,  for  he  knoweth  whereof  we  are  all  made,  and 
he  observeth  our  carriage  towards  one  another  of  us. 


Yer.  15,  16.  For  the  day  of  the  Lord. is  near  upon 
all  the  heathen  :  as  thou  hast  done,  it  shall  be  done  to 


58 


MARBURY  ON  OBABIAH. 


[Ver.  15,  16. 


thee ;  thy  reuard  shall  return  upon  thine  own  head. 
For  as  ye  have  drunk  upon  my  holy  mountain,  so  shall 
all  the  heathen  drink  continually ;  yea,  they  shall  drink, 
and  they  shall  swallow  down,  and  they  shall  be  as 
thouyh  they  had  not  been. 

This  is  the  fourth  part  of  this  section,  containing 
God's  revenge  upon  Edom,  which  is  before  threatened, 
particularly  against  Edom :  ver.  2,  '  Behold,  I  have 
made  thee  small  among  the  heathen  :  thou  art  greatly 
despised ;'  and  after  further  declared  it,  despairing  all 
the  hopes  of  Edom. 

1.  The  pride  of  their  heart ;  2,  The  strength  of 
their  confederacy ;  3.  The  strength  of  their  situation  ; 
4.  The  hope  of  their  wise  men  ;  5.  The  hope  in  their 
own  strong  men.  Yet  further,  ver.  10,  he  saith, 
'  Shame  shall  cover  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  cut  oflf  for 
ever.' 

But  now,  as  Edom  was  not  alone  in  that  sin,  but 
joined  with  others,  so  are  they  all  joined  together  in 
the  punishment. 

The  words  are  somewhat  obscure. 

For  the  day  of  the  Lord,  he  meaneth  the  day  of  ven- 
geance, to  repay  the  violence  done  to  his  own  people  ; 
called  the  day  of  the  Lord,  because  God  will  shew 
himself,  who  hath  lain  concealed  as  it  were  all  this 
while  and  been  a  looker  on,  whilst  his  people  did  suffer 
punishment  for  their  sins. 

The  time  of  Jerusalem's  chastisement  was  called  the 
day  of  Jerusalem,  because  their  sins  deserved  that  day 
to  come  upon  them ;  but  the  day  of  the  heathen  is 
here  called  the  day  of  the  Lord,  because  now  God  doth 
awake  as  one  out  of  sleep,  and  sheweth  himself  clearly 
to  his  enemies. 

This  day,  the  prophet  telleth  them,  is  now  at  hand, 
and  near  to  them. 

This  is  near  upon  all  the  heathen ;  not  only  upon 
Edom,  but  upon  all  those  with  whom  Edom  joined 
himself  against  the  people  of  God.  The  prophet  Jere- 
miah, chap.  XXV.,  foretelling  this  day,  nameth  the 
heathen  upon  whom  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  was  to 
come;  and  the  judgment  is  'eye  for  eye,  tooth  for 
tooth.'  Lex  talionis,  wherein  he  telleth  her,  *  As  thou 
hast  done,  it  shall  be  done  to  thee,'  &c. 

And  after,  metaphorically  he  expresseth  the  retalia- 
tion, '  As  thou  hast  drunk  upon  my  holy  mountain.' 
Hereof  we  observe  the  change  of  the  manner  of  speech 
that  is  here  used  ;  we  shall  clear  the  text  from  that 
difficulty  that  hath  distracted  interpreters,  so  that  they 
have  failed  in  the  right  meaning  of  these  words. 


For  whereas  before  the  prophet  speaketh  to  Edom, 
here  he  bringeth  in  God  himself  speaking  to  Jerusalem, 
comforting  them  in  the  declaration'of  his  just  judgment 
against  her  enemies  ;  for  he  saith  to  Jacob,  *  As  thou 
hast  drunk  upon  my  holy  mountains,  so  shall  all  the 
heathen  drink  continually. '  By  the  metaphor  of  drink- 
ing, which  is  referred  to  that  which  is  called  the  cup 
of  the  Lord's  indignation,  of  which  David  saith,  '  In 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  there  is  a  cup,  the  wine  is  red,' 
&c.  ;  by  this  figure,  then,  the  cup  of  affliction  is  under- 
stood. The  phrase  is  used  after  by  our  Saviour,  *  Let 
this  cup  pass  from  me  :'  again,  '  If  thou  wilt  not  let  it 
pass,  but  that  I  must  drink  thereof,  thy  will  be  done.' 
We  use  that  phrase,  to  '  drink  of  the  cup  of  God.'  So 
the  threatening  runneth  in  this  sense,  that  as  the  people 
of  God  upon  God's  holy  mountain  have  drunk  of  the 
cup  of  God's  wrath,  and  have  had  their  draught  thereof, 
which  was  but  for  a  time,  '  so  shall  all  the  heathen 
drink,  and  their  judgment  shall  not  have  end  :  they 
shall  drink  continually ;  there  shall  be  no  end  of  their 
affliction  :  they  shall  swallow  down  the  wrath  of  the 
Lord  until  they  be  utterly  destroyed,  for  they  shall  be 
as  though  they  had  not  been.' 

In  which  words  is  contained, 

1.  A  judgment  against  the  heathen  ; 

2.  A  consolation  to  the  church. 
1.  In  the  judgment  observe, 

1.  The  certainty  thereof:  the  day  is  set. 

2.  The  propinquity  of  it :  it  is  near. 

8.  The  extent  of  it :  to  all  the  heathen. 

4.  The  equity  of  it :  *  as  thou  hast  done.' 

5.  The  certainty  of  it :  *  they  shall  drink,'  &c. 

6.  The  duration  of  it :   '  continually.' 
In  the  comfort  note, 

1 .  He  speaketh  of  it  as  of  a  judgment  past  and  gone : 
*  as  ye  have  drunk  thereof.' 

2.  He  calleth  their  dwelling,  though  thus  punished, 
'  my  holy  mountain.' 

3.  He  revealeth  to  them  his  severe  vengeance  against 
their  enemies. 

1.  Of  the  judgment ;   2.  Of  the  certainty. 

The  Lord  hath  set  down  and  decreed  a  day  for  ven- 
geance. Threatenings  of  woe  at  large  do  move  but 
little  ;  but  when  the  punishment  is  denounced,  and  the 
day  set  for  the  execution  thereof,  this  cannot  but  pierce 
and  draw  blood.  And  being  here  called  'the  day  of 
the  Lord,'  that  is,  a  day  designed  by  the  Lord  for  this 
execution,  it  is  more  quick  and  penetrating. 

There  is  no  sin  which  is  committed  on  earth  but 


Ver.  15,  16.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


59 


God  hath  both  made  a  law  against  it,  to  forbid  the 
doing  of  it,  and  he  hath  declared  his  judgment  against 
it ;  vet  hath  he  given  us  the  light  of  his  word,  or  the 
hght  of  the  law,  which  his  finger  wrote  in  our  hearts, 
to  declare  it  to  ns ;  and  he  hath  given  us  time  also  to 
repent  and  amend  it,  and  he  is  patient  and  long-suffer- 
ing in  his  expectation  of  our  amendment.  But  where 
it  is  not  amended,  he  doth  set  down  a  day  for  the  exe- 
cution of  his  just  judgment ;  for  he  will  not,  he  cannot, 
suffer  his  truth  to  fail.  His  patience  and  mercy  will  take 
their  day  first,  and  his  justice  will  also  have  her  day. 

St  James  advertiseth  us,  chap.  i.  4,  '  Let  patience 
have  her  perfect  work.'  We  have  a  fair  example 
of  God  for  this,  for  he  will  not  let  the  work  of  his 
patience  be  unperfect ;  he  will  forbear  us  till  the  very 
day  of  his  justice  designed  for  punishment. 

Though  all  the  masters  of  assemblies,  all  the  minis- 
ters of  the  word,  be  continually  striking  at  this  nail, 
we  cannot  drive  it  into  the  head,  to  make  men  believe 
that  God  hath  set  a  day  for  punishment  of  all  our  sins. 
The  promise  of  grace  to  the  penitent  doth  so  comfort 
us  generally,  that  we  hope  we  shall  have  time  enough 
to  put  off  that  day  by  our  repentance.  And  then  again, 
we  often  take  that  for  repentance  which  is  not  it.  For 
it  is  not  enough  to  remember  our  sins  with  a  God  for- 
give me !  Repentance  is  a  putting  off  of  sin,  an  hatred 
of  it,  and  a  change  of  life  and  manners  ;  every  sorrow 
is  not  such.  But  were  it  that  this  day  were  thought 
upon  with  that  fear  and  trembling  that  is  due  to  it,  it 
would  put  sin  out  of  countenance,  and  the  sinner  out 
of  hope.  The  sinner  that  believes  not  this  doth  make 
God  a  liar,  whose  word  of  truth  hath  revealed  the  cer- 
tainty of  this  day  to  us. 

2.  It  armeth  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  against  the  soul ; 
for  who  is  he  that  liveth  without  fear,  that  will  bridle 
his  affections,  or  stop  the  swift  current  of  nature  in 
himself,  but  runneth  into  sin  as  an  horse  rusheth  into 
the  battle  ?  But  when  we  do  consider,  upon  every  sin 
that  we  commit,  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  declare 
it,  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  punish  it,  this  maketh  us 
afraid  of  our  secret  sins  for  fear  of  shame,  and  of  all 
sins  for  fear  of  punishment.  The  certainty  that  this 
day  will  come,  the  uncertainty  when  it  will  come,  is 
the  greatest  motive  to  hasten  repentance  that  may  be. 

2.  The  propinquity  :  it  is  near. 

If  our  consciences  be  convinced  of  the  certainty  of 
this  day,  and  the  judgment  thereof,  Satan's  next  allu- 
sion* is  to  flatter  us  that  it  is  afar  off,  and  shall  not 
*  Qa. '  illusion  '  ? — Ed. 


come  yet,  and  there  will  be  time  enough  to  repent  us 
of  our  sin.  If  we  tell  you  indefinitely  that  it  is  near, 
yet  you  may  hope  not  so  near  but  that  we  may  pre- 
vent it.  For  the  apostle  hath  told  his  brethren  long 
ago  of  the  last  day  :  '  The  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand,' 

1  Peter  iv.  7.  But  it  is  sixteen  hundred  years  since, 
and  where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ? 

But  let  not  that  comfort  thee  in  sin,  for  even  that 
day  is  near,  seeing  time  is  nothing  to  eternity ;  but 
thy  day,  wherein  God  shall  visit  thy  sins  with  his  judg- 
ments, may  be  much  sooner. 

If  we  had  commission  to  tell  you  It  is  but  forty  days, 
and  the  next  day  is  the  day  of  the  Lord,  as  Jonah  did, 
peradventure  it  would  warn  you  ;  but  we  have  no  com- 
mission to  say  it  is  so.  It  is  a  good  proof  that  it  is 
near,  when  none  can  promise  that  this  very  day  shall 
not  be  it. 

Yet  we  see  there  were  some  that  took  the  day  of 
their  death  near  themselves,  eras  moriemur ;  yet  they 
made  evil  use  of  it,  edamus,  bibamiis,  as  the  epicure, 
diim  vivimiis,  vivanms.  For  the  sensual  and  carnal 
man  maketh  that  evil  use  of  his  near  end,  to  Uve  more 
sensually.  Post  mortem  mdla  voliiptas.  In  every  par- 
ticular man's  case  St  Johnf  doth  admonish  us  all  well : 
'  Now  also  is  the  axe  laid  to  the  root  of  the  tree.' 

I  learn  a  parable  of  Christ.  Do  but  consider  thine 
own  field,  and  see  the  com  that  grows  upon  it,  and 
observe  if  it  be  not  white  and  ready  for  the  sickle ; 
observe  thine  own  ways  and  works,  and  see  if  they  do 
not  tell  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  cannot  be  far  off. 

There  be  that  put  this  day  far  off  from  them,  that 
is,  by  flattering  themselves  in  their  sins ;  they  make 
themselves  believe  that  they  shall  not  yet  come  to 
punishment.  Repentance  only  lengtheneth  this  day, 
and  suffereth  it  not  to  approach  to  us.  Such  an  one 
feareth  not  in  die  malo,  in  the  evil  day. 

3.  The  extent  of  this  judgment  :  '  over  all  the 
heathen ;'  meaning  here  all  those  that  have  joined 
together  in  war  against  the  Jews.     See  Jer.  xxv. 

Here  is  a  query, 

Did  not  God  stir  them  up  against  Jerusalem  ?  In 
this  prophecy  he  declareth  how  Jerusalem  was  chas- 
tened by  the  heathen ;  and  doth  not  the  holy  story  say, 

2  Kings  xxiv.  3,  '  Surely  at  the  commandment  of  the 
Lord  came  this  upon  Judah '  ? 

Judah  well  deserved   this   punishment,   and  God 
justly  inflicted  it,  and  the  heathen  were  the  rod  of 
God  wherewith  he  chastened  Judah ;  yet  this  execu- 
t  Qu.  '  John  the  Baptist '?— Ed. 


60 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  15,  16. 


tion  done  upon  Judah  by  the  heathen  was  impious  in 
them  ;  for  they  made  war  against  God's  church,  and 
sought  the  ruin  of  religion.  It  was  covetous,  they 
robbed  Jerusalem  ;  it  was  cruel,  they  delighted  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lord's  people  ;  it  was  proud,  they  insulted 
over  them. 

It  is  true  that  these  heathen  do  not  go  vrithout  God 
to  invade  Judah,  true  that  he  sent  them  to  punish  the 
transgressions  of  his  people,  true  that  they  are  the  rod 
and  sword  of  God,  for  so  David  confessed  that  God 
bade  Shimei  to  curse  him  :  2  Sam.  xvi.  16, '  The  Lord 
hath  said  unto  him.  Curse  David.' 

As  in  the  creation  God  separated  the  waters  from 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  called  the  gathering  together 
of  the  waters  seas  ;  yet  David  says  God  hath  set  them 
their  bounds,  which  they  cannot  pass,  nor  return  to 
cover  the  earth ;  yet  they  would  cover  the  earth. 
Surely  the  v/icked  are  resembled  to  the  sea  in  every 
consideration ;  the  church  may  be  compared  to  the 
dry  land.  God  holdeth  the  wicked  in,  that  they  cannot 
drown  this  dry  land ;  yet  this  they  would  do,  for  there 
is  a  natural  antipathy  in  the  heathen  to  the  church  of 
God.  When  the  church  sinneth,  God  openeth  a  gap 
and  letteth  his  sea  break  in.  He  suffereth  the  wicked 
to  scourge  the  church  when  it  defaulteth;  for  both 
their  sakes,  that  he  may  execute  his  judgment  upon 
both  ;  and  as  Augustine  saith,  Utitur  Dens  malls  bene. 

In  the  story  of  the  Judges,  we  read  how  the  con- 
cubine of  the  Levite  was  abused  to  death  in  Gibeah, 
Judges  XX.,  which  being  complained  of  to  the  rest 
of  the  tribes  by  the  Levite,  they  sent  unto  Ben- 
jamin to  deliver  up  to  them  those  men  of  Belial  that 
had  done  the  villany,  that  they  might  put  away  the 
evil  from  Israel.  But  Benjamin  would  not  hear  their 
brethren,  but  prepared  to  put  themselves  in  arms,  and 
to  go  out  to  battle  against  the  children  of  Israel :  ver. 
18, '  The  children  of  Israel  arose,  and  went  to  the  house 
of  God,  and  asked  counsel  of  God,  and  said,  Which 
of  us  shall  go  up  first  to  the  battle  against  the  children 
of  Benjamin  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  Judah  shall  go  up 
first.  They  went,  and  Benjamin  destroyed  that  day 
two  and  twenty  thousand  men.  The  children  of  Israel 
went  up  and  wept  before  the  Lord  until  even,  and 
asked  counsel  of  the  Lord,  saying.  Shall  I  go  up  in 
battle  against  the  children  of  Benjamin  my  brother  ? 
And  the  Lord  said,  Go  up  against  him.  They  did  so 
the  second  day,  and  the  children  of  Benjamin  destroyed 
of  Israel  eighteen  thousand  men.'  Here  was  nothing 
done  without  consulting  of  God ;  God  bade  them  go, 


and  yet  they  prospered  not ;  yea,  they  lost  in  all  forty 
thousand  men.  There  is  no  clear  expression  in  this 
story  to  declare  why  God  punished  Israel  with  this 
great  effusion  of  blood.  Plain  it  is  that  God's  pur- 
pose was  to  punish  Israel,  and  first  the  tribe  of  Judah ; 
but  the  text  sheweth, 

1.  That  the  cause  of  this  war  was  a  just  provoca- 
tion ;  there  was  villany  done  in  Israel. 

2.  That  the  end  of  this  war  was  godly,  for  it  was  to 
remove  evil  from  Israel. 

8.  That  they  did  nothing  herein  without  God's  ex- 
press warrant,  for  they  began  to  take  counsel  of  the 
Lord. 

Yet  before  God  would  revenge  the  fault  of  the  Ben- 
jamites  upon  them,  by  Benjamin  he  punished  the 
tribe  of  Judah  first,  and  then  the  rest  of  the  tribes, 
with  loss  of  so  many  men,  and  effusion  of  so  much 
blood.  And  I  must  tell  you  that  I  find  not  the  rea- 
son thereof  expressed.  It  may  be  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  suppressed  it,  that  we  might  rest  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  not  search  further ;  it  is  enough  for  us 
to  know  what  God  doth,  and  not  why  ;  for,  as  Augus- 
tine saith,  JiuUcta  Del  occulta  esse  possunt,  injusta  non 
possunt  esse,  God's  judgments  may  be  seci-et,  but  never 
unjust.  And  we  must  be  very  tender  how  we  call 
God  to  account  for  what  he  doth  ;  for  God  is  whatso- 
ever his  will  is,  of  which  we  must  not  seek  to  know 
more  than  is  revealed,  for  that  is  prying  into  the  ark, 
and  costeth  death ;  God  is  accountable  to  none  for 
what  he  doth.  The  third  day  he  gave  Israel  a  full 
victory  against  Benjamin ;  by  Benjamin  he  scourged 
Israel,  and  by  Israel  he  after  destroyed  Benjamin, 
and  left  of  them  but  six  hundred  men.  So  may  we 
say  of  this  example  in  my  text,  God  useth  the  heathen 
to  scourge  his  church,  and  after  destroyeth  the  heathen 
in  his  just  but  secret  judgment. 

Yet  let  me  tell  you  what  some  learned  judgments 
have  conceived  of  that  great  example  of  justice  in  that 
story  of  Israel  and  Benjamin. 

Rabbi  Levi  saith,  that  Israel  might  provoke  God  at 
first,  because  they  came  to  God  to  ask  who  should  go 
first  against  Benjamin,  and  did  trust  to  their  own 
strength,  and  did  not  beseech  God  to  give  them  vic- 
tory. Rabbi  Kimchi  saith,  it  was  because  that  Israel 
had  suffered  idolatry  in  Dan,  and  had  never  taken  the 
cause  of  God  to  heart,  to  ask  counsel  of  God  against 
them  ;  but  now,  in  a  private  injury  done  to  a  Levite, 
they  were  provoked,  and  sought  revenge.  Others  con- 
ceive that  this  was  the  cause :  they  came  too  slightly 


Yer.  13,  16] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


61 


to  God  at  first,  for  they  did  only  bluntly  inquire  who 
should  go  first  against  Benjamin  ;  not  whether  they 
should  go  or  not ;  not  inquiring  by  what  way  he  meant 
to  punish  their  brother.  But  the  second  time  they 
went  up  to  the  Lord,  they  wept  till  even,  and  then  they 
asked  counsel.  '  Shall  I  go  up  again  in  battle  against 
my  brother "?'  Yet  even  then,  being  commanded  to  go, 
they  lost  eighteen  thousand  men.  True ;  but  they 
came  not  the  second  time  with  that  preparation  which 
became  them,  that  would  fight  the  Lord's  battles,  to 
remove  evU  out  of  Isaael ;  for  the  third  day  they 
mended  all :  Yer.  26,  '  Then  all  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  all  the  people,  went  up,  and  came  unto  the  house 
of  God,  and  wept,  and  sat  there  before  the  Lord,  and 
fasted  that  day  until  even,  and  offered  burnt  offerings, 
and  peace  offerings  before  the  Lord.  Then  they  in- 
quired of  the  Lord,  for  there  was  the  ark,  and  there 
was  Phinehas,  the  son  of  Eleazar,  the  son  of  Aaron, 
standing.  And  they  said,  Shall- 1  yet  go  again  to 
battle  against  the  children  of  Benjamin  my  brother, 
or  shall  I  cease  ?'  And  then  God  promised  them  vic- 
tory. 

It  may  be  that  they  offended  in  the  two  first  days 
in  the  preparation ;  they  were  not  enough  humbled 
before  the  Lord,  or  in  the  manner  of  their  consulta- 
tion with  God. 

But  I  must  tell  you  plainly,  all  these  are  the  con- 
jectures of  some  learned  judgments  concerning  this 
question,  God  hath  left  no  account  to  us  of  his  pro- 
ceedings therein.  Neither  hath  he  done  the  like 
in  the  example  in  my  t^xt,  why  he  punisheth  all  the 
heathen  for  smiting  Jerusalem,  seeing  himself  set 
them  a-work. 

Use.  Therefore  let  not  our  prevailings  against  our 
brethren  swell  us  up  with  pride,  making  us  presume  that 
we  have  God  our  friend,  because  we  have  had  the  j 
upper  hand  of  our  enemies,  for  God  may  punish  our  i 
brethren,  and  make  us  his  rod  to  whip  others,  and  he   \ 
may  btirn  the  rod  when  he  hath  done  with  it.     This 
is  one  of  God's  strange  works  that  he    doth  upon 
earth;   he   foretelleth  one  of  them  by  his  prophet  j 
Habakkuk,  and  saith,  Hab.  i.  5-12,  '  Behold  ye  among 
the  heathen,  and  wonder  marvellously  :  for  I  will  work 
a  work  in  your  days,   which  you  will    not   believe 
though  it  be  told  yon,'    And  what  is  that  ?    '  For,  lo, 
I  raise  up  the  Chaldeans,  that  bitter  and  hasty  nation, 
which  shall  march  through  the  breadth  of  the  land, 
to  possess   the  dwelling-places  that  are  not  theirs. 
They  are  terrible  and  dreadful :  their  judgment  and 


their  dignity  shall  proceed  of  themselves.  Their 
horses  also  are  swifter  than  the  leopards,  and  are 
more  fierce  than  the  evening  wolves,'  &c.  These 
are  sent  of  God ;  and  they  prevail,  and  when  they 
have  done,  they  thank  their  own  God  for  the  victory. 
But  the  church  is  comforted  against  them.  *  0  Lord, 
thou  hast  ordained  them  for  judgment,  thou  hast  estab- 
lished them  for  correction.'  Therefore  the  example 
of  Israel  having  overcome  Benjamin  in  the  former 
story  is  excellent ;  for  when  they  had  conquered  their 
brother,  they  did  not  say  in  triumph,  "We  have  prevailed, 
nor  bragged  of  their  victory  ;  but  the  people,  having 
fulfilled  the  will  of  God  in  that  war,  '  came  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  abode  there  till  even  before  God, 
and  lift  up  their  voices  and  wept  sore,'  Judges  xxi.  2. 
They  were  sorry  that  God  had  used  their  sword  and 
arm  to  their  brother. 

4.  The  equity  of  this  judgment.  Yer.  15,  '  As  thou 
hast  done,  it  shall  be  done  to  thee  :  thy  reward  shall 
return  upon  thine  own  head.'  The  law  of  nature 
written  in  our  hearts  is,  '  Do  as  thou  wouldst  be  done 
to.'  For  Aristotle's  abrasa  tabula  is'not  true  divinity. 
Seeing  the  heathen  will  not  do  this,  the  justice  of  God 
putteth  it  upon  them.  They  shall  be  done  to  as  they 
do.     Of  this  point  see  before. 

5.  The  contents  of  this  judgment.  '  They  shall 
drink ;  yea,  they  shall  drink  and  swallow  down,  and 
they  shall  be  as  though  they  had  not  been.'  The  old 
heathen  had  a  fashion  of  capital  punishment  by  death, 
to  give  the  offender  a  potion  of  poison  to  drink.  The 
prophet  here  speaketh  of  the  punishment  of  Edom 
and  the  heathen  in  that  very  phrase,  alluding  to  that 
of  David  :  Ps.  xi.  6,  *  Upon  the  wicked  he  shall  rain 
snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  an  horrible  tempest ; ' 
that  shall  be  the  portion  of  their  cup.' 

And,  Ps.  liiu.  8,  *  Thou  hast  shewed  thy  people 
hard  things  :  thou  hast  made  us  to  drink  of  the  wine  of 
astonishment,'  This  is  the  cup  that  David  speaketh 
of,  Ps.  Ixxv.  8,  '  For  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  there  is 
a  cup,  and  the  wine  is  red :  it  is  fuU  of  mixture,  and 
he  poureth  out  of  the  same;  but  the  dregs  thereof 
all  the  vncked  of  the  earth  shall  wring  them  out,  and 
drink  them.' 

Wine  immoderately  drunken  doth  set  the  body  on 
fiire ;  it  infatuateth  the  brain,  it  mak-ith  the  parts  of 
the  body  useless,  that  neither  head,  ner  hand,  nor 
foot  can  do  their  several  offices. 

Drunkenness  is  such  a  disabling  to  man,  'Ihat  God 
hath  chosen  to  express  the  severity  of  his  wrath  in  the 


62 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  15,  16. 


similitude  of  drunkenness  ;  and  the  propliet  Jeremiah 
hath  used  the  very  phrases  thereof  upon  Hke  occasion  : 
chap.  XXV.  15,  '  Take  the  wine  of  this  cup  of  my  fury 
at  my  hand,  and  cause  all  the  nations  to^  whom  I  send 
thee,  to  drink  it.  And  they  shall  drink,  and  be  moved, 
and  be  mad.'  Yet  more  fully,  ver.  27,  'Drink  ye, 
and  be  drunken,  and  spue,  and  fall,  and  rise  no  more.' 

Let  drunkards  behold  themselves  in  this  glass,  and 
see  how  loathsome  and  dangerous  a  sin  they  sin. 
Every  cup  they  drink  immoderately  is  a  cup  of  God's 
wrath  ;  every  health  they  drink  drunkenly  is  a  disease 
even  unto  death.  Drunkenness  maketh  men  the  em- 
blems of  God's  indignation,  the  very  images  and  pic- 
tures of  divine  vengeance.  In  this  phrase  God  often 
in  Scripture  doth  express  his  judgment,  and  his  fury 
and  vengeance  against  evil  doers.  Therefore,  '  be 
not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein  is  excess.'  '  I  be- 
seech you,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  you 
would  do  no  more  so.'  If  any  of  you  have  by  occa- 
sion been  overtaken  with  that  epidemical  and  popular 
fault,  do  no  more  so  wickedly,  sin  not  against  your 
own  bodies.  Morbus  est ;  it  is  a  disease.  Sin  not 
a»ainst  your  good  name  ;  it  is  a  foul  blemish  to 
be  called  a  drunkard  ;  they  that  are  so  are  very  impa- 
tient of  that  name.  Sin  not  against  God's  creatures  ; 
they  were  given  us  for  use  and  service  ;  not  that  we, 
abusing  them,  should  become  servants  to  them,  and 
be  overcome  of  them.  Sin  not  against  your  brethren 
by  evil  example,  or  by  tempting  them  to  this  sin. 
Above  all,  '  God  forbid  that  you  should  do  this  great 
•wickedness,  and  so  sin  against  your  God.'  You  see  he 
can  and  will  set  you  a- drinking  off  his  cup,  and  he 
will  make  you  doff  it,  as  you  call  it ;  and  do  him  right 
to  drink  all,  even  to  the  bottom,  till  you  fall  and  rise 
no  more,  till,  as  my  text  saith,  '  you  be  as  though  you 
had  not  been.' 

The  phrase  of  my  text  hath  carried  me  thus  far  out 
of  my  way,  but  I  must  do  so,  if  I  will  meet  with 
drunkards,  for  they  are  so  brain-crazed,  that  they  can- 
not keep  the  right  way. 

I  return  to  the  contents  of  this  judgment,  thus  ex- 
pressed in  the  phrase  of  drinking.  *  These  nations 
have  filled  the  cup  of  affliction  full  for  Jerusalem,  and 
Jerusalem  hath  drunk  deep  thereof;  now  God  will 
change  the  object  of  his  fury,  he  will  take  away  his 
cnp  from  the  church,  and  he  will  give  it  to  her  ene- 
mies,' as  Isaiah  hath  sweetly  and  fully  declared  it,  to 
the  great  grief  of  the  nations,  the  great  joy  of  the 
church.     *  Hear,  thou  afficted  and  drunken,  but  not 


with  wine.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  and  thy  God  that 
pleadeth  the  cause  of  his  people :  Behold,  I  have 
taken  out  of  thy  hand  the  cup  of  trembling,  the  dregs 
of  the  cup  of  my  fury ;  thou  shalt  no  more  drink  it 
again.  But  I  will  put  it  into  the  hand  of  them 
that  afflict  thee,  which  have  said  to  thy  soul,  Bow 
down  that  we  may  go  over,  and  thou  hast  laid  thy 
body  as  the  ground,  and  as  the  street  to  them  that 
went  over.'  This  calleth  to  my  remembrance  the  word 
of,the  apostle  St  Peter  :  2  Peter  iv.  17,  '  For  the  time 
is  come  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of 
God  ;  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be 
of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God  ?'  When 
God  sent  destroyers  into  Jerusalem,  their  commission 
was,  Ezek.  ix.  6,  '  Slay  utterly  old  and  young,  both 
maids,  and  little  children,  and  women.'  It  followeth, 
*  And  begin  at  my  sanctuary.' 

The  first  cruelty  that  was  executed  on  earth,  that 
is  upon  record,  was  upon  just  Abel,  and  the  first  death 
we  read  of  was  a  violent  death.  The  first  that  suf- 
fered in  Sodom  any  notable  affliction  was  righteous 
Lot.  For,  2  Peter  ii.  1 ,  *  he  lived  in  much  tribula- 
tion, vexed  with  the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked. 
For  that  righteous  man  dwelling  among  them,  in 
seeing  and  hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  soul  from  day 
to  day  with  their  unlawful  deeds.' 

After  that  cruel  execution  done  upon  our  Saviour 
Christ  by  the  Jews  and  Romans,  God  sent  his  judg- 
ments abroad  into  the  world,  but  he  began  at  his  own 
sanctuary.  The  first  that  suffered  was  Stephen,  then 
James  the  brother  of  John  ;  the  apostles  all  but  one 
suffered  martyrdom.  The  church  lived  in  persecu- 
tion, then  God  punished  the  Jews  by  the  Romans, 
and  after  that  the  Romans  lost  their  monarchy. 

The  difference  of  their  drinking  was, 

1.  The  church  drinketh  first,  and  tasteth  of  the  cup 
of  wrath,  as  Christ  said  to  the  sons  of  Zebedee  :  *  Ye 
shall  drink  of  the  cup  whereof  I  drink,  and  be  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  withal/ 
They  drink  some  of  the  uppennost  of  the  cup. 

2.  God  punished  them  for  a  time,  but  he  took  not 
his  mercy  utterly  from  them. 

The  church  have  an  end  of  their  afflictions  ;  but  tho 
next  point  declareth  the  severity  of  God  against  the 
enemy  nations. 

6.  The  duration,  *  continually.'  This  sometimes 
holdeth  in  temporal  afflictions ;  if  God's  curse  be  upon 
Canaan,  Israel  shall  have  their  land,  and  they  shall 
have  charge  to  root  them  out,  and  to  destroy  them 


Yer  15,  16  ] 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


6a 


utterly.  God  remembereth  what  Amalek  did  to  Is- 
rael :  '  The  Lord  hath  sworn,  that  he  will  have  war 
with  Amalek  from  generation  to  generation.'  '  The 
face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil,  to  cut  off 
the  remembrance  of  them  from  the  earth.'  These 
carry  their  destruction  about  them  :  *  for  evil  shall 
slay  the  wicked,'  malum  culpa;;  the  evil  of  sin  that 
infecteth  them  shall  be  malum  pana,  to  punish  and 
torment  them. 

The  reason  hereof  is,  for  where  God  once  hateth, 
he  ever  hateth.  Hehathonce  said,  'I  have  hated  Esau.' 
Let  the  blessing  of  his  father  feed  him  with  the  fat  of 
the  earth,  let  his  habitation  be  in  the  rock,  let  his 
neighbour  nations  make  leagues  and  confederation 
with  him,  let  him  have  all  the  purchase  of  his  sword 
for  a  time,  '  the  rigbt  hand  of  God  shall  find  him  oat,' 
and  not  leave  smiting  him  till  he  be  utterly  destroyed  ; 
so  he  is  threatened  before. 

His  very  hidden  things  shall  be  sought  out ;  the 
decrees  of  God  be  like  himself,  '  without  variableness 
or  shadow  of  change.' 

God  hath  ever  given  great  way  to  the  intercessions 
of  his  saints ;  they  have  so  far  prevailed,  that  Abra- 
ham, praying  for  Sodom,  gave  over  asking  before  God 
gave  over  yielding  to  his  petition. 

God  hath  shewed  much  favour  to  evil  places  for  some 
few  righteous  persons'  sakes  that  have  been  there. 

But  when  he  cometh  to  execute  judgment  once  upon 
a  place,  he  saith  three  times  in  one  chapter,  Ezek. 
xiv.,  '  Though  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job  were  in  that 
place,  they  should  deliver  but  their  own  souls  by  their 
righteousness,  but  they  should  deliver  neither  son  nor 
daughter.'  Therefore,  the  word  of  God  is  not  sent  in 
the  ministry  of  his  servants  to  convert  reprobates  ; 
that  cannot  be,  they  cannot  be  converted  ;  and  if  God 
had  revealed  to  us  whom  he  hateth,  we  might  save  a 
labour  of  preaching  to  them  in  hope  of  their  conver- 
sion. "  But  the  use  of  preaching  and  prayer  is,  for 
such  as  are  already  in  the  church,  to  '  conlirm  the 
brethren,'  and  to  build  them  np  ;  further,  for  those 
sheep  which  are  without,  to  bring  them  td  the  fold  ; 
for  Christ  saith,  he  hath  '  other  sheep  which  are  not 
yet  of  his  fold,'  and  them  he  must  bring  to  it. 

And  when  you  read  of  so  many  '  added  to  the 
church,'  it  was  not  out  of  the  number  of  reprobates, 
but  out  of  the  number  of  God's  chosen  who  were  be- 
fore uncalled.  This  is  a  secret  which  God  concealeth 
within  the  closet  of  his  own  wisdom.  '  The  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his.' 


Let  the  elect  of  God  rest  in  this  :  if  the  wicked  of 
the  earth,  that  live  in  all  kind  of  ungodliness,  be  in  the 
decree  of  his  election,  they  cannot  miscarry,  though 
they  hold  out  as  the  thief  did,  till  they  come  to  the 
cross  to  die.  Therefore,  let  us  despair  of  no  man's 
salvation  amongst  us. 

But  if  the  decree  of  God's  hatred  be  settled  upon 
them,  there  is  no  hope  ;  for  Christ,  the  remedy  of 
sin,  undertuketh  for  no  more  than  the  Father  hath 
given  to  him.  These,  howsoever  they  prosper  on  earth 
in  things  temporal,  they  have  drank  a  draught  of 
deadly  wine,  that  ever  riseth  up  in  them,  and  up- 
braideth  them,  for  God  hath  spoken  it.  XuUa  pax 
impio,  there  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked  ;  but  he  is 
like  the  raging  of  the  unquiet  sea,  ever  foaming  out 
noire  and  dirt,  for  a  reprobate  man  dare  not  trust  God. 

2.  But  if  we  come  to  the  after-reckoning  in  the  day 
of  judgment,  there  can  be  no  end  of  the  woe  of  them 
whom  God  hateth ;  their  worm  of  conscience  never 
dieth,  their  fire  of  torment  never  is  quenched.  There 
have  been  some,  whom  St  Augustine  doth  call  Diiseri- 
conles  illoi,^  that  have  believed  and  affirmed, — 

1.  Some  of  them  that  the  damned  devils,  and  all 
after  some  long  time  of  sharp  punishment,  shall  be  re- 
ceived into  favour ;  these  make  hell  but  a  purgatory. 

2.  Others  say.f  True,  that  they  shall  be  damned 
to  everlasting  pains  :  but  donabit  eas  Deus  pncibus 
et-intercessionibus  sanctorum  suorum. 

The  illusion  that  deceiveth  them  is  this  :  'Son  cre- 
dendiim  est  tunc  amissuros  sanctos  viscera  misercordia, 
cum  fuerint  plenissimcc  ac  perfectissima  sanctitatis  :  ut 
qui  tunc  orabant  pro  inimicis,  quando  ipsi  sine  peccuto 
non  erant,  tunc  non  orent  pro  supplicilus  suis,  quando 
nullum  C(pperint  habere  peccatum.  And  supposincr  that 
the  saints  will  pray  to  God  for  them,  he  inferreth. 
An  rero  Deus  tunc  eos  non  exaudiei,  tot  et  tales  filios 
suos,  quando  in  ianta  eorum  sanctitate,  nullum  inveniet 
orationis  impedimentum  ? 

This  is  further  urged  :  for  when  we  say  the  Scrip- 
ture doth  tell  us  that  God  will  everlastingly  punish 
the  wicked ;  and  David  saith,  '  He  will  not  suffer  his 
truth  to  fail  ;'  they  answer,  that  all  those  threatenincrs 
of  Scripture  are  to  be  understood  in  veritate  severitatis, 
in  respect  of  the  evil  desert  of  the  wicked,  but  not  in 
veritate  nmerationis,  for  that  must  at  last  have  honour 
above  all  his  works. 

Further,  they  plead  :  God  hath  never  more  plainly 
and  positively  declared  his  will  concerning  the  eternal 
*    De  Civ.  xsi.  17.  f  Cap.  xviii. 


64 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  15,  16. 


destruction  of  the  reprobate,  than  he  did  by  his  pro- 
phet Jonah  declare  the  destruction  of  Nineveh.  It  is 
but  forty  days,  and  without  any  condition,  Ninive  de- 
strueter.  Except  we  allow  mental  reservation,  men- 
dacern  nonpossumus  dicere  Deum,  et  tamen  non  factum 
est.  The  truth  was  in  this,  pronunciavit  eos  dignos 
h(BC  pati.  Their  inference"  is,  Si  tunc  pepercit  eis  Deus 
quando  prophetam  suum  contristaturus  erat  parcendo  ; 
quanta  magis  tunc  parcet  miserabilius  supplicantibus, 
quando,  ut  parcat  omnes  sancti  ejus  orabunt  ?  They 
add  the  saying  of  the  apostle,  '  God  hath  concluded 
all  under  sin,  that  he  might  shew  mercy  unto  all." 

To  the  first,  and  therein  to  both,  St  Augustine  doth 
fully  answer,*  that  if  we  deny  everlasting  death,  we 
may  as  well  deny  life  everlasting  ;  for  we  have  the 
same  ground  for  both,  the  same  direct  word  of  God. 
Aut  utrumque  cum  fine  diuturnum,  aut  utrumque  sine 
fine  perpetuum. 

To  the  second,  he  denieth  that  which  is  presumed, 
that  the  saints  will  pray  for  the  damned.  Here  we 
pray  for  all,  because  we  know  not  who  be  elect,  who 
be  reprobate.  But  when  God  hath  revealed  his  will 
concerning  these,  cessat  oratio,  praying  ceaseth,  and 
the  voice  of  the  elect  is,^  Fiat  voluntas  tua,  thy  will  be 
done.  Yea,  *  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  then  ; 
and  those  bowels  of  human  commiseration  which  they 
bad  on  earth  are  put  off;  they  now  hate  where  God 
hateth,  and  judge  where  God  judgeth,  and  rejoice 
against  them  whom  God  condemneth. 

And  for  the  example  of  Nineveh,  his  answer  is  full 
and  sappy.  Evertuntur  peccatores  duobus  modis. 
1.  Sicut  Sodomitce,  ut  pro  peccatis  suis  homines  puni- 
antur.  2.  Sicut  Ninivita,  ut  ipsa  horum  peccata 
pcBuitendo  destruantur;  there  was  the  mistake  of  Jonah, 
for  that  was  the  city  which  God  threatened  and  de- 
stroyed. Eversa  est  Ninive  qua  mala  erat,  et  bona 
(Bdificata  est,  qua  non  erat.  Stantibus  mcenibus,  per- 
ditui  moribm. 

To  the  last  argument,  from  the  words  of  the  apostle, 
*  He  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  he  might  have 
mercy  on  all.'  He  bids  them  there  read  the  whole 
text;  they  shall  there  see  quos  omnes  intelligit,  nempe 
eos  omnes  de  quibus  loquebatur,  that  is,  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  not  comprehending  the  whole  of  both,  but 
only  vasa  misericordicc,  in  both  the  vessels  of  mercy; 
and  the  very  course  of  the  text  cleareth  it  to  be  so 
meant. 

Therefore  the  revealed  will  of  God  hath  settled  this 
*  Cap.  xxiii. 


perpetuity  of  woe  upon  the  ungodly :  '  They  shall 
drink,  and  they  shall  drink  continually.' 

The  justice  of  this  proceeding  against  the  ungodly 
is  taken  from  the  merit  of  sin,  which,  being  committed 
against  an  infinite  majesty,  must  needs  be  also  infinite. 
Now,  the  person  guilty  being  finite,  cannot  bear  a  pun- 
ishment infinite  in  the  weight  of  it,  and  therefore  it 
must  be  infinite  in  durance,  to  eternity. 

Again,  the  hater*  of  God  repayeth  vengeance  which 
is  deserved,  at  least  with  the  same  measure  wherewith 
his  love  giveth  rewards  undeserved  ;  but  the  love  of 
God  giveth  eternal  life,  therefore  the  hatred  of  God 
cannot  give  less  than  eternal  death.  This  sheweth 
you  the  reason  of  those  earnest  exhortations,  '  to 
work  out  your  salvation,'  to  '  make  your  calling  and 
election  sure.'  He  meaneth  in  your  own  faith,  for  so 
long  as  a  man  liveth  in  fear  of  this  eternal  judgment, 
and  seeth  no  way  to  escape  it,  his  soul  is  among  lions, 
even  the  roaring  lion  and  all  his  whelps ;  it  is  in  the 
keeping  of  the  spirit  of  bondage.  His  sins  lie  so  heavy 
upon  him  that  he  cannot  look  up. 

2.  The  comfort  implied  and  expressed. 

1.  He  speaketh  of  the  judgment  on  Israel  as  already 
past  and  over :  '  As  ye  have  drunk.' 

2.  He  calleth  Jerusalem,  though  thus  wasted  and 
made  desolate,  *  my  holy  mountain.' 

3.  He  graciously  revealeth  to  his  church  his  just 
revenge  upon  his  enemies. 

1.  ^5  ye  have  drunk;  that  is,  whenas  ye  have  drunk 
of  this  cup  of  affliction,  then  God  shall  take  it  from 
you  ;  which  doth  yield  this  comfortable  doctrine. 

Doct.  That  though  the  church  of  God  do  live  for 
a  time  under  the  cross,  God  will  not  leave  it  so  for 
ever. 

Afflictions  are  some  part  of  that  physic  which  God 
doth  minister  to  his  church,  to  heal  the  sores  and  dis- 
eases thereof. 

Timerias  in  Plutarch,  seeing  the  people  very  dis- 
orderly, avTOi  e/So'a  rov  dtjfiov  avorofMov  ^Piiavt^iiv  idrgou, 
^  fj^iyaXw  xada^fiou.  But  physic  is  not  given  perpe- 
tually ;  it  ceaseth  when  the  disease  is  removed.  God 
knoweth  the  use  of  the  rod  to  be  necessary  for  a  time  ; 
so  the  church  confesseth  :  Isa.  xxvi.  9,  '  For  when  thy 
judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world 
will  learn  righteousness.'  When  they  have  taken  out 
that  lesson,  God  ceaseth  to  afflict. 

God  is  sharp  in  these  visitations.     Job  hath  not 
leisure  to  swallow  his  spittle.  Job  vii.  19. 
*   Qu.  '  hatred '  ?— Ed. 


Ver.  15,  IC] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


65 


Yet  he  endaretli  but  a  while  in  his  anger  :  Ps.  xxx.  5, 
'  Weeping  may  abide  for  the  evening,  but  joy  cometh 
in  the  morning.'  '  For  a  little  time  have  I  forsaken 
thee,  but  with  great  compassion  will  I  gather  thee  :  for 
a  moment  in  mine  anger  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for 
a  little  season,  but  with  everlasting  mercy  have  I  com- 
passion on  thee.' 

1.  The  cause  of  God's  favour  eftsoons  shining  on 
the  church  after  affliction  is  to  let  them  see  that  his 
quarrel  is  not  to  the  persons,  but  the  sins,  of  men  ; 
for  no  sooner  do  men  repent  of  their  sins,  but  God  also 
repenteth  of  his  judgments.  He  is  a  father,  and  a 
tender  father  doth  not  love  the  smart,  but  seeketh  the 
amendment  of  his  son  ;  and  God  himself,  in  the  smiting 
of  his  church,  is  first  weary,  and  he  complains  first : 
'  Why  should  you  be  stricken  any  more  ?  Ye  will  re- 
volt more  and  more  ;  the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the 
whole  heart  faint.  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  to 
the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it,  but  wounds,  and 
braises,  and  putrefj'ing  sores,'  &c.  Thus  God  suftereth 
in  the  passions  of  his  children,  and  all  our  stripes  ache 
upon  him.  Yet  he  is  a  God  that  loveth  not  iniquity, 
and  therefore  when  he  laid  upon  his  dearly  beloved 
Son  the  iniquity  of  us  all,  the  apostle  said,  '  He  spared 
not  his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  unto  death.' 

2.  He  will  not  suifer  his  church  to  live  always  for- 
saken under  the  cross,  in  respect  of  his  servants,  and 
that  for  four  reasons. 

(1.)  Afflictions  do  work  upon  them  so  that  it  breedeth 
in  them  contrition  and  sorrow  for  their  sin  ;  and  '  a 
broken  and  contrite  spirit  God  cannot  refuse.'  He 
will  not  discourage  the  contrite  and  sorrowful,  but  will 
have  them  to  know  that  their  groanings  and  sighs 
come  up  even  into  his  ears  :  '  He  putteth  all  their 
tears  in  his  bottle.' 

(2.)  Afflictions  do  turn  the  children  of  God  into 
prayers  and  supplications,  and  he  will  not  neglect 
them  that  pray  to  him,  that  they  may  see  the  power 
and  virtue  of  prayer,  that  upon  all  occasions  they  may 
prostrate  their  hearts  before  God  in  prayer. 

God  hath  said  of  the  just  man,  Ps.  xci.  15,  '  He 
shall  call  upon  me  in  trouble,  and  I  will  hear  him  ; 
yea,  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble,  I  will  deliver  him 
and  glorify  him.'  Hosea  v.  15,  '  In  their  affliction  they 
shall  seek  me  diligently.'  In  the  house  of  bondage 
he  heard  Israel :  Exod.  iii.  7,  *  Then  the  Lord  said,  I 
have  surely  seen  the  trouble  of  my  people  which  are 
in  Egypt,  and  have  heard  their  cry.'  St  James  saitb, 
*  If  any  man  among  you  be  afflicted,  let  him  pray.'     If 


that  were  not  our  comfort  when  all  remedies  fail  us, 
we  were  most  unhappy,  for  we  can  never  be  shut  up 
80  but  we  may  send  our  prayers  from  us  to  heaven, 
to  plead  our  cause  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 

(3.)  Sharp  afflictions  may  be  a  strong  temptation  to 
make  the  children  of  God  doubt  of  the  love  of  God. 
It  was  not  lawful  for  them  in  the  judicial  law  to  be 
immoderate  in  correction. 

A  trespasser  might  have  forty  stripes  given  him,  but 
not  more,  lest  if  he  should  exceed  and  beat  him  above 
these  with  many  stripes,  then  thy  brother  should  seem 
vile  unto  thee.  Dent.  xxv.  3.  God  will  not  overdo  in 
his  chastenings  of  his  church,  to  prevent  this  danger, 
lest  his  servant  should  think  himseii  lost  in  the  favour 
of  God,  We  see  how  David  was  put  to  it  in  this  kind. 
When  his  sore  ran  and  ceased  not,  his  soul  refused 
comfort ;  yea,  once  he  complained,  '  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  *? '  yea,  he  '  thought  upon 
God  and  was  troubled.'  Therefore,  God  doth  carry 
a  favourable  hand  in  his  afflictions,  to  prevent  the 
despair  of  his  children,  for  he  knoweth  whereof  we  be 
made. 

(4.)  Sharp  afflictions  may  be  an  occasion  to  harden 
the  heart  of  man,  and  make  him  fall  away  from  God  to 
sin  ;  and  that  reason  is  given  by  the  holy  psalmist : 
Ps.  cxxv.  2,  '  For  the  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest 
upon  the  lot  of  the  righteous,  lest  the  righteous  put 
forth  their  hands  to  iniquity.' 

Indeed,  some  that  have  been  well  taught,  and  do 
understand  well,  and  have  hved  in  some  measure  of 
good  life,  and  walked  conscionably,  when  God  hath 
tried  them  with  wants,  have  fallen  into  snares,  and 
embraced  temptations. 

Magnum  paiiperies  opprobrium,  jubet  quid  vis  et  facere, 
et  pati,  I'irtutiiqtie  viam  deserit  ardute.  Shifts,  frauds, 
secret  stealths,  borrowings  without  means  or  hope  of 
repayment,  &c. 

The  wise  son  of  Jakeh  prayed  to  God,  Prov.  xxx.  9, 
*  Give  me  no  poverty,  lest  I  be  poor  and  steal,  and  lake 
the  name  of  my  God  in  vain.'  Extremity  of  pain  and 
sickness  and  soreness  is  a  great  temptation  ;  two  great 
hghts  in  the  church  of  God  were  eclipsed  by  it :  Job,  the 
example  of  patience,  fell  into  bitter  cm-sings  of  the  day 
of  his  birth  ;  so  did  holy  Jeremiah,  the  Lord's  prophet. 
In  these  respects  God  is  tender,  and  suffereth  not  his 
chosen  to  be  tempted  above  their  strength,  but  doth 
give  issue  to  their  temptations.  Yet  sometimes  he 
sufiiereth  his  elect  to  see  their  own  weakness  by  some 
fall,  that  when  he  putteth  to  his  helping  hand  they 

E 


66 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver,  15,16. 


may  be  more  wary  to  keep  a  better  watch  upon  their 
hearts. 

3.  God  doth  not  suffer  his  church  to  be  forsaken 
in  afflictions,  lest  the  enemies  thereof  should  too  much 
insult  over  them.  It  is  David's  suit  to  God,  '  Let 
them  not  say,  We  have  prevailed.'  When  Saul  and 
Jonathan  were  dead,  David  lamented  them  with  great 
lamentation :  2  Sam.  i.  19,  20,  '  The  beauty  of  Israel 
is  slain  upon  the  high  places  ;  how  are  the  mighty 
fallen  !  Tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  the  sti'eets 
of  Askelon,  lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  re- 
joice, lest  the  daughters  of  the  uncircumcised  triumph.' 
For  this  addeth  to  the  ungodliness  of  the  wicked ;  they 
grow  proud  upon  it.  '  Let  not  their  wicked  imagina- 
tion prosper,  lest  they  grow  too  proud.' 

4,  The  afflictions  of  the  church,  when  they  do  grow 
sharp  and  smarting,  cause  the  ungodly  of  the  earth  to 
blaspheme  the  name  of  God.  It  is  not  for  nothing 
that  David  doth  pray  so  earnestly,  Ps.  cxliii.  11, 
'  Quicken  me,  0  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake ;  for  thy 
righteousness'  sake,  bring  my  soul  out  of  trouble.' 

The  ungodly  Jews  and  Eomans,  standing  by  the 
cross  of  Christ,  did  speak  contemptibly  of  God,  and 
took  his  name  in  vain,  in  derision  of  his  Son.  It  is  the 
manner  of  the  ungodly  to  blaspheme,  if  once  they  pre- 
vail against  the  church  ;  then  the  God  they  serve  is 
thought  unable  to  protect  them,  and  the  religion  they 
profess  is  scandalised  for  untruth. 

These  be  great  reasons  why  God  doth  not  forsake 
his  church  in  affliction,  but  giveth  them  a  heavenly 
issue  out  of  them. 

This  point  teacheth  its  own  use,  for  it  serveth  both  to, 

1,  Inform  ;  2,  convince  ;  3,  exhort ;  4,  rebuke. 

1.  Information.  This  is  a  sure  and  infallible  rule, 
that  whom  God  once  loveth  he  ever  loveth ;  as  he  saith, 
'  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee,'  *  for  the 
gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance.'  His 
love  is  himself,  and  '  he  cannot  deny  himself.'  He  hath 
g!ven  us  to  his  Son;  and  '  of  them  thou  hast  given  me,' 
saith  he,  *  I  have  lost  none,'  and  *  no  man  can  take 
them  out  of  my  hand.'  Rom.  viii.  85,  *  What  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  ?' 
He  nameth  the  greatest  miseries  of  life  :  '  Shall  tribu- 
lation, or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  naked- 
ness, or  peril,  or  sword  ?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we 
are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.* 

The  love  of  God  to  his  church  is  a  banner  over  it, 
Cant.  ii.  4. 

2.  Conviction.     This  doctrine  convinceth  the  hea- 


then, who  deny  that  there  is  any  providence,  because 
the  best  men  drink  deepest  of  the  cup  of  affliction, 
which  maketh  the  profane  say,  '  It  is  in  vain  to  serve 
God  ;  and  what  profit  is  it  that  we  have  kept  his  ordi- 
nance, and  that  we  have  walked  mournfully  before  the 
Lord  of  hosts  ?  Mai.  iii.  14.  True,  that  they  who 
make  conscience  of  their  ways  are  despised,  their  soul 
is  filled  with  the  scorn  of  the  proud. 

Ver  15,  True,  that  'they  that  work  wickedness  are 
set  up,  and  they  that  tempt  God  are  delivered.;'  but 
the  elect  say,  *  For  thy  sake  we  arc  killed  all  the  day 
long.'  Yet  the  comfort  that  the  just  have  in  their 
affliction  doth  assure  that  *  verily  there  is  a  reward  for 
the  righteous,  doubtless  there  is  a  God  that  judgeth 
the  earth.'  And  though  for  a  time  the  wicked  insult 
over  the  just,  the  day  will  come  when  they  shall  see 
their  ruin. 

3.  Exhortation.  This  doth  admonish  us  to  trust  in 
the  Lord,  for  he  never  faileth  them  that  put  their  trust 
in  him.  Trust  is  best  expressed  in  a  storm,  when  the 
waves  rage  horribly,  when  the  sorrows  of  death  com- 
pass, and  the  floods  go  over  our  soul.  In  fair  weather, 
when  health,  and  youth,  and  plenty,  and  power,  and 
pleasure,  make  a  calm  in  our  life,  and  we  have  the 
desire  of  our  hearts,  it  is  no  trial  of  us  to  say,  '  Surely 
God  is  good  to  Israel.'  But  in  the  furnace  seven  times 
heated,  in  the  den  of  lions,  in  the  belly  of  the  whale, 
in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  they  that  then 
trust  in  the  Lord,  they  declare  their  faith  more  than 
victorious.  In  sickness,  and  smart,  and  pains  of  the 
body,  in  want  and  misery,  those  that  then  say  to  God, 
Thou  art  my  rock  and  my  fortress,  my  stronghold,  and 
the  God  of  my  salvation :  though  thou  kill  me  I  will 
trust  in  thee, — these  are  more  than  conquerors  by 
faith,  for  they  do  not  only  conquer  fear  and  all  the 
temptations  to  despair,  but  they  do  advance  instead 
thereof  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  rejoicing  in  tribulations, 
and  giving  thanks  to  God  for  all  their  sorrows. 

(2.)  This  teacheth  us  patience,  for  'tribulation 
bringeth  forth  patience,'  and  patience  must  have  a  per- 
fect work  to  hold  out  to  the  end.  '  By  our  patience  we 
possess  our  souls,'  for  the  impatient  man  is  not  his  own 
man.  Impatience  is  like  drunkenness ;  it  so  staggereth 
our  reason  and  drowneth  our  understanding  in  the  de- 
luge of  passion  and  perturbation,  that  our  tongue 
speaketh,  our  heart  thinketh,  our  hand  worketh  things 
that  in  the  next  calm  we  have  cause  to  repent. 

(3.)  Affliction  is  cos  orationis,  the  whetstone  of 
prayer,  it  turneth  us^all  into  prayer,  as  I  have  taught, 


Ver.  15,  16.] 


ilARBURY  ON  GBADIAH. 


67 


and  maketh  us  call  upon  him  who  is  Deus  liberator, 
God  our  deliverer. 

(4.)  Affliction  is  cos  obedientice,  the  whetstone  of 
obedience  ;  so  *  now  I  keep  thy  commandments,'  saith 
David,  quia  bonum  est  me  affligi,  because  it  is  good 
for  me  to  have  been  afflicted  ;  I  have  gotten  that  good 
by  it. 

(5.)  It  teacheth  us  commiseration  of  the  sorrows 
of  our  brethren,  and  filleth  us  with  comforts,  where- 
with we  comfort  them,  according  as  we  have  received 
comfort  ourselves  in  our  sorrows.  So,  when  we  visit 
one  another  in  sickness,  if  we  have  had  either  some 
other  or  some  like  pains  ourselves,  we  tell  them  how 
we  found  ease ;  so  the  apostle  saith,  2  Cor.  i.  2-5, 
'  Blessed  be  God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  mercy,  and  God  of  comfort, 
who  comforteth  us  in  all  tribulations,  that  we  may  be 
able  to  comfort  them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the 
comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of  God.' 
For  as  the  sufferings  of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our 
consolation  also  aboundeth  by  Christ. 

4.  Rebuke.  This  doctrine  chideth  those  that  can 
receive  good  at  the  hands  of  God,  and  not  evil ;  who 
upon  every  affliction  fall  out  with  God,  and  murmur 
at  his  visitations,  and  doubt  of  his  favour,  as  if  tem- 
poral ease  and  prosperity  were  the  measure  of  his 
love. 

There  is  a  root  of  bitterness  in  us,  and  the  best  of 
God's  saints  have  declared  themselves  to  be  but  men 
in  this  trial.  Afflictions  are  too  strong  for  us ;  we 
cannot  well  endure  pain,  we  cry  to  our  chirurgeon, 
ToUe  quia  urit,  take  it  away,  it  paineth  me,  the  plaster 
paineth  us ;  he  telleth  us,  Xon  toUam  quia  sanat,  I 
will  not,  because  I  would  cure  you  ;  we  see  that  this 
pain  is  soon  over  :  God  continueth  but  a  while  in  his 
anger.  This  is  the  only  purgatory  of  the  elect,  and  this 
fire  is  but  for  our  dross,  and  this  medicine  is  but  for 
our  disease. 

2.  He  calleth  Jerusalem,  though  thus  wasted  and 
overthrown,  '  my  holy  mountain.'  David  saith,  '  he 
loved  the  gates  of  Sion  more  than  all  the  habitations 
of  Jacob.'  God  said  of  it,  '  Here  will  I  dwell,  for  I 
have  a  delight  therein.'  The  former  doctrine  declareth 
that  God  did  not  mean  to  cast  off  his  people  for  ever, 
and  the  next  words,  ver.  17,  promise  restoration. 

Two  things  had  met  on  this  mountain,  to  corrupt  it 
and  unsanctify  it, 

1.  The  grievous  and  crying  sins  of  the  people  of 
God,  provoking  wrath. 


2.  The  barbarous  cruelty  of  the  enemies  of  the 
church,  executing  wrath. 

These  made  no  difference  between  holy  and  unholy, 
but  first  robbed  and  pillaged  the  sanctuary,  and  carried 
away  the  treasures  and  utensils,  the  ornaments  of  the 
temple,  and  all  that  might  yield  them  any  profit,  and 
then  put  fire  to  that  admirable  pile  of  the  curiousest 
structure  for  art  and  cost  that  ever  the  bright  eye  of 
heaven  looked  upon. 

I  cannot  but  stay  your  thoughts  upon  the  way,  to 
consider  with  me  what  desolations  sin  may  make  upon 
the  earth. 

Here  is  blood  spilt  in  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city ;  no 
respect  of  the  grey  hairs,  no  compassion  of  the  fairest 
virgins,  no  tenderness  either  to  new-bom  or  unborn 
children.  Here  is  deportation  of  others  in  numerous 
multitudes  into  captivity,  to  become  vassals  to  the 
proud  conqueror  the  Assyrian  monarch.  Here  is 
the  city  of  God  demolished,  the  very  ring  and 
jewel  of  the  world ;  the  psalmist  calleth  it,  *  The  joy 
of  the  whole  earth.'  Here  is  the  temple,  the  rich 
diamond  of  that  ring,  the  place  wherein  God  was 
served,  and  offerings  were  burnt  therein  to  his  name, 
that  now  made  an  holocaust  and  burnt- offering  itself, 
and  sending  forth  lambentes  sidera  flammas,  flames 
ascending  to  the  stars ;  the  specious  spacious  courts 
of  that  house,  God's  own  enclosure,  and  all  the  holy 
mountain,  the  glebe-land  of  the  church,  laid  common  ; 
the  land  emptied  of  her  native  inhabitants,  save  some 
few  reserved  to  be  the  drudges  of  the  Chaldeans,  to 
plough  their  grounds  and  to  dress  their  vines.  Beloved, 
a  greater  example  of  the  provocation  of  sin,  or  the 
execution  of  justice,  no  time,  not  all  the  books  of  time, 
have  ever  shewed. 

And  what  shall  we  say  ?  Hath  sin  lost  the  sting  that 
it  had  wont  to  carry ;  or  hath  God  lost  his  feeling,  that 
we  should  equal  that  city  in  sins,  and  not  expect  equal 
vengeance  ?  Every  man  shuns  it,  to  be  a  prophet  of 
ill  news,  and  men  had  rather  exhort  than  correct.  If 
we  come  with  the  rod  which  Paul  threatened,  we  may 
chance  handsel  it  ourselves.  Sinners  be  too  bold  to 
be  under  the  check  of  God's  ministers  ;  but  there  is 
one  aloft  that  saith,  •  But  I  will  reprove  thee,  and 
set  in  order  before  thee  the  things  that  thou  hast  done.' 

The  comfort  yet  is,  that  this  mountain  of  Sion, 
though  thus  punished,  is  called  God's  mountain  still ; 
God  vouchsafeth  to  own  it,  and  call  it  his.  The 
enemies  thereof  have  gotten  the  possession  of  it,  yet 
God  will  not  lose  the  right  of  his  inheritance  there, 


68 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  15,  16. 


for  he  meaueth  to  build  up  again  what  the  enemy  hath 
destroyed,  and  return  again  those  whom  the  enemy 
bath  carried  away  captives  ;  as  the  next  section  de- 
clares fully. 

Let  the  brethren  of  schism  and  separation  lay  this 
to  heart,  who  fall  from  the  communion  of  the  church 
of  England,  pretending  the  great  corruptions  that  be, 
some  in  the  doctrine,  but  most  in  the  discipline  thereof. 
Is  Sion  the  mountain  of  the  Lord  still,  although  both 
sin  and  vengeance  have  left  it  desolate  ?  Did  Christ 
call  the  temple  his  Father's  house,  when  the  ungodly 
profaners  of  it  had  made  it  a  den  of  thieves  ?  I  dare 
not  say  now,  though  that  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  place  where  God's  honour  did  sometimes  dwell, 
and  wherein  God  took  delight,  hath  almost  endured 
sixteen  hundred  years'  desolation,  and  is  now  the  cage 
of  unclean  birds,  inhabited  by  Turks  and  Saracens, 
and  for  the  profit  of  both,  by  popish  idolaters,  which 
make  prize  of  pilgrims  resorting  to  visit  the  places 
sometimes  hallowed  by  the  presence  of  Christ  and  his 
mother,  and  his  holy  servants ;  I  dare  not  say  that 
God  hath  lost  his  interest  therein,  or  resigned  all  his 
right  thereto.     Nullum,  tenipus  occurrit  regi. 

I  remember  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah,  chap.  xiv. 
7,  8  :  '  But  it  shall  be  one  day  which  shall  be  known 
to  the  Lord,  nor  day,  nor  night :  but  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  that  at  evening  time  it  shall  be  light.  And  it 
shall  be  in  that  day,  that  living  waters  shall  go  out 
from  Jerusalem.'  A  prophecy  not  yet  fulfilled,  for 
though  interpreters  do  commonly  attribute  this  to  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  and  the  light  of  the 
gospel,  beginning  at  Jerusalem  and  shining  over  all 
the  world,  the  words  of  the  text  do  directly  confute 
that  exposition,  for  this  prophecy  is  determined  to  the 
evening- time,  that  is,  to  the  latter  end  of  the  world, 
and  Christ  came  in  the  fulness  of  time.  And  at  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh  it  was  not  as  here  is 
said,  '  nor  day,  nor  night,*  for  then  lux  magna  orta 
est,  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arose  in  our  hemisphere, 
the  very  night  was  lighted  to  the  shepherds  with  an 
extraordinary  clarity ;  and  such  a  light  shone  in 
Jerusalem  as  not  only  lighted  them,  but  it  was  a  light 
to  lighten  the  Gentiles ;  it  shone  to  the  east  upon  the 
Magi  there,  and  all  the  ends  of  the  world  soon  saw 
the  salvation  of  their  God. 

Therefore  I  conclude  that  this  prophecy  is  to  be 
fulfilled  towards  the  end  of  the  world,  when  God  shall 
call  again  his  people  from  far,  and  his  dispersed  from 
the    ends   of  the   earth.     When  the  fulness  of  the 


Gentiles  is  come  in,  then  shall  God  call  again  his 
people,  and  '  remember  the  oath  that  he  sware  unto 
Abraham,  and  the  sure  mercies  of  David.'  Then 
shall  he  set  his  name  again  in  Jerusalem,  and  displant 
the  intruders  upon  his  possession,  and  settle  his  habi- 
tation once  again  upon  the  holy  mountain,  at  the  end 
of  the  world. 

Yet  I  do  not  afiirm  that  there  shall  be  again  a 
commonwealth  of  the  Jews,  or  a  distinction  of  tribes, 
as  heretofore  ;  that  wall  of  partition  is  taken  down,  and 
the  bond  of  Christian  religion  shall  be  the  bond  of 
peace,  and  God  hath  said  it. 

Tros  Tyriusve  milii  nullo  discrimine  agetur. 

Both  Jew  and  Gentile,  all  shall  be  alike. 

But  God  hath  laid  such  claim  to  this  mountain,  and 
professed  so  much  love  to  it,  that  I  dare  not  believe 
that  he  can  forget  it  for  ever  ;  but  that  when  the  time, 
the  appointed  time,  shall  come,  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  Sion,  and  will  pity  the  ruins  and  dust  thereof. 
But  when  here  Sion  is  called  vions  sanctus  meus,  '  my 
holy  mountain,'  here  is  a  quccre,  how  any  place  can  be 
called  holy,  and  what  kind  of  holiness  it  is,  which  is 
ascribed  to  any  place. 

Surely  if  it  be  sanctus  quia  meus,  what  place  is  it 
where  God  is  not  ?  He  is  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death  ;  he  is  present  over  men  in  the  nethermost 
hell. 

But  God  is  said  to  sanctify  some  places  here  on 
earth,  because  he  is  present  there  ; — 

1.  Secundum  specialem  cut  am,  in  respect  of  his  special 
care  and  protection. 

2.  Secundum  specialem  cultum,  in  respect  of  his 
special  worship. 

Jerusalem  was  the  place  which  God  took  into  his 
special  protection,  and  where  he  placed  his  special 
worship  ;  for  '  the  Lord  God  was  well  known  in  Sion  ; 
at  Salem  was  his  tabernacle,  and  his  dwelling  in  Sion.' 

1.  And  for  the  special  care  that  he  had  of  that  place  : 
'  He  loved  the  gates  of  Sion  more,'  &c. 

And  '  though  the  earth  was  the  Lord's,  and  all  that 
therein  is,  yet  of  Sion  he  said.  Here  do  I  dwell :  I  have 
a  delight  herein.' 

And  this  spuitualis  cura,  spiritual  care,  so  sanctified 
that  place,  that  when  Israel  had  polluted  the  worship  of 
God,  and  heathen  came  in  upon  God's  inheritance, 
and  defiled  his  sanctuary,  yet  ceased  not  that  place  to 
be  holy,  not  by  any  inherent  holiness,  as  the  Roman 
church  suggesteth,  but  only  secundum  specialem  curam, 


Ver.  15,  16.] 


31ARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


GO 


because  it  was  not  yet  out  of  God's  special  protection ; 
and  only  thus  it  is  holy  at  this  day. 

2.  Propter  specialem  cultum,  for  his  special  worship. 
When  any  place  is  dedicated  to  God's  worship,  and 
separate  from  common  use,  it  is  an  holy  place,  and 
God  vouchsafeth  there  specialem  prasentiam,  a  special 
presence.  For  I  am  not  of  Mr  Calvin's  mind,  who  saith, 
Teinpla  non  sunt  propria  Dei  habitacula,  unde  awem 
propiiis  admoveat.  For  God  hath  a  special  interest  in 
those  places  which  are  separate  to  his  special  worship, 
and  the  very  place  is  fearful  to  them  that  have  any 
sense  of  reUgion  ;  and  as  Damascene  saith,  plus  parti- 
cipat  gratia  et  operationis  Dei,  they  partake  more  of  the 
powerful  operation  of  God.  For  why  is  heaven  the 
throne  of  God  more  than  the  .earth,  but  because  God 
doth  there  more  express  his  glory  than  he  doth  here  ? 

And  for  the  interest  that  God  hath  in  those  conse- 
crated places,  consider  God's  challenge  in  my  text. 
Sion,  though  in  the  hand  of  the  Chaldeans,  is  the  mount 
of  God. 

Churches  and  lands  once  given  to  God,  do  remain 
his  for  ever ;  for  unless  God  shall  manifestly  reveal 
his  resignation  to  man,  what  man  on  earth  hath  any 
assignment  from  him  of  his  right  ?  Beloved,  we  have 
power  to  give  to  God  of  his  own,  but  we  have  no  power 
on  earth  for  revocation ;  when  it  is  once  sacred,  and  God 
hath  enclosed  it,  no  man  can  lay  it  common.  But  the 
fat  of  the  church  hath  set  so  many  of  all  degrees  in 
this  land  to  that  growth  and  strength  that  this  doctrine 
is  a  paradox,  and  we  are  but  laughed  at  when  we  plead 
the  right  of  God  to  things  sacred.  For  if  sacrilege  be 
a  sin,  what  rank  of  men  in  this  or  our  neighbour  king- 
dom doth  not  live  in  sin  and  by  sin  ? 

The  mount  of  Sion  is  challenged  here  to  be  the  holy 
mountain  of  God,  in  whose  hand  soever  the  possession 
thereof  be,  and  all  that  invade  the  right  of  God  in 
things  sacred  shall  hear  him  complain,  '  Ye  have  robbed 
me;'  and  though  they  make  it  strange,  and  ask, '  Wherein 
have  we  robbed  thee  ?'  Solomon  will  tell  them,  Prov. 
XX.  25,  '  It  is  a  snare  for  a  man  to  devour  that  which 
is  sanctified,  and  after  the  vows  to  inquire.' 

3.  It  is  a  great  favour  of  God  to  his  church  to  reveal 
to  them  his  wiU  concerning  both  their  own  short  pun- 
ishment and  the  long  affliction  of  their  enemies. 

For  themselves,  they  shall  see  in  this  revelation  that 
God  will  not  give  them  over  utterly  ;  and  affliction  doth 
never  shew  intolerable  when  we  can  look  beyond  it,  and 
see  fair  weather  after  it.  This  had  need  be  preached  to 
the  church  of  God,  to  keep  them  from  fainting  in  their 


patience  and  falling  into  sin.  David  confessed,  Ps. 
xxvii.  13,  '  I  had  fainted  unless  I  had  believed  to  see 
the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living.' 
The  prophet  having  given  us  his  own  example,  doth 
also  give  us  his  good  counsel :  ver.  14,  '  Wait  on  the 
Lord,  be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  thy 
heart :  wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord.' 

You  see  the  use  of  this  doctrine  is  to  put  mettle  into 
us,  that  we  be  not  cast  down  with  the  present  sense  of 
God's  judgments,  but  that  we  courageously  do  bear 
them,  and  patiently  expect  our  deliverance  from  them. 
Of  this  before. 

2.  It  is  a  comfort  and  joy  to  the  church  to  know 
that  God  wiU  execute  their  judgments  upon  their 
enemies,  and  pass  the  cup  of  his  wrath  from  them  to 
those  that  hate  them. 

1.  Because  it  stoppeth  the  way  to  an  high  and 
grievous  sin,  which  is  murmuring  against  God.  Let 
every  man  suspect  himself  for  this,  for  God's  own 
Israel  did  often  faU  this  way  ;  but  when  God  revealeth 
to  us  his  purpose,  we  cannot  find  fault ;  though  we  feel 
where  judgment  beginneth,  we  know  where  it  shaU  end. 

2.  It  allayeth  all  thoughts  of  revenge  on  them  that 
trouble  and  persecute  us,  for  to  what  purpose  should 
we  fret  ourselves  at  the  instruments  of  God's  vengeance, 
when  we  know  the  end  of  these  men,  how  '  God  hath 
set  them  in  slippery  places,'  and  that  he  will  take  the 
matter  into  his  own  hand  to  revenge  it  ? 

And  this  is  a  necessary  doctrine  for  us,  because  the 
pursuit  of  private  revenge  is  one  of  the  crying  sins  of 
the  time.  We  have  poor  men,  that,  to  molest  a  neigh- 
bour, will  swear  the  peace  against  them  to  put  them  in 
bonds,  when  it  is  to  be  feared  that  it  is  rather  revenge 
than  fear  that  makes  them  swear  ;  and  this  upon  a  little 
cooling  of  blood  appears  clearly,  j 

Just  laws  are  made  to  do  men  right  against  wrongs. 
We  must  go  to  judges  as  children  to  their  father,  to 
seek  justice  in  charity,  not  in  the  spirit  of  revenge. 
God  hath  declared  himself  to  be  Deus  ultionum,  a  God 
of  revenge,  and  hath  promised  to  judge  our  cause.  Let 
us  commit  the  matter  to  him,  and  give  our  souls  rest, 
possessing  them  with  patience. 

Israel  shall  see  their  cup,  that  they  have  but  tasted, 
drunk  up,  and  swallowed  down  of  their  enemies  :  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  Ps.  xcii.  11,*  Mine 
eye  shall  see  my  desire  upon  mine  enemies.'  David 
maketh  this  use  of  this  point,  Ps.  xli.  12,  '  By  this  I 
know  that  thou  favourest  me,  because  mine  enemy  doth 
not  triumph  over  me.'     But  it  is  a  good  sign  of  God's 


70 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  17. 


love  to  his  cliurch,  that  he  suflfereth  not  the  ungodly 
to  insult  over  them. 

And  for  the  enemies  of  the  church,  they  may  have 
victory,  they  cannot  have  a  triumph  ;  for  the  cup  of 
wrath  is  no  sooner  taken  from  the  church,  but  it  is 
presently  given  to  her  enemies  to  pledge  them,  as  the 
prophet  saith,  *  When  thou  hast  done  spoiling,  thou 
shalt  be  spoiled  ;'  the  drink  shall  not  pall  in  the  cup. 
You  see  that  David  made  that  use  of  the  fall  and  pun- 
ishment of  his  enemy,  only  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  and 
his  favour,  and  not  to  insult  over  his  enemy  ;  for  the 
wise  man  adviseth,  Prov.  xxiv.  17,  18,  '  Rejoice  not 
when  thine  enemy  falleth,  and  let  not  thine  heart  be 
glad  when  he  stumbleth  ;  lest  the  Lord  see  it,  and 
it  displease  him,  and  he  turn  away  his  wrath  from  him.' 
Thy  patience  doth  heap  coals  of  fire  on  the  head  of 
thine  enemy,  and  thy  favourable  forbearance  of  him  in 
triumphing  over  him,  holdeth  the  cup  still  to  his  mouth. 
We  cannot  do  our  enemy  a  greater  pleasure  than  to  be 
glad  at  his  afflictions,  for  God  seeth  it,  and  abateth  his 
displeasure  against  him  ;  but  we  may  rejoice  safely  and 
boldly  in  the  love  and  favour  of  God  to  us. 


Ver.  17.  But  upon  mount  Sion  shall  he  deliverance, 
and  there  shall  be  holiness ;  and  the  house  of  Jacob  shall 
possess  their  possessions. 

The  second  part  of  the  prophecy,  containing  the  com- 
fort of  the  church  against  all  her  enemies,  ad  finem 
capitis,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

1.  A  promise  of  restitution  of  them  to  their  own, 
ver  17. 

2.  Of  victory  against  their  enemies,  ver.  18-20. 
8.  The  means  ordained  for  this,  ver.  21. 

1.  Of  their  restitution  of  their  own. 

Mount  Sion  literally  doth  signify  the  seed  of  Jacob, 
the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews,  taking  name  from  the 
most  eminent  part  of  their  kingdom,  as  mount  Sion* 
denoteth  Esau  and  his  issue.  This  shall  be  delivered 
from  the  captivity  of  Babylon  ;  that  is  the  deliverance 
here  promised. 

And  the  holiness  here  mentioned  is  the  renewing  of 
the  people,  by  repentance  and  new  obedience,  to  the 
pure  worship  of  God,  and  then  the  house  of  Jacob  shall 
recover  the  possessions  which  the  army  of  the  Chal- 
deans took  from  them. 

Allegorically  and  typically  this  prophecy  doth  fore- 
tell the  deliverance  of  the  church  from  all  the  enemies 
Qu.  '  Seir '  ?— Ed. 


thereof  in  the  end  of  the  world,  which  shall  be  per- 
formed by  the  Spirit  of  sanctification  fitting  them  to 
the  same. 

That  the  church  shall  not  alway  be  under  the  rod  of 
correction,  we  have  formerly  declared. 

1.  The  point  now  considerable  is,  what  our  God  re- 
quireth  of  us,  even  holiness. 

2.  That  God  performeth  his  mercy  of  deliverance 
first,  that  after  he  may  sanctify  us  to  himself. 

1.  That  God  requireth  holiness  of  us :  Micah  vi.  8, 
*  He  hath  shewed  thee,  0  man,  what  is  good,  and  what 
the  Lord  requireth  of  thee  :  surely  to  do  justice,  and  to 
love  mercy,  and  to  humble  thyself  to  walk  with  thy 
God.'  This  is  holiness.  This  is  no  earthly  wisdom, 
which  is  '  carnal,  sensual,  and  devilish ;'  it  is  '  the  wis- 
dom which  is  from  above,'  and  therefore,  *  He  hath 
shewed  thee,  0  man.' 

Holiness  is  not  learned  in  the  school  of  nature,  nor 
to  be  seen  by  the  light  of  reason  ;  it  is  the  inward 
light  of  the  Spirit  of  God  that  enlighteneth  our  dark- 
ness, which  openeth  to  man  the  way  of  good  life,  not 
moral  and  civil  only,  but  religious  and  spiritual,  which 
teacheth  justice  mingled  with  mercy,  both  built  upon 
a  good  foundation  of  humility  ;  and  these  not  as  before 
man,  but  as  in  a  walk  with  God  himself. 

For  such  as  these  God  keepeth  a  book  of  remem- 
brance, as  the  prophet  saith  :  Mai.  iii.  16,  *  Then  they 
that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another  :  and 
the  Lord  hearkened,  and  heard  it ;  and  a  book  of 
remembrance  was  written  before  him  for  them  that 
feared  the  Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name. 
And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord,  in  that  day 
when  I  make  up  my  jewels  (or  special  treasure) ;  and 
I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that 
serveth  him.'  What  can  a  man  desire  more  of  God, 
than  to  be  esteemed  amongst  his  jewels  and  precious 
treasure  ?  Such  are  the  holy ;  and  what  trouble  can 
it  be  to  them  to  be  despised  of  the  world,  and  cast 
out  of  them,  when  God  shall  take  them  in  as  his  jewels 
and  treasure  ?  God  himself  giveth  holiness  in  pre- 
cept, and  giveth  the  reason  in  that  injunction  :  '  Be 
ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy,'  1  Peter  i.  16,  ex  Lev.  xxi.  44. 
And  St  John  saith,  1  John  iii.  3,  •  That  every  man 
that  hath  hope  of  eternal  life  purifieth  himself,  even 
as  he  is  pure.'  So  that  God's  holiness  is  the  motive 
that  must  induce  us,  and  the  precedent  and  pattern 
that  must  conduce  us,  to  holiness. 

1.  The  motive,  because,  he  being  holy,  nothing  un- 
godly and  unclean  may  approach  him  ;  therefore  all 


Ver.  17.] 


MARBUEY  ON  OBADIAH. 


71 


the  legal  purifications  and  sanctifvings  of  the  people, 
before  anv  special  worship  and  service  of  God,  were 
types  of  that  holiness  which  must  fit  us  for  God's  ser- 
vice, because  '  without  hoUness  no  man  shall  see  God.' 
Again,  because  the  favours  which  we  desire  fi-om  God 
be  holy,  and  Christ  saith,  XoUte  dare  quod  sanctum 
est  canibus,  give  not  that  which  is  holy  to  dogs  ;  surely 
he  will  not  do  so  himself. 

2.  It  must  be  our  pattern  and  example,  because 
holiness  is  never  accepted  but  where  it  hath  three  pro- 
perties, as  it  hath  in  God. 

(1.)  That  it  be  sincere,  and  not  in  hypocrisy.  There 
is  a  sin  of  hypocrites,  and  there  is  a  portion  with  hypo- 
crites. False  holiness  is  like  counterfeit  gold,  it  will 
not  go  for  pay  ;  it  is  high  treason  against  God  to 
counterfeit  his  image  and  superscription,  for  holiness 
is  the  image  of  our  God  stamped  in  ns  in  our  crea- 
tion, therefore  hell  is  called  the  portion  of  hypocrites. 

(2.)  That  it  be  total :  holiness  in  the  face,  and  out- 
ward gesture  proceeding  from  holiness  in  the  heart 
and  inward  affections ;  holiness  of  the  tongue,  that 
it  speak  not  lewdly,  falsely,  or  profanely ;  holiness  of 
operation,  that  we  do  nothing  but  what  becometh  the 
saints  of  God ;  holiness  at  church,  and  holiness  at 
home ;  holiness  in  our  private  conversations,  and  in 
our  private  retirings,  that  is,  in  the  whole  man,  in  the 
whole  time  of  his  life,  and  in  all  places. 

(3.)  That  it  be  gnided  with  knowledge  ;  for  the  igno- 
rant holiness  of  the  church  of  Rome,  which  is  implicit, 
and  knoweth  not  what  it  doth,  is  the  sacrifice  of  fools  ; 
like  the  Athenians'  worship,  directed  to  an  unknown  god. 

This  is  the  way  to  come  again  to  our  own  posses- 
sions, and  to  cast  out  that  strong  man  armed,  that 
hath  led  us  into  captivity ;  this  is  the  old  way  and  the 
good  way  to  the  new  Jerusalem.  '  Many  walk,  of 
whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  weep- 
ing, they  bo  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  whose  end 
is  damnation,  whose  belly  is  their  god,  and  whose  de- 
light is  in  their  shame,  which  mind  earthly  things.' 
But  our  conversation  must  be  in  heaven ;  an  holy 
conversation  is  an  heavenly  conversation,  and  maketh 
heaven  upon  earth.  '  And  if  we  be  risen  with  Christ,' 
to  this  conversation,  '  then  we  seek  those  things  which 
are  above,  and  not  those  things  which  are  beneath.' 
It  must,  therefore,  be  our  care  to  look  to  those  things 
which  hinder  holiness,  and  to  keep  good  watch  upon 
our  life,  that  none  of  those  things  do  corrupt  us. 

These  are,  as  the  apostle  doth  enumerate  them  : 

1.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh. 


2.  The  lust  of  the  eye. 

3.  The  pride  of  life. 

1 .  Carnal  desires  do  make  us  unholy ;  not  only  for- 
nication and  adultery,  which  do  make  the  members  of 
Christ  the  members  of  an  harlot,  of  which  sin  the 
apostle  saith,  that  *  adulterers  and  fornicators  God 
will  judge,'  but  carnality  also  in  our  affections,  la- 
bouring more  for  the  body  than  for  the  soul,  for  the 
flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof;  studying  meat  and 
drink  for  the  belly,  staff  and  fashions  for  the  garments, 
more  than  to  please  God  in  the  exercise  of  religion, 
and  duties  of  charity  and  piety ;  carnality  also  in  the 
very  service  of  God,  of  which  the  apostle  also  speaketh ; 
for  while  '  one  saith,  I  am  of  Paul,  another  I  am  of 
ApoUos,  are  ye  not  carnal  ?'  For  the  truth  of  God 
and  the  wisdom  of  God,  is  valued,  not  in  itself,  but  in 
respect  of  persons.  And  so  those  that  be  the  greatest 
pretenders  to  hoHness,  that  pretend  most  of  the  Spirit, 
unawares  do  serve  the  flesh  ;  and  are  men  in  religion 
carnal,  yet  think  they  do  God  good  service. 

2.  The  lust  of  the  eye  is  another  great  enemy  to 
holiness,  for  that  coveteth  an  evU  covetousness.  How 
easily  is  flesh  and  blood  carried  away  from  God  with 
the  wings  of  worldly  desires  !  I  would  I  were  as  well 
housed,  as  well  placed,  as  well  landed,  as  well  friended, 
as  well  moneyed,  as  such  and  such  are.  Who  wisheth, 
I  would  I  were  as  holy  as  the  prophets  and  apostles 
were  ?  When  we  must  needs  die,  Balaam  would 
wish  his  latter  end  like  theirs. 

3.  The  pride  of  life,  affecting  place  and  court  above 
others,  trim  and  rich  bravery  beyond  others,  power 
and  authority  over  others,  these  things  do  corrupt 
religion,  and  make  us  unholy;  and  all  these  things  do 
perish  in  the  use  of  them. 

There  be  two  things  which  make  the  life  of  man 
proof  against  these  darts  of  Saltan. 

1.  Godliness,  that  fixeth  our  hearts  on  God,  and 
fasteneth  our  trust  on  him,  which  giveth  us  assurance 
that  we  shall  never  want  things  sufficient  for  us ;  and 
therefore  fear  not  to  lose  by  it,  if  we  bestow  our  time, 
and  strength,  and  means  in  his  service. 

2.  Contentedness,  which  respecteth  rather  a  supply 
of  wants,  than  a  fulness  to  look  upon,  considering  that 
of  all  that  we  have  in  possession,  no  more  is  truly  ours 
than  what  serveth  for  use,  and  that  is  Uttle  ;  and  see- 
ing we  brought  nothing  with  us,  and  we  leave  all,  but 
what  our  wants  have  spent,  behind  us,  let  a  little  con- 
tent us,  lest  much  do  distract  us  from  the  service  of 
our  God,  or  corrupt  our  holiness. 


72 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  17. 


I 


2.  This  teacheth  to  embrace  all  the  good  means  by 
which  holiness  may  be  preserved  and  increased  in  us ; 
that  is, 

1.  Diligent  hearing  the  word  of  God,  upon  which 
must  attend,  1,  private  meditation  ;  2,  conference. 

This  is  not  the  service  of  God  itself,  but  a  candle 
lighting  us  the  way  to  the  worship  of  God.  David 
saith,  Verbum  tuum  lucerna  j)edihxis  meis,  thy  word  is 
a  lantern  to  my  feet.  And  they  are  much  deceived, 
that  think  they  have  sanctified  a  Sabbath  to  the  Lord 
if  they  have  only  heard  sermons,  and  meditated,  and 
conferred  on  them.  That  is  neither  opus  diet,  nor  opus 
loci,  the  work  of  the  day  nor  place.  All  this  is  but 
receiving  from  God.  The  worship  of  God  must  have 
somewhat  from  us  to  God,  to  which  preaching  doth 
direct  us ;  therefore  we  must  add, 

2.  Our  worship  of  God,  which  chiefly  doth  consist 
in,  1,  thanksgiving;  2,  prayer. 

Thanks  for  the  graces  already  bestowed,  prayer  for 
the  continuance  and  increase  of  them.  This  is  the 
worship  which  is  immediately  directed  by  Christ  to 
himself,  and  for  himself  only,  that  is,  for  his  glory. 
And  in  this  the  Holy  Ghost  helpeth  our  infirmities,  for 
being  the  greatest  duty  of  Christian  worship,  we  can- 
not, without  great  help,  perform  it;  and  great  help  we 
have,  the  whole  Trinity  joining  with  us  :  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  conceiving  and  uttering  our  prayers,  and 
putting  life  into  them;  the  Son,  in  carrying  them  up 
to  the  Father  ;  and  the  Father,  in  receiving  of  them. 
'  Pray  continually ;'  '  in  all  things  give  thanks.' 

2.  God  performeth  this  mercy  of  deliverance  to  his 
church  first,  and  then  there  shall  be  holiness.  God 
is  ever  beforehand,  and  he  would  have  us  know  that 
our  holiness  is  rather  a  fruit  and  efiect  of  his  deliver- 
ance than  a  cause  of  it,  procuring  or  meriting  it.  And 
80  the  Lord's  deliverance  of  us  is  a  free  as  well  as  a 
full  favour,  it  is  no  wages  for  our  work,  as  the  church 
of  Eome  doth  not  only  erroneously  but  blasphemously 
teach. 

So  doth  Zachariah  confess  :  Ut  liberati  a  manibus 
inimicorum  serviamxis  ei,  that  being  delivered  from  the 
hands  of  our  enemies,  &c.  ;  not  ut  servientes  liberemur, 
not  that  serving  we  should  be  delivered,  ut  Jiberandi* 
serviamus,  but  he  doth  all  his  favours  for  us  to  win  us 
to  his  service. 

The  church  of  God  was  punished  for  not  serving 
of  him  as  it  should,  and  now  it  is  restored  to  her 

*  Qu.' liberati' f— Ed. 


own  possessions,  that  it  may  serve  him  hereafter  in 
holiness. 

1.  It  is  an  excellent  use  that  we  make  of  the  good 
favours  of  God,  when  they  make  us  the  more  holy  and 
the  more  careful  to  serve  him  :  Rom.  vi.  22,  '  But 
now,  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  servants 
to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end 
everlasting.'  1,  Delivered  and  made  free  from  sin  ; 
2,  then  our  fruit  unto  holiness  ;  3,  and  then  ever- 
lasting life. 

1.  This  deliverance,  a  motive  to  holiness. 

2.  This  holiness,  a  fruit  of  our  deliverance. 

3.  This  everlasting  life,  a  reward  of  our  holiness. 
It  is  a  great  sign  that  God  is  not  with  us  when  his 

favours  do  corrupt  us,  as  when  our  knowledge  doth 
beget  in  us  spiritual  pride,  and  our  riches  and  tem- 
poral preferments  bring  forth  carnal  pride ;  when  the 
many  afiairs  of  the  world  do  make  us  neglect  the 
church  service,  or  break  God's  Sabbath,  which  ought 
to  be  religiously  consecrated  to  God's  worship ;  and 
when  any  temporal  happiness  doth  work  in  us  any 
relaxation  of  the  service  of  God,  for  the  true  sancti- 
fication  of  all  these  doth  consist  in  this,  that  we  do 
make  them  motives  and  provocations  to  holiness. 

2.  This  doth  make  holiness  our  chiefest  study  and 
care,  because  God,  in  the  promise  of  restoring  Israel 
to  his  possessions,  doth  not  say.  Then  shall  be  outward 
peace,  and  prosperity,  and  wealth,  and  ease,  but  then 
there  shall  be  holiness,  as  the  proper  fruit  of  God's 
favours ;  for  peace,  and  health,  and  plenty  may  be 
lost  again,  but  holiness  cannot  be  lost,  because  that  is 
a  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  us  which  cannot  perish, 
for  that  Spirit  shall  abide  in  the  church  for  ever. 

This  doth  also  shew  whereby  we  may  settle  our 
possessions  to  us  ;  namely,  by  embracing  of  holiness  ; 
for  the  enemy  hath  no  power  against  us,  so  long  as  we 
be  holy,  and  when  Israel  shall  see  that  their  unholi- 
ness  was  their  sin,  God  restoring  them,  they  shall 
make  conscience  of  sinning  any  more,  lest  some  worse 
judgments  overtake  them.  For  God  doth  promise  to 
restore  religion,  and  his  holy  worship,  which  is  the 
only  safety  of  his  people,  which,  whilst  they  formerly 
corrupted,  they  brought  upon  themselves  deportation, 
ruin  upon  their  city,  and  fire  upon  the  sanctuary  of 
God. 

You  see  all  the  earnestness  of  holy  Scripture  to  per- 
suade us  to  holiness  doth  aim  at  our  own  safety,  and 
God  for  our  own  good  persuadeth  it ;  for  what  good 
will  our  holiness  do  him  ?  or  what  do  we  hurt  him,  if 


Ver.  1 8-20.] 


MARBURY  OX  OBADIAH. 


73 


we  be  unrighteous  ?  Our  well-doing  extendeth  not 
to  him,  to  add  any  thing  to  him ;  our  ill-doing  is 
no  prejudice  to  him :  the  benefit  of  our  holiness  re- 
doundeth  to  onrselves,  and  the  word,  thafr  teacheth  it, 
is  given  to  profit  us  withal.  God  give  us  all  grace 
to  make  a  right  and  profitable  use  thereof  to  his  glory. 
Amen. 


Ver.  18—20.  And  the  house  of  Jacob  shall  be  a  fire, 
and  the  house  of  Joseph  a  fiame,  and  the  house  of  Esau 
for  stubble,  and  they  shaU  kindle  in  them,  and  devour 
them  ;  and  there  shall  not  be  any  remaining  of  the  house 
of  Esau,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  they  of  the 
south  shall  possess  the  mount  of  Esau,  and  they  of  the 
plain,  the  Philistines :  and  they  shall  possess  the  fields 
of  Ephraim,  and  the  fields  of  Samaria  ;  and  Benjamin 
shall  possess  Gilead.  And  the  captivity  of  this  host  of 
the  children  of  Israel  shall  possess  that  of  the  Canaan- 
ites,  even  unto  Zarephath  ;  and  the  captivity  of  Jerusa- 
lem, uhich  is  in  Sepharad,  shall  possess  the  cities  of  the 
south. 

2.  Their  victories. 

These  are  expressed  two  ways  : 

1.  In  the  conquest  of  their  enemies. 

2,  In  the  dilatation  of  their  kingdom,  by  taking  in 
their  possessions. 

The  kingdom  of  Israel,  in  Jeroboam's  time,  was 
divided  into  two  kingdoms,  Judah  and  Israel,  and  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  is  here  called  the  house  of  Jacob ; 
the  kingdom  of  Israel  is  called  the  house  of  Joseph, 
and  these  two  are  promised  this  victory. 

There  were  also  two  captivities. 

The  Israelites  were  carried  away  captives  by  Shal- 
manezer,  Judah  by  Xebnchadnezzar.  God  promiseth 
that  fire  shall  go  out  from  those,  to  consume  Esau 
utterly,  till  there  be  none  of  them  remaining. 

He  promiseth  them  also  victory  over  the  Philistines, 
their  ancient  enemies,  so  that  Ephraim's  portion  shall 
come  again  to  them,  and  Samaria,  wherein  the  king 
of  Assyria  having  removed  the  inhabitants  thereof, 
and  led  them  captives  into  his  land,  and  settled  Assy- 
rians in  the  possessions  of  their  land,  that  shall  be 
recovered  from  them.  And  Benjamin,  confining  upon 
enemies,  should  have  quiet  possession  of  Gilead.  This 
victory,  with  the  extent  of  their  kingdoms  here  pro- 
mised, doth  shew,  that  the  people  after  their  return 
shall  have  more  room,  more  glory  and  power,  than 
they  had  before  their  deportation. 


From  whence  these  comfortable  doctrines  do  arise : 

1.  That  the  afflictions  of  the  church  do  turn  to  their 
greater  good. 

2.  That  God  pnnisheth  the  enemies  of  his  church, 
even  by  those  against  whom  they  have  prevailed. 

3.  That  the  church  hath  good  warrant  to  settle 
their  faith  in  this  assurance,  '  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it.' 

1.  The  afflictions  of  the  church  turn  to  their  greater 
good. 

And  here  a  double  benefit  is  expressed : 

(1.)  Spiritual  good ;  he  will  endue  them  with  holi- 
ness. 

(2.)  A  temporal.  [1.]  Of  restitution ;  [2.]  Of  di- 
latation. 

(1.)  Of  the  spiritual  good.  So  David  said,  '  It  is 
good  for  me  that  I  was  afflicted,  for  now  I  learn  thy 
statutes.'  Afflictions  have  their  good  uses  ;  for  though 
afflictions  for  the  time  seem  grievous  in  the  bearing 
thereof,  yet  they  serve, 

1.  To  take  down  the  heart,  and  to  humble  men 
under  the  mighty  hand  of  God  ;  for  the  afflicted  man 
cannot  but,  like  the  mariners  in  the  ship  with  Jonah, 
being  in  a  storm,  search  for  whose  sake  the  storm 
ariseth.  "When  Manasseh  was  carried  captive  into 
Babel,  and  there  put  in  chains,  he  soon  found  where 
the  fault  was,  and  he  fell  to  confession  and  prayers, 
humiliarit  se  valde,  2  Cbron.  xxxiii.  12.  The  church 
of  God  under  the  cross  said.  Lam.  iii.  4,  *  Let  us 
search  and  try  our  ways,  and  turn  to  the  Lord.'  In 
health,  liberty,  plenty,  ease,  we  find  something  else 
to  do ;  we  have  no  leisure  to  search  our  ways  ;  there- 
fore God  layeth  his  rod  upon  us  ;  and  when  the  smart 
of  affliction  doth  make  us  weary  of  the  world,  and 
putteth  us  out  of  the  way  of  onr  delights,  then  we  can 
consider,  and  try  our  hearts  within  us,  and  our  ways 
without  us  :  as  Peter,  when  he  begins  to  sink,  can 
cry  for  help  ;  and  the  disciples  in  a  storm  will  awake 
their  Master.  The  heart  must  be  first  broken,  and 
our  stout  stomach  taken  down,  before  we  can  enjoy 
the  sweet  fruits  of  liberty.  '  Behold,  his  soul,  which  is 
lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him,'  Hab.  ii.  4.  Proud 
persons  have  crooked  souls  ;  they  do  not  look  up,  but 
like  the  woman  that  had  the  spirit  of  infirmity,  they 
are  bent  to  the  earth,  to  see  how  many  they  can  over- 
take. But  sickness,  disgrace,  imprisonment,  will 
make  our  bulls  of  Bashan  as  tame  as  lambs,  and  then 
a  poor  man's  tale  may  be  heard. 

We  have  seen  examples  of  great  falls  in  our  time ; 


74 


MAUBITRY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ym.  18-20. 


and  in  them  that  stand  now,  and  look  up  where  they 
did  sit,  it  is  as  easy  a  matter  to  behold  as  great  a 
change  of  their  hearts,  as  of  their  fortunes.  Truly,  so 
do  men  rise  or  fall  indeed,  as  their  heart  riseth  or 
falleth  ;  for  an  humble  man  keeps  the  same  posture 
always ;  he  knows  how  to  abound  and  how  to  want, 
and  no  prosperity  can  soar  him  up  higher,  no  adver- 
sity can  cast  him  lower  than  his  pitch,  for  his  heart  is 
not  exalted. 

2,  Afflictions  do  serve  to  breed  in  us  a  conscience 
and  fear  of  sin,  when  we  see  what  smart  it  bringeth  ; 
as  here,  it  turned  Israel  out  of  house  and  home ;  it 
fired  their  city,  and  their  holy  temple,  and  carried 
them  away  captives  to  a  strange  land,  and  fed  them 
with  the  bitter  bread  of  banishment.  It  filled  their 
souls  with  the  despite  of  the  wicked,  and  the  reproach 
of  the  proud.  This  affliction  saith  unto  them,  *  Sin 
no  more,  lest  some  worse  thing  fall  upon  thee.'  But 
who  makes  that  use  of  sickness,  imprisonment,  dis- 
grace, to  cast  it  upon  the  merit  of  his  sin  ?  That 
maketh  the  hand  of  God  so  heavy  upon  us,  and  that 
retumeth  judgment  so  often  to  us.  But  here  Israel 
is  brought  to  holiness  by  it,  and  let  us  mistrust  oar- 
selves  that  we  stand  not  in  a  state  of  grace  with  God, 
except  our  afflictions  do  mend  us,  and  bring  us  to  re- 
pentance of  our  sins,  and  to  holiness  of  life. 

3.  Afflictions  do  bring  us  to  an  awe  and  reverence 
of  the  worship  of  God,  for  they  do  declare  God  to  be 
just,  and  not  to  be  dallied  with  ;  he  is  whetting  his 
sword  whilst  we  are  in  our  sins  ;  he  is  bending  his 
bow,  and  preparing  instruments  of  vengeance.  He  is 
still  turning  over  the  book  of  remembrance,  wherein 
all  our  sins  are  recorded,  and  perusing  the  inventory 
of  his  graces,  which  we  have  received  in  vain,  and  of 
his  gifts  which  we  have  abused,  of  his  talents  which 
we  have  misemployed,  teaching  us  to  fear  him,  and  to 
fear  all  our  ways  before  him.  So  David  will  be  wiser 
hereafter  :  '  Against  thee  only  have  I  sinned,  and  done 
this  evil  in  thy  sight.' 

These  three,  humility,  conscience  of  sin,  and  of  the 
majesty  of  God,  will  bring  us  to  holiness  of  life,  which 
is  the  way  of  peace,  and  it  is  good  for  Israel  to  be 
afflicted,  to  come  to  this. 

(2.)  The  church  here  was  the  better  for  this  afflic- 
tion that  they  sustained,  even  in  their  temporal 
estate. 

[1.]  In  the  restitution  of  their  possessions  ;  for  it 
is  a  rule  of  truth,  though  it  shew  a  very  great  imper- 
fection in  our  judgment,  as  great  corruption  in  our 


affections,  carendo  magis  quam  fruendo,  by  waiting* 
rather  than  by  enjopng,  we  come  to  know  the  true 
worth  of  God's  favours  ;  and  that  carendo,  by  want- 
ing, not  so  much  in  an  ante-want  as  in  a  post-want. 

In  an  ante-want,  when  we  rise  from  poverty  to 
wealth,  from  baseness  to  honour,  from  labour  to  ease  ; 
commonly,  as  our  good,  so  our  blood  ariseth  ;  and  it 
is  a  great  grace  of  God  if  the  rising  of  our  fortunes  be 
not  the  sinking  and  falling  of  our  faith  and  obedience 
to  God ;  for  many  in  low  estate  have  been  humble 
whose  pride  in  high  estate  have  been  importable, 
many  in  poverty  have  had  tender  hearts  who  in  wealth 
have  turned  great  oppressors  of  their  brethren,  and 
many  in  labour  have  been  content  with  a  little  who  in 
ease  have  grown  resty  and  idle. 

But  in  a  post-want,  when  men  fall  from  wealth  to 
poverty,  from  honour  to  the  dust,  from  ease  to  labour, 
then  they  can  look  back  and  recount  the  sweetness  of 
these  outward  favours.  Holy  Job  hath  two  whole 
chapters.  In  one  he  confesseth  his  former  estate,  the 
fulness,  and  the  power,  and  the  ease,  and  the  glory 
thereof;  he  begins  it  with  an  optative:  'Oh  that  I 
were  as  in  months  past,  as  in  the  days  when  God  pre- 
served me ;  when  his  candle  shined  upon  my  head, 
when  by  his  light  I  walked  through  darkness,  as  I  was 
in  the  days  of  my  youth,'  Job  xxix. 

Few  of  us  in  health  do  feel  the  favour  of  God  to  us 
therein,  few  in  wealth  do  taste  the  sweetness  of  God's 
open  and  giving  hand,  few  content  with  their  portion ; 
but  in  sickness,  every  little  mitigation  of  our  pain  is 
sweet,  and  we  are  ready  to  fall  on  our  knees  before 
God  to  thank  him  for  it ;  in  poverty,  every  alms  given 
to  us  thankfully  received ;  and  then,  if  we  were  as  in 
months  past,  how  much  better  would  we  use  wealth. 
For  Job  in  the  next  chapter  doth  feel  the  change,  and 
findeth  bitterness  in  it ;  and  he  endeth  that  chapter, 
'  My  harp  is  turned  into  mourning,  and  my  organs 
into  the  voice  of  them  that  weep,'  Job  xxx. 

Therefore,  when  we  once  come  to  want  that  which 
we  have  formerly  possessed,  we  whose  ambitious  de- 
sires gave  us  no  rest,  either  to  be  thankful  for  that  we 
had,  or  content  with  it,  would  desire  no  more  than  to 
be  as  in  some  months  before,  that  God  would  but 
light  that  candle  again,  and  restore  us  to  what  we 
have  lost. 

As  in  the  spiritual  state  of  the  soul,  David,  that 
neglected  the  day  of  his  salvation,  which  God  gave 
him  before  his  fall,  and  sold  it  for  a  little  carnal  plea- 
*  Qu.  '  wanting '  ?— Ed. 


Ver.  18-20.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


75 


sure,  when  he  came  again  to  himself,  he  only  prays, 
'  Restore  to  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation.'  And  the 
church,  revolting  from  God,  remembereth  herself,  and 
saith,  Hosea  ii.  7,  '  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  first 
husband,  for  then  was  it  better  with  me  than  now.' 

Therefore  it  is  a  great  favour  of  God  to  his  people 
to  restore  them  their  own  possessions  again,  that  they 
may  be  as  in  years  past ;  for  now  they,  having  wanted 
them,  do  better  know  the  favour  of  God  than  they  did 
before  in  the  use  of  them.  They  would  have  esteemed  it 
a  greater  favour  in  their  captivity  to  have  had  but  some 
ease  of  their  burdens,  some  liberty  to  have  eaten  the 
fruits  of  their  labours.  In  great  miseries,  every  little 
breathing  of  ease  is  sweet  and  comfortable,  but  here 
is  a  full  restitution  of  them  to-  their  former  posses- 
sions promised. 

[2.]  But  here  is  much  more  promised,  even  dilata- 
tion of  their  borders  ;  they  shall  have  more  than  they 
had  ;  they  may  call  their  place  Rehoboth,  as  Isaac 
called  the  well  when  he  had  room  to  dig  in,  Gen. 
xsvi.  21. 

The  Lord  hath  an  open  and  a  filling  hand  even  in 
this  also;  multipUcat  benefacere;  here  is  copiosa  redemp- 
tio,  copiosa  restitutio.  For  as  it  is  another  degree  of 
favour  to  rise  from  restitution  to  dilatation,  so  it  may 
stand  for  a  degree  that  he  enlargeth  their  bounds  out 
of  the  possession  of  their  enemies,  and  giveth  away 
their  land  to  his  people. 

Let  no  man  charge  God  with  injustice  herein ;  for 
'  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  all  that  therein  is;'  he 
giveth  it  where  he  will.  And  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  hath 
promised  the  meek  the  inheritance  of  the  earth;  for  by 
right  none  but  the  elect  are  true  owners  of  the  earth ; 
the  ungodly  are  but  intruders  and  usurpers  thereof. 

Thus  much  added  to  their  own,  to  make  them  more 
territory,  and  thus  much  taken  from  their  neighbour- 
ing enemies,  the  Edomites  and  Philistines,  and  given 
to  them,  makes  them  gainers  by  their  loss.  Their 
banishment  was  a  sowing  in  tears,  this  is  a  reaping  in 

joy- 
David  was  so  reasonable,  that  he  only  desired  of 
God,  saying,  Ps.  xc.  15,  *  Make  us  glad  according  to 
the  days  wherein  thou  hast  afflicted  us,  and  the  years 
wherein  we  have  seen  evil.'  God  is  a  more  bountiful 
giver,  for  he  maketh  his  people  glad  not  only  with 
that  which  they  lost,  but  with  much  more ;  he  im- 
poverisheth  their  enemies  to  enrich  them,  that  they 
may  take  the  labours  of  the  people  into  their  pos- 
session. 


Job  would  have  wished  no  more  than  to  be  as  he 
was  in  some  months  past,  and  God  not  only  restoreth 
him  what  he  formerly  had,  but  he  giveth  him  twice  so 
much  as  he  had  before  :  Job  xlii.  10,  'So  the  Lord 
blessed  the  latter  end  of  Job  more  than  his  begin- 
ning,' which  St  Gregory  doth  apply  to  the  state  of  the 
church  in  the  last  day,  when  they  shall  receive  foil 
glory  both  in  their  souls  and  bodies  in  this  kingdom. 

For  in  things  temporal,  this  doth  not  always  hold, 
that  God  repaireth  thus  the  losses  of  his  children, 
neither  do  they  expect  it,  for  they  have  learned  how 
to  want ;  but  what  wanteth  in  outward  things  is  restored 
to  them  in  spiritual  graces,  in  the  gifts  of  patience  and 
contentedness,  in  thankfulness,  and  the  spirit  of  sup- 
plications. 

2.  Doct.  God  punisheth  the  enemies  of  his  church 
by  those  against  whom  they  have  prevailed  :  *  for  the 
house  of  Jacob  shall  be  a  flame,  and  the  house  of 
Joseph  a  fire.' 

Not  transubstantiate  into  fire  and  flame,  as  a  papist 
might  prove  as  well  out  of  this  t«xt,  as  he  hath  the 
corporeal  presence  of  Christ  out  of  Hoc  est  corpus 
meum,  this  is  my  body,  but  by  way  of  similitude,  and 
by  reason  of  the  efiect  that  shall  follow  ;  for  *  they 
shall  consume  the  house  of  Edom,'  whom  God  will 
make  as  stubble  for  them,  easy  to  take  fire. 

It  was  Balaam's  prophecy  of  the  people  of  Israel 
then  in  distress:  Num.  xxiii.  24,  'Behold,  the  people 
shall  rise  up  as  a  great  lion,  and  lift  up  himself  as  a 
young  lion  ;  he  shall  not  lie  down]  till  he  eat  of  the 
prey,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  slain.'  Which  was 
begun  to  be  performed  by  Moses,  continued  by 
Joshua,  further  prosecuted  by  David,  fully  accomp- 
lished by  Christ,  whom  God  made  to  rule  in  the 
midst  of  his  enemies,  Ps.  ex.  1,  2. 

The  elect  are  built  upon  a  rock  in  the  sea  of  this 
world  :  all  the  men  of  war  that  assault  it  shall  dash 
themselves  in  the  end  against  this  rock ;  so  Solomon, 
Prov.  xi.  8,  '  The  righteous  escapeth  out  of  trouble, 
and  the  wicked  cometh  in  his  stead.'  And  again  he 
saith,  Prov.  xxi.  18,  '  The  wicked  shall  be  a  ransom 
for  the  righteous,  and  the  transgressor  for  the  up- 
right.' The  reason  of  this  is  the  equal  law  of  God's 
justice  before  mentioned,  that  as  it  hath  been  done  by 
them,  so  it  may  be  done  to  them,  and  that  their  re- 
ward may  fall  upon  them.  '  For  he  will  avenge  the 
blood  of  his  servants,'  and  yield  vengeance  to  his 
adversaries,  but  he  will  be  favourable  to  his  own  land, 
and  be  merciful  to  his  own  people,  Deut.  xxxi.  43. 


76 


MAEBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver,  18-20. 


Even  this  also  must  pass  for  a  further  degree  of  his 
love,  to  overthrow  the  enemies  of  Israel  by  Israel ;  for 
not  only  this  prophet,  but  Balaam  foretold  it ;  even 
this  particular  :  Num.  xxiv.  18,  19,  '  Seir  shall  be  a 
possession  for  his  enemies,  and  Israel  shall  do  vali- 
antly. Out  of  Jacob  shall  he  come  that  shall  have 
dominion,  and  shall  destroy  him  that  remaineth  of 
that  city.'  In  Amos  God  saith,  chap.  i.  12,  '  I  will 
send  fire  upon  Teman,  which  shall  devour  the  palaces 
of  Bozrah.'  Here  Obadiah  sheweth  what  fire  Amos 
meaneth :  the  house  of  Jacob  shall  be  that  fire,  and 
the  house  of  Joseph  that  flame.  Both  expounded  in 
plain  terms  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel :  Ezek.  xxv.  14, 
'  I  will  lay  my  vengeance  upon  Edom  by  the  hand  of 
my  people  Israel,  and  they  shall  do  in  Edom  according 
to  mine  anger,  and  according  to  my  fury  ;  and  they 
shall  know  my  vengeance,  saith  the  Lord.' 

And  what  God  threateneth  the  temporal  and  carnal 
enemies  of  his  church,  the  same  hath  he  also  threat- 
ened to  the  spiritual  enemies  thereof:  Rom.  xvi.  20, 
'  The  God  of  peace  shall  tread  Satan  under  your  feet 
shortly.'  It  had  been  enough  for  us  if  God  had 
trodden  him  under  his  own  feet,  but  God  will  cover 
his  enemies  with  shame  and  grief  as  well  as  smart  and 
pain. 

All  the  elect  have  their  part  in  this  victory  of  the 
world,  for  he  that  overcometh  hath  this  promise.  Rev. 
ii.  26,  *  Such  shall  have  power  over  nations,  so  that 
they  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  as  the 
vessels  of  a  potter  they  shall  be  broken.'  Which  pro- 
mise doth  assure  the  church,  that  although  here  her 
enemies  prevail  against  her,  yet  her  spouse,  whose 
power  shall  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority  and 
power,  shall  conquer  for  her,  and  she,  united  to  him 
by  her  faith,  shall  by  faith  overcome  all. 

This  admonisheth  us, 

1.  Not  to  be  troubled  at  the  power  and 'prevailings 
of  the  enemies  of  God's  church,  though  we  see  and 
hear  evil  news  daily  that  toucheth  us  to  the  quick,  and 
all  them  that  love  the  peace  of  this  land,  and  the 
liberty  of  the  gospel ;  for  the  church  of  God  and  the 
patrons  of  his  truth  are  under  the  banner  of  God's 
love,  and  their  latter  end  must  be  peace ;  let  us  by 
daily  prayers  commend  them  to  the  tutelary  protec- 
tion of  God,  and  let  him  hear  vocem  fidei,  the  voice 
of  faith,  of  those  that  fight  his  battles ;  and  vocem 
sanguinis,  the  voice  of  blood,  of  those  that  die  in  his 
quarrel. 

2.  It  furnisheth  us  with  patience  to  tarry  the  good 


pleasure  of  God,  for  when  he  shall  arise,  his  enemies 
shall  be  scattered,  and  they  that  hate  him  shall  fall 
before  him.  He  hath  promised  his  church  victory,  and 
he  will  not  suffer  his  truth  to  fail.  Excellently  is  this 
comfort  expressed  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  xxx. 
18-20,  *  And  therefore  will  the  Lord  wait,  that  he  may 
be  gracious  unto  you ;  and  therefore  will  he  be  exalted, 
that  he  may  have  mercy  upon  you  :  for  the  Lord  is  a 
God  of  judgment :  blessed  are  all  they  that  wait  for 
him.  For  the  people  shall  dwell  in  Sion  at  Jerusalem  ; 
thou  shalt  weep  no  more  :  he  will  be  very  gracious 
unto  thee  at  the  voice  of  thy  cry  ;  when  he  shall  hear 
it,  he  will  answer  thee.  And  though  the  Lord  give 
you  the  bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of  affliction, 
yet  shall  not  thy  teachers  be  removed  into  a  comer 
any  more,  but  thine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers.' 

3.  The  assurance  which  the  church  of  God  hath  in 
all  this :  '  The  Lord  hath  spoken  it.' 

They  build  sure  that  build  upon  the  word  of  God ; 
for  heaven  and  earth  shall  fail  and  perish,  but  no  word 
of  God  shall  be  unfulfilled.  '  Ye  have  a  sure  word,' 
saith  the  apostle,  for  God  hath  magnified  his  name 
and  his  word  above  all  things  :  '  This  is  my  comfort 
in  mine  afflictions  ;  thy  word  hath  quickened  me,' 
Ps.  cxix.  50.  '  Remember  thy  word  unto  thy  servant, 
upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.' 

The  best  faith  hath  many  fears  and  terrors  joined 
with  it  to  shake  it,  and  the  faithful  do  sometimes  want 
the  feeling  of  the  favour  of  God.  We  are  directed  here, 
like  wise  men,  to  let  rather  our  understanding,  spiritu- 
ally enlightened,  than  informed  by  sense,  govern  us. 
The  natural  man's  understanding  is  wholly  led  and 
instructed  by  the  outward  senses,  and  as  they  suggest, 
that  apprehends  ;  when  the  sense  feeleth  pain,  the 
understanding  apprehends  cause  of  fear  and  grief,  and 
stirreth  the  affections  that  way.  But  the  spiritual 
man  doth  not  value  God's  love  by  what  the  sense 
feeleth,  but  by  that  which  the  word  of  God  suggesteth. 
In  pain,  the  flesh  smarteth,  the  sense  complaineth,  and 
Satan  saith,  God  hath  forsaken  thee  ;  but  the  spiritual 
man  saith.  No,  for  God's  word  saith,  '  I  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee.'  Therefore,  in  all  afflic- 
tions, the  soul  of  man  hath  no  better  remedy  than  to 
resort  to  the  word.  '  Thou  art  my  hiding-place  and 
my  shield  ;  I  hope  in  thy  word  :'  this  is  the  pool  of 
healing  waters,  God's  Bcthcsda  for  all  infirmities  ;  and 
he  hath  sent  his  angels,  his  ministers,  to  stir  these 
waters,  by  exposition  of  the  word,  exhortation,  and 
consolation,  to  heal  the  diseases  of  his  saints. 


Ver.  21.] 


MARBURY  OX  OBADIAH, 


Yer.  21.  And  saviours  shall  come  up  on  mount  Stan 
to  judge  the  mount  of  Esau  ;  and  the  kingdom  shall  be 
the  Lord's. 

3.  The  means  ordained  for  the  performance  of  all 
this.     Vid.  divis.  supr.  p.  70. 

Mount  Sion  here  doth  signify  the  whole  church  of 
God  in  the  two  houses  of  Jacob  and  Joseph,  as  they 
are  before  distinguished  ;  that  is,  the  two  kingdoms  of 
Judah  and  Israel,  as  they  were  divided  under  Reho- 
boam  ;  for  mount  Sion  was  at  first  caput  imperii,  the 
head  of  the  empire.  The  saviours  here  mentioned  are 
those  that  God  employed  for  the  re-establishment  of 
the  state  of  his  church  ;  and  that 

Either  in  the  procuration  thereof, 

Or  in  the  execution  of  the  same.- 

First,  In  the  procuration. 

1.  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  had  the  honour  of  the 
means  of  this  favour  ;  for  God  stirred  up  the  spirit  of 
Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  and  he  confessed  that  God,  the 
Lord  of  heaven,  gave  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth,  and  charged  him  to  build  him  an  house  at 
Jerusalem  which  is  in  Judah,  and  therefore  by  procla- 
mation he  gave  a  large  commission  to  this  purpose, 
Ezra  i.  1,  &c. 

2.  The  chief  fathers  of  Judah  and  Benjamin  had 
the  same  motion  from  God  to  undertake  this  design, 
ver.  5.  But  Artaxerxes,  by  a  contrary  edict,  made  this 
work  to  be  given  over,  chap.  iv.  17. 

3.  Then  God,  by  the  prophecy  of  Haggai,  stirred 
up  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua  the  son  of  Jozedek  to 
attempt  the  work.  This  also  was  opposed,  and  Darius, 
then  king  of  Persia,  was  solicited  against  the  Jews  to 
hinder  their  building  so. 

4.  Darius  came  in  as  a  saviour  to  help  the  people, 
and  confirmed  the  decree  of  Cyrus,  according  to  that 
he  found  in  the  rolls,  chap.  vi. ;  and  the  work  went 
on,  and  the  house  of  God  was  finished  and  dedi- 
cated. 

5.  Ezra  moved  Artaxerxes  and  prevailed,  for  a  full 
grant  both  for  the  return  of  the  people  out  of  captivity, 
and  for  the  re-estabUshment  of  the  worship  of  God  at 
Jerusalem. 

6.  Nehemiah  moveth  Artaxerxes,  for  the  building 
again  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem ;  he  prevaileth,  and  they 
go  to  work,  and  their  enemies,  who  by  scornful  speeches 
and  violent  opposings  hindered  their  building,  lost 
their  labour,  Neh.  ii.  These  be  the  saviours,  who  by 
procuration  did  advance  this  work  of  God  in  his 
church. 


2.  By  execution,  all  these  concurred. 

1.  Cyrus  gave  leave  and  means  ;  so  did  Artaxerxes 
and  Darius,  restoring  them  the  treasures  of  the  temple 
which  Nebuchadnezzar  had  taken  away,  and  arming 
them  with  full  commission  for  all  the  helps  that 
might  advance  that  work. 

2.  The  prophets  of  the  Lord  encouraged  the  work, 
and  Ezra  the  scribe  prayed  and  wept,  and  mediated 
with  the  kings. 

3.  Zerubbabel,  Nehemiah,  and  Joshua,  and  the 
chief  fathers  of  the  people,  laboui*ed  to  hasten  the 
execution  of  that  work  ;  and  for  this  all  these  are 
called  here  saviours,  because  God  used  them  as  his 
instruments  in  his  preservation  of  his  church,  giving 
them  the  honour  of  his  own  proper  appellation ;  for  in 
the  fitness  of  the  word,  and  in  the  fulness  of  sense, 
God  only  is  properly,  and  by  peculiar  prerogative, 
capable  of  that  great  title,  as  himself  hath  laid  claim 
to  it.  Isa.  xliii.  11,  'I,  even  I,  and  there  is  no 
saviour  besides  me.'  And  he  gave  this  title  to  his 
Son,  Hosea  xiii.  -4,  who  '  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God ;'  for  '  he  shall  save  his  people.' 

These  saviours  shall  come  upon  mount  Sion  to 
judge  the  mount  of  Esau. 

By  the  mount  of  Esau,  Edom,  or  the  Idumieans, 
the  posterity  of  Esau  is  understood  throughout  this 
prophecy ;  that  people  who,  as  you  heard,  dealt  so 
cruelly  with  their  brother  Jacob  in  his  posterity. 

To  'judge  this  people,'  is  to  execute  those  judg- 
ments upon  them  which  God  hath  in  this  prophecy 
threatened,  and  elsewhere,  as  you  have  heard  from 
other  prophets,  especially  that  of  Balaam  and  of 
Ezekiel,  for  God  spoiled  Edom  by  his  people  whom 
they  preserved. 

And  the  kingdom^  shall  be  the  Lord's;  that  is,  God 
will  declare  himself  to  be  king  in  the  government  and 
protection  of  his  church,  and  in  the  victorious  conquest 
of  the  enemies  thereof ;  he  will  settle  his  church  and 
worship  at  Jerusalem  as  in  former  times ;  for  then  is 
God  said  to  have  the  kingdom,  when  his  word  is  a  law 
to  his  people,  to  rule  them,  and  when  the  people  live 
in  the  obedience  and  awe  thereof.  As  appeareth  per- 
formed by  them  of  the  return  from  the  captivity,  who 
made  a  covenant  with  God,  and  sealed  the  same.  For 
we  read,  Neh.  ix.  18,  that  the  chUdren  of  Israel  did 
assemble  themselves  with  fasting  and  sackcloth,  and 
earth  upon  them  :  '  They  stood  up  in  their  place,  and 
read  in  the  book  of  the  law  of  the  Lord  their  God  one 
fourth  part  of  the  day ;  and  another  fourth  part  of  the 


78 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  21. 


day  they  confessed,  and  worshipped  the  Lord  their 
God.' 

Note  here  how  hearing  and  worshipping  are  distin- 
guished ;  they  do  hear  first,  and  thereby  they  learn  to 
worship. 

Then  foUoweth  their  commemoration  of  the  great 
mercies  of  God  to  their  fathers,  which  David  calleth 
God's  mercies  of  old,  and  his  former  mercies ;  they 
do  also,  to  the  praise  of  this  mercy,  confess  the  trans- 
gressions of  their  fathers.  Then  they  confess  their 
own  sins  for  which  they  were  carried  away  captive, 
they  acknowledge  the  just  judgment  of  God  upon  them. 
And  now,  being  restored  again  to  their  possessions,  they 
make  a  sure  covenant  with  God :  chap.  x.  29,  '  They 
entered  into  a  curse,  and  into  an  oath,  to  walk  in 
God's  law,  which  was  given  by  Moses,  the  servant  of 
God,  and  to  observe  and  do  all  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  and  his  judgment  and  statutes.' 

In  particular,  they  vowed  not  to  give  nor  take 
daughters  to  wife  with  strangers,  which  I  understand 
to  be  in  respect  of  the  difference  of  religion,  because 
there  can  be  no  good  marriage  between  believers  and 
infidels,  between  the  sons  of  God  and  the  daughters  of 
men,  between  the  sons  of  God  and  the  daughters  of 
Belial,  that  was  the  same  that  first  corrupted  the  old 
world,  and  at  last  followed  the  flood ;  God  is  not  ac- 
knowledged king  where  such  marriages  are. 

2.  For  observation  of  the  Lord's  Sabbath :  they 
covenanted  to  keep  it  strictly,  and  not  to  buy  anything 
of  the  people  of  the  land  on  that  day ;  for  where  the 
Sabbath  is  not  kept,  there  God  is  not  acknowledged 
king. 

3.  For  forgiving  of  debts  every  seventh  year :  which 
was  a  judicial  constitution,  and  did  only  bind  them ; 
yet  the  equity  of  that  constitution  remaineth  in  the 
churcb,  that  men  should  lend  freely  ;  and  where  there 
is  no  ability  of  repayment,  extremity  must^not  be  used, 
if  God  be  our  king. 

4.  They  charged  themselves  yearly  every  man  with 
the  third  part  of  a  shekel  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
service  of  the  house  of  God ;  for  God  is  denied  his 
kingdom  there  where  his  holy  worship  hath  not  fit 
maintenance  to  support  it  from  every  person  according 
to  his  ability ;  for  they  conclude,  ver.  39,  *  We  will  not 
forsake  the  house  of  our  God.' 

And  this  they  vowed  to  perform, 

1.  In  the  maintenance  of  the  material  temple. 

2.  In  the  just  provision  for  the  offerings  of  all  sorts 
to  be  made  unto  God  there. 


3.  In  the  true  payment  of  tithes  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  Levites  that  served  at  the  altar. 

This  was  the  sum  of  the  covenant  which  the  people 
made  with  God,  and  bound  themselves  by  a  vow,  with 
a  curse,  to  observe  it,  as  the  apostle  saith,  taking  God 
to  record  against  their  souls,  if  they  observed  it  not, 
that  the  curse  of  God  might  come  upon  them.  And 
they  sealed  this  covenant  to  bind  themselves  the  more ; 
yet  was  all  this  no  more  than  they  were  bound  before 
to  do  by  the  law  of  God ;  yet  they  vow,  to  make  the 
bond  greater. 

This  is  the  literal  and  historical  exposition  of  these 
words.  The  learned  interpreters  of  this  prophecy  have 
well  conceived  that  this  prophet,  this  seer,  did  look 
further  into  the  purpose  of  God  for  his  church ;  and 
they  say  that  mount  Sion  doth  here  also  signify  the 
whole  church  of  God  all  the  world  over. 

St  Augustine  *  understandeth  by  mount  Sion  the 
church  of  the  Jews,  and  by  Edom  the  church  of  the 
Gentiles  ;  and  meeting  with  an  ill  translation,  and  not 
understanding  well  the  original,  he  perverteth  the 
meaning  of  the  prophet,  as  if  the  salvation  of  God 
should  go  out  of  Sion  to  the  Edomites,  whereas  there 
is  a  plain  prophecy  of  judgment  against  Edom  in  par- 
ticular. And  therefore  Edom,  whom  God  did  threaten 
to  destroy  utterly  in  this  prophecy,  cannot  be  a  figure 
of  that  part  of  the  church  which  was  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  to  be  gathered  together  out  of  the 
Gentiles. 

Lyranus  gives  another  exposition ;  for  by  Sion  he 
understandeth  Jerusalem;  by  the  saviours  he  under- 
standeth St  Peter  and  St  Paul,  and  the  chief  of  the 
apostles,  as  he  calleth  them ;  by  the  mount  of  Esau 
he  understandeth  Rome ;  and  by  judging  the  mount 
of  Esau,  he  understandeth  their  application  to  Con- 
stantine,  the  first  Christian  emperor,  who  settled 
Christianity  in  the  Roman  empire.  And  by  the  king- 
dom which  shall  be  the  Lord's,  he  understandeth  that 
Rome  shall  be  head  of  the  church ;  for  that  point  of 
learning  they  can  collect  fx'om  all  texts,  to  make  the 
church  of  Rome  the  only  true  church  ! 

I  like  nothing  in  that  exposition  but  his  resemblance 
of  Rome  to  Esau,  for  that  doth  fit  most  properly ;  for 
they  are  the  persecutors  of  Jacob,  even  of  all  true  wor- 
shippers. And  God  hath  promised  them  a  destruc- 
tion :  '  The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.' 

Master  Calvin  hath  a  learned  observation  upon  this 
place ;  for  understanding  it  of  the  state  of  the  church 
•  De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  xviii.  31. 


Ver.  21.] 


ilARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


nnder  the  gospel,  lie  saith,  that  these  saviours  here 
spoken  of  are  but  ministerial,  and  so  this  place  pointeth 
out  the  Messiah,  to  whom  these  saviours  are  sub- 
ordinate. For  the  expected  Messiah  is  such  a  one  as 
by  whom  all  the  other  saviours  are  sent,  and  for  whom 
all  others  work,  whom  all  others  do  serve  and  observe. 
And  this  is  the  extent  of  this  prophecy  in  the  judg- 
ment of  M.  Calvin,  Junius,  and  Arias  Mootanus,  that 
Christ  shall  leave  in  his  church  his  apostles  and 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  shew  unto  men  the  way  of 
salvation,  in  such  sort  as  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
shall  be  advanced  in  the  church,  God  ruling  by  his 
word. 

Others  by  saviours  on  mount  Sion  judging  the 
mount  of  Esau,  understand  the  last  ^d  final  judg- 
ment, wherein  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world,  and 
then  the  kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's ;  of  which  St 
Paul  saith,  '  He  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  to  God, 
even  the  Father,  when  he  hath  put  down  all  rule,  and 
all  authority,  and  power.' 

I  like  those  expositions  that  take  the  wings  of  a  dove, 
and  fly  to  the  uttermost  part  of  the  text,  et  iwn  relin- 
quit  locum ;  surely  this  is  God's  promise  to  the  church, 
that  it  shall  judge  the  world. 

The  parts  of  the  text  are  three  : 

1.  A  gracious  promise  to  mount  Sion  concerning 
itself :  servatores,  '  saviours.' 

2.  A  further  promise  concerning  their  enemies : 
judicahunt  montem  Esau,  '  shall  judge  the  mount  of 
Esau.' 

3.  The  issue  and  effect  of  both :  et  regnum  erit 
Jehova,  '  the  kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's.' 

Doct.  1.  Saviours  shall  come  upon  mount  Sion. 

This  gracious  promise  revealeth  to  us  a  comfortable 
and  cheerful  doctrine,  that  God,  howsoever  he  punish- 
eth,  yet  he  still  loveth  his  people. 

Which  is  thus  proved  : 

1.  Because  God  doth  not  look  downwards  upon  his 
people  to  see  what  they  do  deserve,  but  he  looketh 
upward  to  the  decree  of  his  own  election,  and  the 
counsel  of  his  will.  If  God  should  look  downwards 
toward  men,  even  to  his  elect,  who  could  stand  in  his 
sight  •?  He  looketh  with  pure  eyes,  and  he  found  im- 
perfection in  his  angels.  Moses  hath  cleared  this  point 
to  this  people  of  Israel :  Deut.  vii.  5-7,  '  For  thou 
art  an  holy  people  to  the  Lord  thy  God ;  the  Lord 
thy  God  hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  special  people  to 
himself,  above  all  people  that  are  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth.     The  Lord  did  not  set  his  love  upon  you,  nor 


choose  you,  because  you  were  more  in  number  than 
any  people,  for  ye  were  the  fewest  of  all  the  people, 
but  because  the  Lord  loved  you.'  From  this  foun- 
tain of  his  love  did  flow  all  those  streams  that  made  glad 
the  city  of  the  great  king ;  as  Ps.  cv.  12,  '  Albeit 
they  were  few  in  number ;  yea,  very  few,  and  stran- 
gers in  the  land ;  and  walked  about  from  nation  to 
nation,  from  one  kingdom  to  another  people ;  yet  suf- 
fered he  no  man  to  do  them  harm,  but  reproved 
even  kings  for  their  sakes  ;  saying,  Touch  not  mine 
anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm.' 

Therefore,  let  all  afflicted  consciences,  which  are 
overcharged  with  the  burden  of  their  sins,  '  look  up 
to  these  hills,  from  whence  their  help  cometh ; '  let 
them,  as  Christ  biddeth,  'lift  up  their  heads.'  Let 
them  chide  themselves  as  David  did  :  Ps.  xHii.  5, 
'  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  0  my  soul "? '  The  remedy 
is,  '  Hope  in  God ;  he  is  the  health  of  my  countenance, 
and  my  God.' 

Faith  and  fear  work  together.  Faith  doth  take  up 
the  decree  of  election,  and  the  just  is  bold  as  a  Hon ; 
fear  looketh  down  upon  the  corruptions  of  nature  and 
propension  to  sin,  and  trembleth  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God ;  and  the  more  we  fear,  the  faster  hold 
we  lay,  and  the  surer  we  tread  on  the  steps  of  that 
ladder  by  which  we  scale  heaven.  Thereupon  doth 
the  apostle  give  this  precept,  '  Make  your  calling  and 
election  sure ; '  that  is,  having  a  strong  faith  of  these. 
And  then  the  many  failings  in  your  obedience,  your 
lapses  and  relapses  into  sin,  may  breed  your  grief, 
they  cannot  bring  forth  despair. 

2.  The  decree  of  God  is  a  secret,  and  peradventure 
Satan  will  suggest  that  thou  art  not  within  this  decree. 

Therefore  God  hath  revealed  his  decree  to  his  church, 
and  sealed  it  with  gracious  promises,  for  so  Moses 
saith  to  Israel :  Deut.  vii.  8,  '  Because  he  would  keep 
the  word  which  he  had  sworn  unto  your  fathers.' 

This  oath,  as  we  do  learn  from  old  Zacharias  in  his 
Benedictus,  hath  two  branches :  one  concerning  God, 
another  concerning  his  people :  Luke  i.  73,  '  The 
oath  which  he  swore  to  our  father  Abraham,  that  he 
would  give  unto  us,  that  we,  being  delivered  from  the 
hands  of  our  enemies,  might  serve  him  without  fear,' 
&c. 

(1.)  God  bindeth  himself  by  his  oath,  to  deliver 
his  church  from  their  enemies. 

(2.)  The  same  oath  bindeth  him  to  the  procuration 
of  his  own  service  for  us ;  for  only  he  must  grant  ut 
serviamus,  that  we  may  serve ;  by  him  we  are  Uberati, 


80 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  21 


delivered,  for  we  cannot  think  a  good  thought  without 
him.  In  him  we  Uve  and  move ;  and  Christ  saith, 
Sine  me  nihil  potestis facere,  'without  me  you  can  do 
nothing.' 

This  promise  of  God  to  his  church  he  hath  sealed, 
by  giving  "to  us  the  Spirit  of  promise  ;  which  Spirit  he 
hath  deposited  in  his  church,  to  abide  with  it  for  ever ; 
and  he  hath  given  to  all  the  elect  of  God  his  Spirit, 
the  earnest  of  this  covenant.  This  Spirit  serveth  for  a 
light  in  us,  to  discern  our  salvation  afar  oflf,  for  a  wit- 
ness to  testify  to  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  sons  of 
God  ;  and  God  is  faithful,  he  will  not  suffer  his  truth 
to  fail. 

This  also  doth  settle  the  faith  of  the  elect  in  all  the 
tribulations  of  life.  I  am  the  son  or  daughter  of  God ; 
I  know  it  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  me,  which 
leadeth  my  understanding  into  the  way  of  truth,  which 
converteth  my  affections,  and  frameth  them  to  his 
love,  which  directeth  my  ways,  and  ordereth  them  to 
his  obedience.  This  Spirit  doth  teach  me  to  lay  hold 
on  the  promises  of  grace,  and  to  challenge  my  part  in 
them ;  these  promises  do  lift  me  up  as  high  as  to  the 
decree  of  my  election,  and  therefore  I  will  not  fear. 

David  goeth  farther  :  '  I  am  thine,  0  save  me.' 
For  the  interest  that  we  have  in  the  love  of  God,  doth 
send  us  to  him  for  salvation. 

Doct.  2.  Though  God  love  his  people,  and  have  all 
power  in  his  hand  to  save  them,  yet  he  doth  use 
means,  and  raiseth  up  out  of  themselves  saviours. 

The  providence  of  God  worketh  by  means,  even 
from  amongst  ourselves,  to  effect  our  preservation. 

1.  Because  his  immediate  operations  are  full  of 
terror,  and  therefore  we  cannot  so  well  endure  them  ; 
therefore  the  people  prayed  Moses  to  speak  to  them, 
and  desired  that  God  might  speak  no  more  to  them. 
The  angel  that  brought  word  to  Mary,  that  she  should 
conceive  a  son  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  began  his  message 
with  *  Fear  not.'  The  angel  that  proclaimed  the  birth 
of  Christ  to  the  shepherds,  said  to  them,  '  Fear  not.' 
We  have  so  much  cause  to  fear  in  respect  of  our  own 
unworthiness,  that  if  God  did  not  abate  somewhat  of 
the  splendour  of  his  glorious  majesty,  by  the  employ- 
ment of  means  familiar  to  us,  we  could  not  abide  it. 

2.  God  using  weak  means  to  effect  his  will,  doth 
magnify  his  own  strength  ;  for  '  his  strength  is  made 
perfect  through  weakness,'  whereby  we  are  taught, 

1.  To  content  ourselves  with  the  means,  in  the 
wisdom  of  God  ordained  for  our  preservation,  not  ex- 
pecting  miraculous    and   extraordinary   subventions. 


The  rich  man's  brethren,  Luke  xvi.  27,  &c.,  shall  not 
have  a  preacher  come  to  them  from  the  dead,  to  give 
them  warning  that  they  come  not  to  that  place  of  tor- 
ment where  their  brother  is  :  '  They  have  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  let  them  hear  them.'  God,  that  sent  his 
Spirit  on  the  apostles,  could  have  done  so  upon  the 
whole  church ;  and  when  the  eunuch  was  reading 
Isaiah  in  his  chariot,  he  could  have  opened  his  under- 
standing to  have  known  what  he  had  read,  but  he 
chose  rather  to  use  the  ministry  of  an  apostle  ;  and 
therefore  he  commanded  Philip  to  join  himself  to  that 
chariot,  and  by  him  he  taught  and  baptized  the 
eunuch.  So  was  Cornelius  directed  to  Peter,  Acts 
X.  16,  to  be  taught  by  him  what  he  ought  to  do. 
And  to  the  apostles  Christ  saith,  Luke  x.  16,  Qui  vos 
audit,  me  audit,  '  he  that  heareth  you  heareth  me.' 

2.  This  teacheth  us,  looking  on  the  weak  means 
which  God  ordaineth  for  the  good  of  his  church,  not 
to  rest  in  them,  but  beyond  them  to  look  to  that  high 
wisdom  and  power  by  which  those  means  are  enabled, 
for  the  church  of  Rome  hath  overshot  that  way. 

John,  when  an  angel  talked  with  him,  was  ready  to 
worship  him ;  we  are  naturally  prone  to  give  undue 
honour  to  the  means,  because  we  are  more  led  by 
sense  than  by  faith.  But  the  faithful  must  walk  by 
faith,  not  by  sight ;  from  this  sensual  and  carnal  eye 
upon  the  means,  the  honour  of  God  is  given  in  the 
church  of  Rome  to  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  to  angels, 
to  saints ;  yea,  to  very  images  and  pictures,  and  so 
idolatry  is  committed.  Therefore  Peter  and  John, 
afte*r  they  had  raised  the  cripple  that  lay  at  the  porch 
of  the  temple,  finding  the  people  amazed,  and  fearing 
lest  any  carnal  opinion  might  wrong  the  glory  of  God, 
prevented  any  undue  ascriptions  to  themselves,  and  di- 
rected them  where  to  fasten  them  :  Acts  iii.  12,  *  Ye 
men  and  brethren,  why  marvel  ye  at  this  ?  or  why 
look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as  though,  by  our  own 
power  or  holiness,  we  had  made  that  man  walk  ? '  He 
attributeth  this  work  to  Jesus  :  ver.  16,  '  His  name, 
through  faith  in  his  name,  hath  made  this  man  strong.' 
Doct.  8.  We  are  taught  to  give  honour  to  all  the 
means  of  God,  ordained  and  used  for  our  good.  You 
see  that  God  himself  doth  so ;  for  although  none  but 
God  is  properly  a  Saviour,  yet  he  hath  given  the 
honour  of  tbat  great  attribute  to  the  means  of  his 
people's  safety,  and  calleth  them  here  by  the  name  of 
saviours. 

This  title  he  giveth  to  those  temporal  deHvercrs, 
who  saved  Israel  from  the  hands  of  their  enemies.    So 


Ver  21.] 


MAEBUKY  OX  OBADIAH. 


81 


Othniel  is  called  a  saviour,  Judges  iii.  9,  and  Ehud 
hath  the  same  title,  ver.  15.  And  Joshua  was  a 
saviour,  he  had  even  the  name  of  Christ,  of  whom  he 
was  a  type.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  this 
high  title  also  given  to  them.  St  Paul  to  Timothy  : 
'  So  doing,  thou  shalt  save  thyself,  and  those  that 
hear  thee.'  St  James  :  *  If  any  man  err  from  the 
truth,  and  another  convert  him,  let  him  know  that 
he  shall  save  a  soul  from  death.'  So  the  layman  may 
be  a  saviour  too.  St  Jude,  directing  his  epistle  to  all 
at  large  that  are  sanctified  by  God  the  Father,  and  pre- 
served in  Jesus  Christ,  and  called,  admonisheth  them. 

1.  To  *  build  up  themselves  in  the  most  holy  faith, 
praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,'  &c. 

2.  'And  of  some  have  compassion,  making  a  differ- 
ence ;  and  others  save  with  fear,  pulling  them  out  of 
the  fire.'  Also  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  vii.  14,  'The 
unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the 
unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  husband.'  So 
Christ  to  his  apostles,  '"VMiosoever  sins  ye  remit,  they 
are  remitted.' 

We  do  all  know  that  all  those  be  but  the  means  by 
which  God  worketh,  and  yet  they  are  graced  with  the 
attributes  and  effect  of  him  that  useth  them. 

At  this  day  God  hath  left  no  other  outward  means 
of  salvation  but  by  our  ministry  ;  if  we  be  not  your 
saviours,  you  cannot  be  saved.  He  that  employeth  us 
in  this  great  service,  and  honoureth  us  with  his  own 
title,  will  both  see  and  avenge  the  contempt  of  his 
messengers. 

The  eye  of  the  world  is  too  much  fixed  on  the 
earthen  vessels,  and  regard eth  little  the  treasure  that 
is  sent  therein.  God's  own  people  did  offend  that 
way,  in  neglect  of  God's  prophets,  who  were  sent 
from  God  to  them ;  and  it  lay  heavy  upon  their  con- 
sciences, and  they  felt  the  sorrow  and  smart  of  it 
upon  themselves  and  their  children. 

Ezra  prayeth  and  confesseth,  chap.  ix.  10,  11,  'We 
have  forsaken  thy  commandments,  which  thou  hast 
commanded  by  thy  servants  the  prophets.'  Daniel 
prayeth  and  confesseth,  chap.  ix.  6,  10,  'Neither  have 
we  hearkened  to  thy  servants  the  prophets,  which 
spake  in  thy  name.' 

The  great  preserver  of  men  useth  the  ministry  of 
men  for  the  salvation  of  his  people.  To  us  hath  God 
committed  the  ministry  of  reconciliation,  as  if  God 
by  us  did  speak  to  his  church. 

Your  faith  is  begun  in  you  by  our  ministry,  and  we 
exhort  you  to  increase  more  and  more,  as  you  have 


received  of  us  how  you  ought  to  walk  and  to  please 
God,  therefore  *  despise  not  prophesying.'  The  Gre- 
cians in  St  Paul's  time  called  preaching  foolishness, 
but  he  saith  that  God,  by  this  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing, saveth  such  as  do  believe. 

The  reason  why  God  giveth  this  honour  to  the  means 
by  which  he  worketh  any  good  to  his  church,  is  to  in- 
struct us  by  his  example  to  do  the  like,  for  thus  it 
must  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  will  honour. 

Haman  thought  these  five  things  necessary  to  ex- 
press the  honour  of  a  king  done  to  a  servant  that 
he  delighted  in : — 

1.  That  he  be  clothed  in  royal  apparel,  such  as 
the  king  useth  to  wear. 

2.  That  he  be  set  on  the  horse  that  the  king 
rideth  on. 

3.  That  the  crown  royal  be  set  upon  his  head. 

4.  That  this  be  done  to  him  by  one  of  the  king's 
most  noble  princes. 

5.  That  he  proclaim  before  him  that  he  is  one 
whom  the  king  will  honour. 

The  apostles  and  their  successors  have  all  this 
honour  done  to  them. 

1.  That  apparel  which  the  king  useth  to  wear  is 
put  upon  them,  for  he  giveth  them  his  own  attri- 
butes :  he  caUeth  them  teachers  and  pastors,  and  sa- 
viours of  his  church. 

2.  He  setteth  them  upon  his  own  horse,  for  they 
ride  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind.  The  wind  is  the 
Holy  Ghost.  AI(e  Spiritus,  the  wings  of  the  Spirit,  by 
which  it  flieth  over  the  church,  be  the  two  Testa- 
ments, which  holy  men  wrote  as  they  were  inspired. 
They  '  ride  prosperously,  because  of  truth,  meekness, 
and  righteousness,'  Ps.  xlv.  4.  Propter  veritatem 
quam  predicant,  propter  mansuetudinetn  qua  prcedi- 
cant,  propter  justitiam  quam  par turiunt. 

3.  Thirdly,  the  king's  crown  is  set  upon  their 
heads,  for  the  people  of  God  whom  they  teach  and 
convert  are  their  crown :  1  Thes.  ii.  19,  *  For  what  is 
our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ?  Are  not  ye  in 
the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?' 

4.  This  is  put  upon  us  by  the  most  noble  of  all 
God's  princes,  even  the  Son  of  God  himself,  who 
sendeth  us  abroad  and  saith,  *  Go  unto  all  nations.' 

5.  He  proclaimeth  this,  Sicut  misit  rne  Pater,  sic 
ego  mitto  vos,  'As  the  Father  sent  me,  so  send  I 
you  ;'  not  only  sending  us  forth  to  do  his  work,  but 
in  some  measure  also  to  partake  of  his  honour,  as 
ambassadors  of  princes  are  received  and  esteemed 


F 


82 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  21. 


honourably  for  their  sakes  whom  they  represent. 
This  the  apostle  confessed  to  the  praise  of  the  Gala- 
tians,  that  they  '  received  him  as  an  angel  of  God, 
even  as  Christ  Jesus,'  Gal,  iv.  14. 

God  hath  left  no  other  saviours  upon  mount  Sion, 
his  church,  but  his  faithful  ministers  :  therefore, 

1.  We  are  taught  to  make  conscience  of  our  holy 
employment,  to  be  faithful  in  it,  that  neither  by  our 
negligence  in  preaching,  nor  by  unsound  doctrine, 
nor  by  our  evil  example,  we  become  destroyers  of  our 
brethren  ;  for  we  are  all  God's  ministers,  and  the  chap- 
lains of  Jesus  Christ,  who  will  call  us  to  severe  account 
of  the  talent  which  he  hath  committed  to  our  trust. 

2.  The  people  committed  to  our  pastoral  charge 
are  taught  where  to  seek  salvation,  and  from  whom 
to  require  light.  The  Colossians  may  call  upon 
Archippus  to  look  to  his  charge  ;  and  the  minister 
Archippus  may  call  upon  them  to  walk  in  the  light. 
Baying,  '  To  you  is  this  word  of  salvation  sent,'  be 
'  swift  to  hear ;'  again,  '  Take  heed  how  you  hear,' 
and  see  *  that  ye  be  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your 
own  souls.' 

Thank  God  that,  by  men  like  yourselves,  he  cor- 
rects the  hearers,  and  cometh  down  to  you,  and 
preacheth  to  you  the  way  of  salvation ;  and  howso- 
ever you  esteem  of  our  persons,  touch  not  our  call- 
ing, for  that  is  holy  and  heavenly. 

2.  To  judge  the  mount  of  Esau. 

This  part  of  the  promise  doth  concern  the  enemies 
of  God's  church  ;  and  seeing  those  saviours  shall  not 
only  have  employment  to  preserve  the  church,  but 
they  shall  also  have  power  of  judgment  to  destroy 
the  enemies  thereof,  we  are  taught, 

Doct.  That  the  enemies  of  the  church  shall  not 
always  prevail,  though  they  do  stand  it  out  long,  but 
the  church  of  God  at  the  last  shall  have  the  victory. 
The  blood  of  Abel  shall  judge  Cain,  for  it  crieth  unto 
God  out  of  the  earth  against  him  ;  and  Cain  shall 
smart  for  that  murder  whilst  he  liveth,  and  God  shall 
give  another  son  for  Abel,  whom  Cain  slew.  Israel 
is  a  full  example  ;  for  being  in  the  land  of  Eg}'pt,  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  they  had  a  promise  to  keep 
them  in  heart :  Acts  vii.  7,  *  And  the  nation  to  whom 
they  shall  be  in  bondage  I  will  judge,  saith  God  :  and 
after  that  they  shall  come  forth,  and  serve  me  in  this 
place.'  The  Jews,  by  reason  of  Haman's  plot  against 
them,  were  in  great  danger.  It  is  said,  Esther  iii.  15, 
*  The  king  and  Haman  sat  down  to  drink,  and  the 
city  of  Shushan  was  perplexed.'    But  God  turned  their 


mourning  into  a  feast ;  and  Haman  died  upon  his  own 
tree,  and  the  distressed  Jews  had  one  holiday  the 
more  for  that.  Sennacherib,  a  troubler  of  Israel,  died 
a  great  many  of  deaths ;  for  neither  could  the  privi- 
lege of  the  place,  the  temple  of  his  god,  nor  the 
service  that  he  came  to  do  there,  nor  the  god  of  the 
temple,  protect  him  from  death  ;  and  which  was  most 
fearful  and  grievous  to  him,  his  own  bowels  rebelled 
against  him,  and  they  to  whom  he  had  been  the  author 
of  life  were  the  ministers  of  his  death.  Adrammelech 
and  Sharezar,  his  sons,  slew  him  with  the  sword. 
For  you  have  heard,  that  though  'judgment  begin  at 
the  house  of  God,'  it  doth  not  end  there  ;'  so  David, 
'  Mark  the  godly,  and  behold  the  just ;  for  the  end  of 
that  man  is  peace,'  whatsoever  all  the  rest  of  his  life 
be  ;  and  we  truly  say,  Allis  well  that  ends  well. 

Christ  to  his  disciples.  Mat.  x.  16,  22,  «  Behold,  I 
send  you  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves,'  &c. :  '  but 
he  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved.' 

The  apostle  saith,  Rom.  viii.  87,  *  We  are  more 
than  conquerors.'  Conquerors  overcome  by  force  and 
strong  hand,  or  some  cunning  stratagem  ;  the  saints 
overcome  by  patience,  and  weary  their  persecutors 
with  their  sufferings  ;  for,  Vincit  qui  patitur. 

The  reason  of  this  happy  end  of  the  labours  and 
sorrows  of  the  church  is, 

1.  That  the  narrow  way  to  glory  may  be  frequented  ; 
for  who  would  put  himself  to  the  rugged  severity  of  a 
strict  life,  into  the  hatred  of  the  world,  to  make  him- 
self as  the  way  of  the  street  for  the  proud  to  go  over 
him,  if  he  d  d  not  persuade  himself  that  his  heaviness 
should  endure  but  for  a  night,  and  that  he  should 
have  joy  in  the  morning  ? 

No,  there  is  not  heaviness  all  night ;  for  the  ser- 
vants of  God  do  '  believe  to  see  the  goodness  of  God 
in  the  land  of  the  living.' 

And  this  is  that  same  carmen  in  node,  song  in  the 
night,  that  David  speaketh  of ;  laititia  in  tribulatione, 
joy  in  tribulation,  as  St  Augustine  doth  expound  it. 

And  thus  doth  God  comfort  the  church  often,  by 
taking  away  either  perfidious  and  unsound  friends, 
that  live  in  the  church  to  betray  it,  or  by  removing 
corrupt  and  bribing  retailers  of  preferments  in  church 
and  commonwealth,  or  by  committing*  of  cruel  and 
unmerciful  oppressions  of  their  brethren,  as  bad  as  the 
task-masters  of  Egypt,  to  lay  burdens  upon  them  to 
keep  them  down.    This  is  some  refreshing  to  the  church 

*  Qu.  '  by  removing  iLose  \kho  arc  guilty  of  committing  '? 
—Ed. 


Ver.  21.] 


MAEBURY  ON  OBADIAH. 


83 


of  God,  to  behold  this  just  hand  of  God  against  the 
ungodly  of  the  earth,  and  it  is  an  earnest  of  that 
purging  of  his  floor,  when  he  will  fan  away  the  wicked 
as  the  dust  and  chaff  of  the  earth  ;  for  when  the 
■wicked  perish,  there  is  joy. 

2.  Another  reason  is,  because  God  will  have  the 
enemies  of  his  church  know  that  their  power  is  bor- 
rowed ;  and  he  that  lent  it  to  them  can  resume  it  to 
himself,  and  extinguish  it  in  them  at  pleasure.  So 
Christ  told  Pilate  that  he  could  have  no  power  against 
him,  except  he  had  it  from  above  ;  whereupon  grows 
that  consolation  of  the  church,  '  Fear  not  them  that 
can  kill  the  body,  and  can  go  no  further.' 

The  wicked  are  compared,  in  respect  of  their 
tumultuous  rage,  and  the  manifold  scourges*  of  their 
wicked  attempts  against  the  church,  to  the  raging  of 
the  sea.  The  comparison  doth  hold  out  thus  far :  God 
hath  set  this  sea  bounds,  and  the  proud  waves  may 
come  thus  far,  and  no  further  ;  so  hath  God  limited 
the  fury  of  his  enemies,  and  set  them  their  won  ultra, 
no  further. 

The  use  which  the  church  maketh  of  this  experi- 
ment is, 

1.  It  taketh  away  fear  of  outward  enemies.  Fear 
of  man  is  a  dangerous  perturbation,  and  such  as  en- 
dangereth  faith,  against  which  Christ  giveth  his  dis. 
ciples  warning,  '  Let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled,  nor 
fear.'  -Quid  timet  Iwminem  homo  in  sinu  dei  positus  1 
Tu  de  illius  siuii  nan  cadere  potes ;  quicquid  ibi  passus 
fueris,  ad  salutem  valebit,  non  ad  pern  idem. ^ 

Scripture  setteth  forth  the  power  of  the  outward 
enemy  in  these  and  such  like  phrases  :  there  is  riiji- 
ti(S  leonis,  the  roaring  of  the  lion  ;  there  is  unguis 
leonis,  the  lion's  paw  ;  there  is  cornu  unicornium,  the 
horn  of  the  unicorns  ;  there  is  pes  superbia,  the  foot 
of  pride  ;  there  is  ocuhis  neguam,  an  evil  eye  ;  there 
is  manus  violenta,  a  violent  hand ;  and  iniquitas 
rnanuum,  the  iniquity  of  the  hands  ;  os  sepulchrum, 
the  mouth  an  open  sepulchre  ;  and  venenum  aspiduin 
sub  labiis,  the  poison  of  asps  under  the  lips.  *  The 
mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel ;  but  I  will  not  fear 
what  man  can  do  unto  me.' 

'  Multos  in  samma  pericula  misit 
Venturi  timor  ipse  mali ;  fortissimus  ille  est, 
Qui  promptus  metuenda  pati.' 

The  fear  of  evil  to  come  hath  endangered  many  ;  he  is 

the  most  valiant  that  is  ready  to  suffer  what  is  feared. 

*   Qu.  '  surges  '  ? — Ed.  f  Augustine. 


2.  It  trieth  our  faith.  Christ  said  to  Peter,  Cur 
times,  exigud  fide  praditus  ?  when  he  so  felt  himself 
sinking  in  the  waters  ;  God  promised,  *  I  will  not 
leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.'  Do  we  believe  him, 
dare  we  trust  him,  as  Christ  ?  *  Do  you  beUeve  in 
God  ?  believe  also  in  me.'  James  i.  2,  '  My  brethren,. 
count  it  all  joy  whenj^you  fall  into  divers  temptations-;: 
knowing  this,  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh- 
patience.  But  let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  that 
ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing.'  1 
Peter  i.  7,  '  That  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much 
more  precious  than  of  gold  which  perisheth,  though 
it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,* 
&c. 

3.  This  setteth  before  our  eyes  the  great  appear- 
ance that  our  enemies  shall  make  before  us,  either  in 
this  world,  when  our  eye  shall  have  our  desire  on  them 
that  hate  us,  or  in  the  last  day,  when  the  saints  shall 
judge  the  world  ;  which  serveth  to  admonish  us  with 
the  prophet,  to  '  commit  our  ways  to  the  Lord,  and 
to  trust  in  him,  for  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass.' 

Excellent  is  the  story  of  Elisha,  whom  the  king  of 
Syria  sent  an  army  to  take,  and  they  beset  Dothan, 
where  he  lodged  ;  but  Elisha  prayed,  and  God  smote 
the  whole  army  with  blindness,  and  he  whom  they 
sought  offered  himself  to  them  to  be  their  guide,  and 
he  brought  them  into  Samaria  ;  and  then  God  opened 
their  eyes,  and  they  saw  themselves  in  the  hand  and 
power  of  their  enemies.  Thus  doth  God  blind  the 
eyes  of  the  enemies  of  his  church,  and  when  their 
malice  is  at  the  height,  they  find  themselves  set  at 
the  bar  to  be  judged  by  his  saints  ;  then  Jacob  '  shall 
judge  the  mount  of  Esau.' 

Methinks  I  see  the  great  appearance  of  the  boiste- 
rous tyrants  of  the  earth,  whose  eyes  did  sparkle  fire 
in  the  faces  of  God's  servants,  whose  tongue  spake 
proud  words,  whose  foot  trode  upon  God's  saints, 
whose  hand  spared  them  not,  whose  countenance 
darted  against  them  scorn  and  disdain,  and  whose 
swords  were  made  drunk  in  the  blood  of  God's  holy 
ones.  With  what  a  fearful  trembling  and  horrible 
dread  they  come  to  this  judgment  against  their  wills, 
where  they  shall  see  the  saints,  all  in  long  white  robes, 
like  a  flock  of  sheep  that  come  from  the  washing  ;  in 
whose  glorified  faces  they  shall  behold  their  own 
shame  and  dishonour ;  in  whose  peace  and  joy  they 
shall  behold  the  bloody  persecution  wherewith  they 
have  oppressed  them  in  their  life,  and  in  whose  settled 


84 


MARBURY  ON  OBADIAll. 


[Ver.  21. 


happiness  they  shall  read  their  doom  of  eternal  woe. 
And  as  St  Peter  saith,  '  How  shall  the  wicked  and 
ungodly  appear  ?'  there  needs  no  more  evidence  against 
them  ;  bring  them  to  judgment,  and  that  sight  shall 
convince  them. 

8.  The  issue  and  effect  of  all :  *  And  the  kingdom 
shall  be  the  Lord's.' 

This  is  the  proper  fruit  of  our  deliverance  from  the 
hands  of  our  enemies,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  may 
be  established  on  earth  in  God's  church. 

1.  For  so  long  as  the  enemies  of  God  do  tyrannise 
and  fill  all  with  their  gross  actions,  the  face  of  the 
church  is  covered,  the  temples  of  God  are  defiled  and 
demolished,  the  worship  of  God  seeketh  private  cor- 
ners, and  sheweth  not  itself,  the  saints  of  God  fly 
from  the  sword  of  persecution,  wandering  here  and 
there,  from  one  nation  to  another  people  :  and  it  is 
hard  to  say  where  the  church  of  God  is. 

During  the  persecution  under  the  cruel  emperors, 
till  Constantine  arose  and  restored  the  kingdom  to 
God,  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  was  not  abolished 
quite,  but  it  was  in  some  sort  invisible  ;  not  that  it 
was  then  hidden  from  all  the  faithful,  as  it  was  from 
the  world.  Therefore,  concerning  the  invisibleness  of 
this  kingdom,  we  do  affirm, 

(1.)  That  though  this  kingdom  of  God  be  so  estab- 
lished on  earth,  that  the  gates^of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it,  because  God  gave  to  his  Son  that  asked 
him  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  utmost 
part  of  the  earth  for  his  possession  ;  and  Christ  pro- 
mised to  give  the  Holy  Ghost  to  his  church  to  abide 
■with  it  for  ever :  yet  at  some  times  the  faithful  may 
be  so  few  in  number,  and  they  so  separated  one  from 
another,  in  the  pursuit  of  their  own  safety,  that  the 
world  cannot  easily  discern  the  face  of  a  church. 
This,  some  of  the  church  of  Rome  have  confessed, 
affirming  that  about  the  time  of  Christ's  passion,  and 
the  dispersion  of  his  disciples,  the  true  faith  remained 
only  in  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary.  But  untraly  ;  for 
the  disciples,  though  they  fled  from  the  persecution 
of  that  time,  they  fled  not  from  the  faith  of  Christ. 
But  was  it  not  so  in  Elijah's  time,  when  he  knew  of 
no  more  but  himself  alone  that  served  the  true  God  ? 
yet  God  had  knees  that  had  never  bowed  to  Baal,  even 
then. 

(2.)  We  affirm  that  Satan's  kingdom  may  so  far 
dilate  itself  in  power  and  spreading,  that  the  external 
government  of  the  church  may  cease,  the  succession 
of  bishops  and  pastors  may  be  interrupted,  the  dis- 


cipline of  the  church  hindered,  and  the  outward  exer- 
cise of  God's  worship  suspended ;  the  sun  of  right- 
eousness may  sufi'er  eclipse ;  and  thus  much  the 
Rhemists  do  confess  in  their  notes  upon  2  Thes.  ii.  2. 

(3.)'  That  which  the  common  opinion  doth  embrace 
for  the  kingdom  of  God,  may  be  Satan's  kingdom, 
whose  doctrine  is  poison,  whose  pastors  are  wolves  in 
sheep's  clothing,  whose  children  are  bastards  of  the 
strumpet  of  Babylon. 

This  appears  in  the  church  story,  for  when  Romo 
forsook  her  first  love,  and  began  to  turn  faith  into 
action,  and  religion  into  carnal  policy,  to  establish  a 
transcendent  greatness  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
to  tyrannise  over  all  that  stood  for  the  truth  revealed 
in  the  word,  then  was  the  candle  of  the  church  put 
out  so  far  as  they  could  prevail,  and  the  word  of  God, 
the  light  of  our  steps,  was  taken  away  from  the 
people.  Then  did  the  faithful  subjects  of  God's  king- 
dom hide  themselves  from  the  sword,  and  the  fire,  and 
the  sundry  persecutions  which  Rome  devised  to  op- 
press them.  Then  their  heresy  passed  for  truth  com- 
monly, their  usurpers  for  lawful  bishops,  their  merce- 
naries for  pastors,  their  legends  for  gospel,  and  they 
boasted  themselves  the  only  true  church  of  God,  and 
spouse  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  when  by  the  ministry 
of  Dr  Luther  the  church  began  to  lift  up  the  head 
again,  and  that  one  single  man  ojjposed  the  pope,  and 
was  a  burning  and  shining  lamp,  to  whose  light  many 
daily  resorted,  we  see  that  ever  since  that  time  the 
church  hath  come  more  and  more  in  sight,  and  grown 
both  in  number  and  strength.  Kings  have  been  nurs- 
ing fathers,  and  queens  have  been  nurses,  and  the 
kingdom  of  God  hath  been  gloriously  advanced  on 
earth.  Then  did  England  cast  ofi"  the  yoke  of  Rome, 
and  God  caused  a  light  to  shine  in  darkness,  and  ever 
since  a  face  of  the  church  hath  appeared,  gathering 
more  and  more  fresh  beauty  ;  and  now  we  may  say 
truly  of  our  times,  the  light  never  shone  more  clear 
in  this  land  than  now  it  doth  ;  never  more  learning, 
and  never  more  communicated  than  now. 

But,  beloved,  this  will  not  serve  our  turn  ;  God 
must  have  as  well  a  rule  of  our  hearts  as  of  our  ears, 
of  our  hands  as  of  our  heads.  Let  us  look  to  our  ex- 
ample in  my  text :  when  God  had  restored  this  people 
to  their  land,  they  established  his  kingdom.  With 
public  assembhes,  with  fasting  and  humbling  of  them- 
selves before  God,  with  confession  of  sins,  with  weep- 
ing and  mourning,  with  solemn  vows  to  perform  all 
the  commandments  of  God  ;  they  spent  their  time,  not 


Veb.  21.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBABIAH. 


85 


all  in  hearing,  but  in  worshipping  also  of  God.  They 
vowed  not  to  make  any  marriages  with  such  as  were 
no  professed  subjects  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  such  as 
was  the  marriage  of  Solomon  with  king  Pharaoh's 
daughter.  They  vowed  to  keep  the  Sabbath  holily 
to  the  service  of  God,  to  deal  charitably  with  their 
poor  brethren ;  to  honour  God  with  their  riches, 
setting  apart  a  portion  to  maintain  the  worship  and 
public  service  of  God.  And  all  this  must  we  do  if 
we  will  advance  the  kingdom  of  God  amongst  us, 
not  only  in  outward  profession,  but  in  inward  subjec- 
tion. 

You  may  know  a  true  subject  of  God's  kingdom  by 
his  walk,  and  by  his  pace  ;  for  he  walketh, 

1.  Circumspectly,  fearing  danger  before  him  to  meet 
him,  behind  him  to  follow  him,  above  him  to  press 
him  down,  under  him  to  blow  him  up  ;  temptations 
on  his  right  hand,  provocations  on  the  left  hand ; 
therefore  he  loseth  no  time,  but  redeemeth  it  to  the 
service  of  God. 

2.  He  walketh  in  holiness,  as  in  the  sight  of  God, 
who  searcheth  the  hearts  and  reins,  and  cannot  be  de- 
ceived with  false  semblances  and  empty  shadows,  and 
seemings  of  false  and  hypocritical  shows,  but  requireth 
truth  in  the  inward  parts.  He  walketh  in  righteous- 
ness, that  is,  in  the  obedience  of  the  second  table  of 
the  law,  living  in  the  practice  and  exercise  of  his 
knowledge  to  the  uttermost  of  that  measure  of  grace 
that  is  given  to  him,  as  it  becometh  the  saints.  For 
these  know  that  they  were  therefore  delivered  from 
the  hands  of  their  enemies,  that  they  might  more  freely 
attend  the  service  of  God,  and  the  saving  of  their  own 
Bouls. 

Amongst  such  as  these  God  reigneth,  and  hath  put 
on  his  glorious  apparel,  and^is  acknowledged  as  God 
their  king.  Idolatry  and  false  worship  doth  unking 
and  dethrone  God,  and  trespasseth  the  majesty  of  our 
King ;  swearing  and  blasphemy  maketh  the  name  of 
God  (which  is  the  safety  of  his  subjects,  for  our  help 
is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord)  like  to  a  broken  hedge. 
Breach  of  the  Sabbath,  which  is  God's  holy  day,  is  a 
trespass  against  his  moderate  prerogative,  claiming 
some  part  of  our  time  for  his  public  service  and  the 
exercise  of  religion.  Contempt  of  the  word  is  a  tres- 
pass against  the  laws  of  this  kingdom.  Injury  in  any 
kind  to  our  brethren,  is  breach  of  peace  amongst  the 
subjects  of  this  kingdom.  Gluttony,  drunkenness, 
pride,  be  wasteful  sins,  and  consume  the  outward 
treasures  thereof,  and  they  also  seem  to  quench  the 


Spirit  of  God,  and  to  kill  all  good  motions  in  ourselves 
and  others. 

Let  us  remember  our  prayer,  Adveniat  regnum  tuum, 
Let  thy  kingdom  come.  And  seeing  God  hath  gra- 
ciously estabUshed  a  church  amongst  us  in  peace,  which 
he  hath  watered  with  early  rain  in  the  first  coming 
thereof  in  this  land,  and  with  a  latter  rain  in  the  go- 
vernment of  two  incomparable  princes,  truly  called 
defenders  of  the  faith  against  heresy  and  schism  ;  let 
the  kingdom  be  the  Lord's,  let  our  obedience  to  his 
law  bear  witness  of  our  faith,  and  let  our  peace 
amongst  ourselves  give  testimony  of  our  charity,  and 
let  us  walk  all  one  way,  like  the  horses  of  Pharaoh's 
chariot ;  let  us  all  fight  as  one  man  against  sin  and 
Satan,  against  the  devil  and  the  pope,  tanquam  acies 
ordinata.  For  if  the  Lord  be  our  king,  we  shall  have 
cause  to  be  glad  thereof :  for  *  Blessed  are  the  people 
that  are  in  such  a  case ;  blessed  are  the  people  that 
have  the  Lord  for  their  God.' 

2.  Let  us  look  as  far  as  we  can  by  Saint  Paul's  pro- 
spective. There  will  be  a  time  when  Christ,  our  grand 
captain,  shall  overcome  all  his  enemies,  even  death, 
which  is  the  last  enemy  ;  and  then  shall  he  deliver  up 
the  kingdom  to  God,  even  his  Father ;  then  Israel 
shall  have  judged  Esau,  the  church,  the  world.  Then 
Christ  resigneth  his  office  of  a  mediator,  and  then  God 
is  all  in  all.  For  then  all  his  enemies  shall  be  in 
prison  in  the  chains  of  darkness ;  all  his  elect  shall  be 
fastened  together,  and  united  with  Christ  their  head 
in  glory.  God  shall  then  have  none  to  contest  with 
him  for  sway  and  domination  :  his  glory  shall  then  be 
great  in  the  salvation  of  his  church,  and  in  the  vic- 
tory of  his  enemies. 

Thus  have  I  in  a  few  months  gone  through  this 
short  but  full  and  pithy  prophecy  of  Obadiah  :il 
know  with  what  great  comfort,  light,  and  delight,  in 
mine  own  meditation ;  I  hope  not  unprofitably  for  you. 

If  you  desire  many  hours'  work  in  a  few  minutes  of 
time,  this  is  the  analysis  of  it. 
It  was  divided  into  two  J  1.  Titulus,  the  title. 

parts,  (2.   Fa//cJ7l^uw,  the  prophecy, 

1.  The  title  shewed,!  J-  ^hose:  Oh^dl^. 
(.  2.   What, 

1.  Whose;  Obadiah. 

Doct.  God  stirreth  up  his]  servants  the  prophets  to 
give  warning  of  the  anger  to  come. 

2.  What :  a  vision. 


86 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  21. 


,  Doct.  The  faithful  minister  must  see  before  he  say, 
and  take  instructions  from  God  before  he  undertake 
to  teach  others. 

2.  The  prophecy  :  this  hath  two  parts  : 

1.  Against  Edom,  ad  finem,  ver.  16. 

2.  For  the  church,  ver.  17,  adjinem. 
In  the  first,  observe  three  things  : 

1.  The  subject  of  this  prophecy,  Edom. 

2.  The  suggester  of  it,  the  Lord. 

3.  The  prophecy  itself. 

1.  Of  the  subject,  Edom. 

Doct.  Riches,  strength,  honour,  victory,  are  not  so 
precious  things  as  many  do  value  them.  Oftentimes 
they  go  away  with  them  all  a  long  time  whom  God 
hateth :  he  saith,  '  I  have  hated  Esau ; '  yet  he  had 
all  these. 

2.  Of  the  suggester  of  the  prophecy.  The  Lord 
saith  thus. 

Doct.  God's  ministers  must  deal  faithfully  with 
the  church,  saying  no  more  or  less,  and  in  the  same 
manner  as  God  speaketh  to  them. 

8.  The  prophecy,  that  hath  four  parts  : 

1.  The  judgment  intended  against  Edom,  ver.  1,  2. 

2.  The  despair  of  all  Edom's  hopes,  ver.  8  ad  9. 
8.  The  cause  provoking  God,  ver.  10  ad  14. 

4.  God's  revenge,  ver.  15,  16. 

1.  The  judgment  intended  contains : 

1.  The  discovery. 

2.  The  rumour  itself. 
8.  The  effect. 

1 .  The  discovery,  by  a  rumour  from  the  Lord,  an 
ambassador  sent  among  the  heathen. 

Doct.  1.  The  decrees  of  God's  judgment  upon  the 
wicked  be  constant  and  unchangeable. 

Doct.  2.  The  consent  of  ambassadors,  all  declaring 
the  same  judgment,  sheweth  that  the  Lord's  trumpet 
dat  sonum  certum,  gives  a  certain  sound. 

Doct.  3.  The  preaching  of  all  true  and  faithful 
ministers  and  prophets  accord  to  their  instructions  is 
rumor  a  Domino,  a  rumour  from  the  Lord ;  and  be- 
cause weak  and  distressed  consciences  do  often  hear 
suggestions  of  fear,  they  must  examine  the  rumour,  si 
a  Domino,  if  it  be  of  the  Lord. 

2.  The  rumour  was,  that  God  would  punish  Edom 
by  war. 

Doct.  1.  All  wars  are  ordained  by  God. 
Doct.  2.  God  punisheth  one  evil  nation  by  another. 
Doct.  3.  War  is  one  of  God's  rods  to  punish  sin. 
Doct.  4._  The  people  of  God  may  lawfully  make  war. 


3.  The  effect  of  this  war,  ver.  2. 

1.  From  God,  '  I  have  made  thee  small.' 

2.  From  man,  '  Thou  art  greatly  despised.' 
In  both, 

Doct.  God  giveth  warning  of  his  judgments  to  those 
whom  he  foreseeth  such  as  will  not  take  warning  to 
amend. 

In  the  first,  God  maketh  small  his  enemies  : 

Doct.  1.  God  casteth  down  the  proud. 

In  the  second,  thou  art  despised : 

Doct.  2.  They  that  despise  God  shall  be  despised. 

2.  The  despair  of  all  their  hopes  ;  five  hopes  : 

1.  In  the  pride  of  their  own  hearts. 

2.  In  the  safety  of  their  dwelling,  vers.  3-6. 

8.  In  the  strength  of  their  confederates,  ver.  7. 

4.  In  their  wisdom,  ver.  8. 

5.  In  the  strength  of  their  own  men,  ver.  9. 

1.  Hope  in  their  own  pride  : 

Doct.  God  resisteth  the  proud.  Pride  is  an 
abominable  sin  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  it  deceiveth 
man. 

2.  Hope  in  the  strength  of  their  dwelling  : 

Doct.  No  place  is  safe  without  God's  protection ; 
for  the  hidden  things  of  Esau  shall  be  searched  and 
found  out. 

3.  Hope  in  their  confederates : 

Doct.  1.  God  punisheth  one  sin  by  another;  for 
the  sin  of  Edom  in  casting  off  their  trust  in  God  ia 
punished  by  their  trusting  in  men. 

Doct.  2.  God  requiteth  sinners  with  the  same  mea- 
sure that  they  have  measured  to  others. 

Doct.  8.  The  falling  out  of  these  confederates  with 
Edom,  sheweth  that  there  is  no  true  peace  between 
the  ungodly. 

Doct.  4.  Those  who  put  their  trust  in  men  have  no 
understanding. 

4.  Hope  in  their  wise  men. 

Doct.  Human  wisdom  and  counsel  against  the  Lord 
are  no  fence  for  any  state. 

5.  Hope  in  their  strong  men  : 

Doct.  Vain  is  the  help  of  man  against  God. 
8.  The  cause  provoking  God  to  this  severe  prose- 
cution of  Edom : 

1.  Set  down  in  general  terms,  ver.  10. 

2.  In  a  particular  description,  ver.  11-14. 

1.  In  general,  they  are  charged  with  cruelty  to 
their  brother  Jacob. 

2.  In  particular,  they  are  charged, 
1.  With  cruelty  of  combination. 


Ver.  2 J.] 


MARBURY  ON  OBADTAH. 


87 


Doct.  They  that  join  with  others  in  action  of 
murder  or  robbery  are  actually  culpable  as  aiders, 
abettors,  and  maintainers  of  cruelty  and  wrong, 

2.  With  the  cruelty  of  the  eye : 

Doct.  They  that  look  upon  the  injuries  done  to 
their  brethren  with  delight,  and  without  compassion 
or  relief  of  them,  be  equally  culpable  with  them  that 
wrong  them. 

3.  With  the  cruelty  of  the  heart;  they  rejoiced 
against  their  brethren  : 

Doct.  The  heart  of  man  affected  to  wrong,  though 
neither  the  head  of  counsel  nor  the  hand  of  assistance 
join  with  it,  doth  break  the  law  of  charity. 

4.  With  the  cruelty  of  the  tongue  : 

Doct.  The  proud  words  of  the  -enemies  of  God  do 
break  peace,  and  transgress  the  current  of  charity. 

5.  With  cruelty  of  hands  shewed  in  these  things  : 

1.  Invasion  of  their  city. 

2.  Direption  of  their  goods. 

3.  Insidiation  for  life. 

4.  Depopulation,  not  sparing  the  residue. 

Doct.  Whatsoever  is  done  against  our  brother,  in 
his  person  or  in  his  goods,  breaketh  the  law. 
The  fourth  part,  God's  revengement. 
This  containeth  two  things  : 

1.  A  judgment  of  God  revealed  against  the  un- 
godly. 

2.  A  sweet  consolation  of  the  church. 
In  the  judgment,  I  note  six  things  : 

1.  The  certainty  :  the  day  set. 

2.  The  propinquity  :  near  at  hand. 
8.  The  extent :  to  all  the  heathen. 

4.  The  equity :  as  thou  hast  done,  &c. 

5.  The  contents  :  they  shall  drink. 

6.  The  duration  :  continually. 

1.  Doct.  God  hath  set  a  time  to  punish  every  sin 
of  the  impenitent. 

2.  Doct.  That  time  is  at  hand, 

3.  Doct.  God  doth  punish  those  whom  himself  hath 
stirred  up  to  be  his  instruments  to  punish  others. 

4.  Doct.  God  doth  punish  by  retaliation. 

5.  Doct.  Though  the  judgment  of  God  do  begin  at 
the  house  of  God,  the  wicked  shall  not  go  unpunished. 

6.  Voct.  The  judgment  of  the  wicked  and  unmerci- 
ful is  without  all  mercy. 

2.  The  comfort  of  the  church. 
1.  He  speaketh  of  their  judgment  as  past : 
Doct.  Though  the  church  of  God  do  live  under  the 
cross  for  a  time,  it  shall  not  be  ever  so. 


2.  He  calleth  Sion,  though  thus  laid  waste,  his 
holy  mountain. 

Doct.  "^Tiere  God  loveth  once,  he  loveth  ever;  and 
though  he  afflicteth,  yet  he  loveth  still. 

3.  He  revealelh  to  his  church  their  own  deliver- 
ance, and  the  destruction  of  their  enemies  : 

Doct.  The  cup  of  wrath  shall  pass  from  the  church 
to  her  enemies,  the  knowledge  whereof  is  a  great 
settling  to  the  church  in  comfort. 

The  second  part  of  the  prophecy. 

Containing  the  consolation  of  the  church  against  all 
her  enemies  ;  wherein  observe, 

1.  A  promise  of  restitution  to  their  own. 

2.  Of  victory  against  their  enemies. 

3.  The  means  ordained  for  this. 
1.  In  the  promise  of  restitution  : 

1.  Doct.  God  requireth  of  them  whom  he  deliver- 
eth  from  evils  holiness  of  life. 

2.  Doct.  That  God  delivereth  his  church  first,  that 
after  they  may  serve  him. 

2.  The  victories  of  their  enemies  : 

1.  Doct.  The  afflictions  of  the  church  do  turn  to 
their  greater  good. 

2.  Doct.  God  punisheth  the  enemies  of  his  church 
by  his  church,  against  which  they  have  formerly  pre- 
vailed. 

3.  Doct.  The  church  hath  good  warrant  to  settle 
their  faith  in  the  assurance  of  this,  because  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it. 

3.  The  means  to  effect  this : 

1 .  Here  is  a  promise  of  saviours  to  them. 

1.  Doct.  Though  God  do  long  punish,  he  doth  ever 
love  his  people. 

2.  Doct.  Though  God  have  all  power  and  means 
under  command,  yet  he  doth  choose  to  make  us  instru- 
ments of  his  favour  to  one  another,  men-saviours. 

3.  Doct.  We  are  taught  to  give  due  honour  to  the 
means  of  God's  favours,  by  the  examples  of  God's 
communicating  to  his  instruments  his  own  great  title 
of  saviours. 

2.  Here  is  a  promise  of  victory  to  his  church,  foil 
victory  :  they  shall  judge  the  mount  of  Esau. 

Doct.  Though  the  enemies  of  the  church  do  resist 
long,  yet  God  at  last  will  give  his  church  a  complete 
victory  over  them  all. 

3.  The  issue  and  effect  of  all. 

'  The  kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's.' 
Doct.  This  is  the  proper  work  and  fruit  of  all  God's 
favours  to  his  church,  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  God 


88 


MARBURT  ON  OBADIAH. 


[Ver.  21. 


on  earth,  and  to  submit  ourselves  as  faithful  subjects 
to  his  dominion. 

Thus  have  I  drawn  the  two  breasts  of  this  prophecy, 
and  milked  it  to  you  :  venit  ad  mulctram ;  for  it  hath 
two  parts,  binos  alit  utere  fmtus. 

1.  Here  is  the  doctrine  of  God's  justice. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  his  mercy. 

I  have  done  more,  I  have  gathered  the  cream  of 
this  milk ;  for  these  doctrines  which  I  have  collected 
heflos  lactis. 

I  confess  that  I  have  studied  this  prophecy  with 
singular  delight,  which  hath  turned  the  pains  I  took 
in  it  into  sweet  and  gracious  recreations ;  for  in  this 
short  only  chapter  of  his  prophecy. 

Here  is  a  sweet  meeting, 

1.  Of  the  majesty  and  authority  in  the  sender,  and 
fidehty  in  the  messenger. 

2.  Of  great  substance  and  weight  of  matter,  with 
admirable  oratory  of  words  and  sentences,  and  with 
sweet  disposition  of  order  and  method. 

Righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed  each  other. 

Righteousness,  punishing  Edom  and  the  heathen, 
and  avenging  the  cause  of  Sion :  peace,  establishing 
the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  restoration  of  his  church. 

The  prophecy  is  like  a  seasonable  March;  it  comes 


in  like  a  lion  to  end  winter,  it  goes  out  like  a  lamb  to 
bring  in  the  cheerful  spring. 

For  it  begins  at  Bella,  horrida  hella  ;  it  ends  with, 
'Peace  be  within  thy  borders,  and  plenteousness 
within  thy  palaces.' 

In  the  title  of  this  prophecy,  which  is  called  the 
vision  of  Obadiah,  I  can  shew  you  the  best  book  in 
my  study,  and  the  light  of  all  my  meditations,  even 
the  vision  which  God  by^his  Spirit  revealeth  in  my 
understanding,  to  discern  what  his  will  is,  and  to  sug- 
gest what  I  shall  preach  in  his  church. 

Great  are  the  helps  of  a  plentiful  library  to  furnish 
us  for  this  service ;  but  he  that  hath  not  the  help  of 
vision  from  him  that  giveth  eyes  to  the  blind,  shall 
walk  in  the  dark,  and  not  know  whither  he  goeth ;  I 
may  say  with  St  John, 

'  What  I  have  seen  and  heard,  that  have  I  delivered 
unto  you.'  And  I  have  no  more  to  say  of  it,  but  I 
wish  the  good  will  of  him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush  to 
second  his  outward  ordinance  of  semination  with  a 
blessing  of  increase,  without  which,  he  that  planteth 
is  nothing,  he  that  watereth  is  nothing.  To  him  let 
us  give  the  honour  due  to  his  name,  and  say, 

Gloria  Patri  et  Filio  et  Spiritui  Sancto.  Amen, 
Amen,  Amen, 


ENC    OF    COMMENTABT   ON   OBADIAH. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


COMMENTARY  OR  EXPOSITION 


UPON  THE 


PEOPHECY  OF  HABAKKUK. 


BY 

EDWAKD    MAKBUKY. 


EDINBURGH  :  JAMES  JSTICHOL. 
LONDON  :  JAMES  NISBET  AND  CO.     DUBLIN  :  G.  HERBERT. 


M.DCCC.LXV. 


TO   THE   RIGHT   RE^^KEND   FATHER  IN  GOD, 

DR  HENRY  KING, 

LORD  BISHOP  OF   CHICHESTER; 

TO    THE    MUCH    HONOURED 

-   SIR  RTCHAED  HUBBARD 

OF  LANGLEY,  IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  MIDDLESEX,  KNIGHT; 

JOHN  BUTTON 
OF  SHERBOURNE,  IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  GLOUCESTER,  ESQ. ; 

JOHN  MILLINGTON 

OF  LANGLEY  AFORESAID,  ESQ. ; 

TOGETHEB 

WITH  THEIR  WORTHY  CONSORTS,  THREE  GRACIOUS  SISTERS  AND  BRANCHES  OF 
THAT  NOBLE  FAMILY  OF  DR  KING,  LATE  LORD  BISHOP  OF  LONDON ; 

AND  TO  THE  RELIGIOUS  AND  VIETUOUS  GENTLEWOMAN 

MRS  MARY  KING, 
THE  LATE  WIFE  OF  DR  JOHN  KING: 

EDWARD  MARBURY, 

THEIR  POOR  KINSMAN  AND  SERVANT,  DOTH,   BY  MANY  RELATIONS   AND   ENGAGEMENTS    BEING   THEREUNTO 

OBLIGED,  TOGETHER  WITH  HIS  BEST  WISHES,  HUMBLY  PRESENT,  DEVOTE,  AND  DEDICATE  THIS  HIS 

COMMENTARY,  PRESUMING  UPON  THEIR  FAVOURABLE  ACCEPTANCE  AND  PROTECTION  THEREOF. 


A  COMMENTARY  OR  EXPOSITION  UPON  TEE 
PROPHECY  OF  HABAKKUK. 


The  burden  which  Hahakkuk  the  prophet  did  see. — Habaekuk  I.  1. 


THIS  first  verse  tells  us  what  we  shall  find  in  the 
ensuing  prophecy,  and  it  openeth  to  us  three 
things  which  give  light  to  that  which  foUoweth  : 

1.  The  minister  of  God  in  this  prophecy. 
(1.)  By  his  name,  Hahakkuk. 

(2.)  By  his  function,  the  prophet. 

2.  The  manner  how  he  came  by  it,  vision. 

3.  The  matter  of  it,  the  burden. 

1.  Of  the  minister  ;  first,  of  his  name. 

The  name  Hahakkuk  is  rendered  by  Philo  the  Jew 
amplexans,  embracing ;  so  doth  Pagnine  give  it ;  our 
English,  a  icrestler ;  for  they  that  wrestle  do  eml  race 
and  hold  fast  one  the  other  :  a  name  well  expressing 
the  office  and  employment  of  this  prophet,  who  wrestled 
■with  the  sinners  of  those  times,  and  their  horrible 
iniquities  to  cast  them.  1.  But  as  God  wrestled  with 
Jacob,  that  he  might  leave  behind  him  a  blessing. 
His  tribe,  Dorothaeus  saith,  was  Simeon  ;  I  know  not 
upon  what  information,  for  the  silence  of  the  holy 
Scripture  doth  argue  it  to  be  conjectural. 

Concerning  the  time  when  he  prophesied,  it  is  not 
particularly  expressed,  but  it  appears  to  be  before  the 
deportation  into  Babylon  ;  for  the  Chaldeans'  invasion 
is  here  threatened,  and  therefore  Junius  thinks  him 
contemporary  with  Jeremiah,  and  referreth  his  pro- 
phecy to  the  end  of  Josias  his  government.  Others, 
after  the  Hebrews,  refer  it  to  the  time  of  king  Ma- 
nasseh. 

Mr  Calvin  very  truly  aflfirmeth  it  before  the  time  of 
Zedekiah. 

Arias  Montanus  gives  a  probable  conjecture  by  com- 


paring that  which  is  said,  2  Kings  xxi.  12,  *  There- 
fore, thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  behold  I  am 
bringing  forth  an  evil  upon  Jerusalem  and  Judah,  that 
whosoever  heareth  of  it,  both  his  ears  shall  tingle.' 
That  in  the  11th  verse  it  is  said,  '  Because  Manasseh 
king  of  Judah  hath  done  these  abominations,  and  hath 
done  wickedly  above  all  that  the  Amorites  did,  which 
were  before  him,  and  hath  also  made  Judah  to  sin 
with  his  idols.'  And  this  commination  is  almost  in 
the  same  words  in  the  5th  verse  of  this  chapter. 

St  Jerome,  in  his  Prologue  to  this  prophet,  saith 
that  he  is  called  a  wrestler,  quia  certamen  ingreditur 
cum  Deo,  because  he  wrestled  with  God.  NuUus 
enim  prophetarum  ausus  est  tarn  audaci  voce  Dewn  ad 
disceptationevi  justiiicE  provocare,  none  durst  so  boldly 
provoke  God  to  vindicate  his  justice,  as  it  appears, 
ver.  2.  But  he  doth  violate  the  text  of  canonical 
Scripture  and  history  to  verify  that  Apocrypha  tale  of 
Habakkuk's  bringing  food  to  Daniel  by  miracle,  which 
destroyeth  the  truth  of  the  history  to  make  faith  of  a 
legend. 

For  either  there  must  be  two  Habakkuks,  or  this 
one  must  Uve,  as  Arias  Montanus  doth  cast  it  np,  three 
hundred  years,  if  he  lived  to  feed  Daniel  in  the  cap- 
tivity ;  a  long  time  of  life  then,  or  this  must  prophesy 
before  he  was  born.  Bellarmine  hath  found  out  two 
Daniels  :  one  the  prophet,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and 
another  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  that  heard  the  cause  of 
Susanna  ;  and  Ribera,  a  Jesnit,  two  Habakkuks. 

But  we  lose  time  in  this  question,  for  they  that  have 
not  the  hght  in  the  word  do  go  in  the  dark,  and  they 

95 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


that  go  in  the  dark  know  not  whither  they  go.  The 
best  use  of  this  is  to  limit  our  search  to  the  holy  cano- 
nical Scripture,  and  to  take  all  our  light  from  thence  ; 
so  shall  we  not  go  astray. 

2.  The  function  of  this  man  is  set  down  in  the 
name  of  a  prophet,  that  is,  a  man  enlightened  by 
divine  revelation  to  understand  the  will  of  God  in 
some  things,  and  appointed  to  declare  the  same. 

Secondly,  the  manner  how  he  came  to  it :  vision, 
that  is,  divine  revelation,  assuring  him  of  the  truth  of 
God's  will  so  fully  as  if  he  had  seen  the  same  with  his 
eyes  accomplished.  {De  Ids  consule  condones  super 
Obadiam.) 

Thirdly,  the  matter  of  the  prophecy,  the  burden ; 
in  which  two  questions  are  moved  : 

1.  Why  this  prophecy  is  called  a  burden. 

2.  Whose  burden  this  is. 5 

To  the  first ;  it  is  called  a  burden,  in  respect, 

1.  Of  the  sin  here  punished,  which  is  onus,  a 
burden. 

2.  Of  the  punishment  here  threatened ;  that  is,  onus. 

3.  Of  the  word  of  God  threatening  ;  that  is,  onus. 
1.  Peccatum  onus,  sin  a  burden  :    1.  Deo,  to  God. 

2.  Hominihus,  to  men. 

1.  Onus  Deo,  a  burden  to  God. 

God  com  plain eth  of  the  sins  of  his  people,  that  they 
are  a  burden  to  him  :  '  Behold,  I  am  pressed  under 
you,  as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of  sheaves.'  The 
very  service  that  these  sinners  do  seem  to  perform  to 
God  is  a  burden  to  him,  as  he  complaineth,  '  Your 
new  moons,  your  appointed  feasts,  my  soul  hateth  : 
they  are  a  trouble  unto  me  ;  I  am  weary  to  bear 
them.'  Lahoravi  sustinens,  so  the  prophet  Malachi 
complaineth :  chap.  iii.  17,  '  Ye  have  wearied  the 
Lord  with  your  words  :  yet  ye  say.  Wherein  have  we 
wearied  him  ?  When  ye  say,  Every  one  that  doeth 
evil  is  good  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  he  delighteth 
in  them  ;  or.  Where  is  the  God  of  judgment  ?'  Three 
things  weary  God : 

1.  When  we  multiply  our  own  sins. 

2.  When  we  tender  God  service  continuing  in  sin. 
8.  When  we  justify  sinners,  and  flatter  them  in 

their  sins,  as  though  God  had  accepted  them. 

2.  Peccatum  onus  est  hominibus,  sin  is  a  burden  to 
men.  Christ  calleth  none  to  him  but  such  as  are 
weary  of  this  burden  of  sin  ;  to  such  he  promiseth 
refreshing.  Ask  the  first  sinners  if  they  found  not 
their  sin  their  burden,  when  they  hid  themselves  from 
the  presence  of  God.  Ask  the  first  murderer  if  any 
96 


place  were  safe  for  him,  who  thought  and  said  that 
whosoever  met  him  would  kill  him.  They  that  think 
that  Lamech  killed  Cain,  read  the  text,  occidi  homi- 
nem  in  vuJnus  meurn.  Ask  Joseph's  brethren,  when 
they  saw  their  sad  constraint  in  Egypt,  both  at  their 
first  coming  to  buy  com,  and  after  the  death  of  their 
father,  if  the  trespass  against  their  brother  Joseph 
did  not  lie  heavy  upon  them.  Ask  the  tender  con- 
science of  any  of  God's  children,  if  any  weight  or  bur- 
den be  like  unto  that  of  the  body  of  sin,  and  if  he  do 
not  cry  with  Paul,  Quis  liberabit  me  ?  '  Who  shall  deliver 
me?' 

Till  we  come  to  this,  to  feel  the  burden  of  sin,  and 
to  be  weary  of  it,  we  are  the  sons  of  wrath  ;  and  every 
man  may  call  himself  TaXdi'Trcj^ov,  a  wretched  man. 

Here  is  pride  and  vanity,  clothing  of  us  ;  here  is 
gluttony  and  drunkenness,  feeding  of  us  ;  here  is  the 
mouth  full  of  evil  words,  the  hands  of  violence  or 
bribes,  giving  or  taking  ;  the  day,  the  night,  the  year, 
spent  in  pleasure  and  recreations  ;  God's  Sabbath  is 
neglected,  God's  word  not  regarded  ;  the  time  served, 
the  humours  of  sinful  men  observed  ;  and  when  these 
things  are  no  burden  to  the  bearers  thereof,  there  is 
wrath  gone  forth  from  the  Lord  against  them  ;  and  if 
timely  repentance  do  not  stand  in  the  gap,  it  will 
break  in  upon  them  that  do  such  thing  like  a  flood, 
and  no  man  shall  escape  that  is  pursued  by  this 
judgment. 

Let  me  therefore  entreat  you  to  hear  a  word  of 
exhortation.  Give  not  the  members  of  your  bodies 
servants  to  sin.  Give  not ;  for,  indeed,  what  have 
you  to  give,  seeing  you  brought  nothing  with  you  into 
the  world  ?  And  what  have  ye  that  you  have  not 
received  ?  Or  if  you  will  needs  be  giving,  hands  ofi", 
give  not  the  members  of  your  body  ;  for  your  body  is 
the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  should  be,  if  you 
would  give  so  comfortable  a  guest  welcome  ;  or  if  you 
will  give  your  bodies  away,  do  them  not  the  wrong  to 
put  them  out  to  service,  for  they  are  bought  with  a 
price,  the  dearest  pennyworth  that  was  ever  bought ; 
their  liberty  cost  the  binding,  their  sanity  the  break- 
ing, their  ease  the  smart  and  aching,  their  life  the 
death,  of  the  holiest  body  that  ever  lived  upon  earth. 
Or  if  you  will  needs  give  your  body  a  servant,  let  it 
not  be  to  sin  ;  for  that  is  ponderous  in  the  weight, 
noisome  in  the  stench,  bitter  in  the  smart ;  the  burden 
of  sin  is  the  wrath  of  God. 

Here  let  me  awake  your  thankful  hearts  to  an  ac- 
knowledging consideration  of  that  great  redemption 


Vee.  1.] 


SIARBURT  OK  HABAKKUK. 


performed  by  Jesus  Christ  to  his  church,  who  came 
to  take  this  burden  upon  him,  and  to  ease  us  of  it ; 
Agnus  qui  toUit  peccata,  the  Lamb  that  taketh  away 
sins  from  us,  that  he  might  wash  us  in  his  blood. 
Upon  himself  he  bore  our  infirmities,  and  God  made 
the  iniquity  of  us  all  to  meet  on  him. 

He  did  not  rob  us,  as  Israel  did  the  Egyptians,  of 
our  jewels  of  silver  and  jewels  of  gold  ;  he  only  took 
our  infirmities  and  our  sins  from  us  ;  and  whereas 
once  we  might  have  said  with  Cassiodore,  Quantitas 
delicti  mensura  est  repudii,  the  quantity  of  the  fault  is 
the  measure  of  the  judgment, — for  by  our  sins  we  might 
have  taken  measure  of  the  wrath  and  judgment  of 
God, — now  there  is  an  unsealed  height,  an  unsounded 
depth,  an  unbounded  breadth,  of  love,  which  hath 
said  to  the  church,  of  the  whole  burden  of  sin, 

'  Cantantes  ut  eamos,  ego  hoc  te  fasce  levabo,' 

let  us  sing  as  we  go,  I  will  ease  thee  of  this  burden. 

2.  The  punishment  here  threatened  is  a  burden  to 
man. 

Issachar,  under  his  double  burden,  saith,  that  rest 
is  good  ;  he  found  rest  among  his  burdens.  But 
there  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked  man.  A  sinner  that 
hath  any  sense  of  sin  will  say  as  David,  Son  est  pax 
ossibus  meis  propter  peccatum :  '  There  is  no  rest  in 
my  bones,  because  of  my  sin.'  He  was  so  over- 
charged with  the  fear  of  God's  judgments,  that 
sometimes  he  doubted  that  God  had  forgotten  to  be 
merciful,  and  that  he  would  be  no  more  entreated. 
'  Who  can  stand  in  thy  sight  when  thou  art  angry  ?' 
I  can  tell  you  who  could  not  stand ;  not  the  angels  that 
kept  not  their  first  estate  ;  heaven  was  too  hot  for 
ihem ;  God  cast  them  down,  ejecit,  conjecit,  dejecit, 
rejecit,  subjecit ;  and  that  anger  is  yet  their  burthen, 
and  shall  be  for  ever.  The  first  tenants  of  paradise 
could  not ;  they  fled  from  the  face  of  God,  and  the 
curse  of  God  lay  heavy  upon  them.  Cain  confessed 
his  punishment  more  than  he  could  bear ;  the  old 
world,  all  but  eight  persons,  sunk  under  this  wrath, 
and  were  drowned  in  the  great  deep.  The^^transgress- 
ing  cities  suffered  the  consuming  and  tormenting 
flames  of  fiire  and  brimstone  :  Ps.  xviii.  7,  '  The  very 
earth  trembled  and  shook  ;  the  foundations  also  of  the 
mountains  moved  and  quaked,  because  he  was  angry ; 
smoke  went  out  at  his  nostrils,  and  consuming  fire 
out  of  his  mouth.' 

Beloved,  let  me  tell  'you  what  I  fear*:  never  any 
times  did  more  put  almighty  God  to  it  to  reveal  his 


anser  from  heaven,  and  to  rain  down  burdens  upon 
the  sons  of  men  ;  for  the  clearer  the  light  of  the  gos- 
pel shineth,  the  more  his  expectation  is  of  walking  in 
the  light ;  but  our  knowledge  is  rather  floating  in  the 
brain  than  working  in  the  obedience  of  our  life.  Christ 
saith,  '  It  shall  be  easier  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in 
the  day  of  the  Lord  than  for  those  of  that  generation' 
to  whom  the  light  appeared  in  his  ministry  so  clear 
and  glorious  ;  and  yet  they  '  love  darkness  better  than 
light,  because  their  works  were  evil.'  Great  is  the 
weight  of  a  millstone  hanged  about  our  neck,  and  we 
cast  therewith  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea  ;  yet  the 
burden  of  God's  wrath,  he  sayeth,  is  much  heavier 
than  that.  And  yet  we  make  no  care  nor  conscience, 
and  live  without  fear  of  this  anger  ;  we  do  this  and 
that  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God,  and  pro- 
voke him  to  anger  with  our  actions  and  inventions,  as 
if  the  Lord  saw  not  this,  as  if  there  were  no  know- 
ledge in  the  Most  High  ;  as  if  he  could  not  pluck  his 
hand  out  of  his  bosom ;  as  if  we  had  stolen  away  his 
sword,  and  his  quiver  full  of  deadly  arrows. 

I  beseech  you,  my  brethren,  do  not  so  wickedly ; 
your  oaths  and  blasphemies,  your  pride  and  vanities, 
your  cruelty  and  oppressions,  your  frauds  and  cir- 
cumventions, your  abuse  of  God's  good  creatures  in 
excess  and  wantonness,  they  are  all  gone  up  to  heaven, 
and  awake  vengeance,  and  challenge  the  God  of  mercy 
to  declare  his  justice. 

Doth  not  some  part  of  the  church  now  in  the  Pala- 
tinate and  in  Bohemia  groan  under  the  burden  of 
war?  wherein  the  goods,  the  Uberties,  the  lives  of  men, 
Christian  men,  professors  of  the  same  faith  with  us, 
do  lie  at  the  stake,  and  blood  toucheth  blood.  Doth 
not  our  neighbour  church  in  France  tremble  for  fear 
of  a  new  massacre  ?  Hath  not  the  sword  of  violence 
tasted  already  of  protestant  blood  ?  Do  not  the  Jesuits, 
the  incendiaries  of  the  Christian  world,  blow  the  coal 
and  incense  the  king  thereof  to  grassation  and  destruc- 
tion of  all  that  have  not  the  mark  of  the  beast  either 
openly  in  their  foreheads,  or  secretly  in  their  hands  ? 
And  dare  we  anger  our  God,  who  gives  us  the  early 
and  the  latter  rain,  who  crowns  our  land  with  peace, 
and  the  daughter  of  peace — plenty  !  Shall  we  flatter 
ourselves,  and  say  that  although  we  do  wickedly,  this 
burden  shall  not  fall  upon  us  ?  Let  us  pray  for 
them,  and  amend  our  own  lives,  and  sin  no  more,  lest . 
some  worse  judgment  do  fall  upon  us ;  for  we  shall 
else  find  too  late  that  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God 
is  too  heavy  a  burden  for  us  to' bear. 


G 


97 


10 


MAHBURY  ON  HABAKKUKl 


[Chap.  I. 


2.  The  wrath  and  judgments  of  God  :  they  are  a 
burden  to  God  ;  he  professeth  it.  *  As  I  live,  saith 
the  Lord,  I  delight  not  in  the  death  of  a  sinner.'  He 
calleth  upon  his  Israel,  '  Why  will  ye  perish,  0  house 
of  Israel  ?'  When  he  punished  his  peojDle,  how  heavy 
was  the  burden  of  their  panishment  upon  him  !  He 
smarted  under  his  own  rod  ;  the  burdens  that  he  put 
upon  his  people  wearied  him  :  Isaiah  i.  5,  '  Why 
should  you  be  stricken  an}'  more  ?  The  whole  head 
is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  is  faint.  From  the  sole 
of  the  foot  to  the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it,' 
&c.  Truly  God  doth  bear  with  us  in  a  double  sense, 
for  he  doth  forbear  our  punishment  in  expectation  of 
our  amendment,  and  he  doth  suffer  with  us  in  our 
sufferings  ;  he  is  our  Father,  and  every  stripe  he 
layeth  on  us  smarteth  upon  him.  Oh  grieve  not  the 
Spirit  of  God,  by  whom  you  are  sealed  up  to  the  day 
of  your  redemption. 

3.  The  word  of  God  threatening  sin  is  a  burden. 

1.  To  God. 

2.  To  the  prophet. 
8.  To  the  people. 

1.  It  is  a  burden  to  God  to  threaten  judgment.  He 
loves  to  speak  us  fair,  and  to  speak  and  treat  kindly 
with  us  ;  to  draw  us  with  the  cords  of  men,  and  with 
the  bands  of  love ;  to  be  as  one  that  taketh  off  the 
yoke  :  for  he  knoweth  whereof  we  be  made,  for  he  made 
us,  and  not  we  ourselves.  He  will  allure  and  persuade 
Japhet  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem. 

If  Adam  do  transgress  his  one  commandment  given 
to  him  in  paradise,  he  tarrieth,  expecting  when  Adam 
will  come  to  him  to  acknowledge  his  fault,  and  cast 
himself  at  his  feet  to  seek  mercy.  If  Adam  will  not, 
he  will  come  to  him,  but  it  shall  be  the  cool  of  the 
day  first;  and  he  will  call  him  to  account,  but  yet  so 
fatherly  that  he  cannot  execute  the  law  without  preach- 
ing the  gospel ;  he  cannot  banish  him  the  earthly 
paradise  till  he  have  opened  to  him  an  heavenly.  He 
cannot  threaten  till  he  have  promised  ;  he  cannot 
punish  till  he  have  pardoned. 

2.  This  is  a  burden  to  the  prophet,  and  that  three 
ways : 

(1.)  In  respect  of  his  fidelity  to  him  that  sendeth  him. 

(2.)  In  respect  of  his  zeal. 

(3.)  In  respect  of  his  charity  and  compassion  to 
them  to  whom  he  is  sent. 

(1.)  In  respect  of  his  fidelity.  It  is  a  burden  to 
him  to  keep  in  the  word  of  this  prophecy  ;  he  cannot 
conceal  it.  When  Jeremiah  found  the  people  Lncor- 
98 


rigible,  and  that  the  word  of  God  in  his  ministry  was 
despised  and  made  his  reproach,  *  Then  I  said,  I 
will  not  make  mention  of  him,  nor  speak  any  more  in 
his  name  :  •  but  his  word  was  in  my  heart  as  a  burning 
fire  shut  up  in  my  bones,  and  I  was  weary  with  for- 
bearing, and  I  could  not  stay,'  Jar.  xx.  9. 

Some  carnal  men  do  confess  that  it  is  true  that  we 
must  preach  the  judgments  of  God  against  sin — that 
is  our  trade  ;  but  let  children  fear  those  bugbears  ; 
they  know  as  well  as  we  can  tell  them  that  God  is 
merciful,  and  his  mercy  is  above  all  his  works.  It  is 
true  that  we  must  preach  judgment  against  sin,.for  we 
have  fear  of  the  burden  of  all  those  sins  of  others 
which  we  reprove  not,  to  fall  upon  ourselves  :  Ezek. 
iii.  18,  '  If  thou  givest  him  not  warning,  his  blood 
will  I  require  at  thy  hands.'  Therefore  this  word  of 
excommunication  is  our  burden,  and  ^Ye  must  not 
conceal  it. 

(2.)  In  respect  of  his  zeal.  For  the  prophets  of  the 
Lord  and  his  holy  ministers,  beholding  the  sins  which 
they  do  daily  reprove  to  come  up  so  fast,  as  though 
they  had  never  laid  the  axe  of  God's  judgment  against 
the  root  of  that  corrupt  tree  ;  the  zeal  of  God's  glory 
so  stirreth  them  that  they  cannot  hold,  but  they  must 
strike  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit ;  they  must  lift  up 
their  voices  like  trumpets  ;  they  must  tell  the  house 
of  Jacob  their  sins.  Jeremiah  doth  express  this  to  the 
life  :  chap.  vi.  11,  '  Therefore  I  am  full  of  the  fury  of 
the  Lord  ;  I  am  weary  with  holding  in  ;  I  will  pour 
it  out  upon  the  children  abroad,'  &c.  Let  not  the 
sensual  and  carnal  man  call  our  threatenings  of  sin 
our  own  ravings  and  railings,  and  our  comminations 
of  judgment  the  intemperate  issue  of  our  own  choler. 
Jeremiah  calleth  it  '  the  fury  of  the  Lord.'  And  so 
long  as  we  reprove  justly,  and  mingle  none  of  our  own 
heat  with  the  fire  of  God's  altar,  we  shall  kindle  a  fire 
in  the  bones  of  the  sinner  which  shall  give  him  no 
rest,  but  his  conscience  shall  say  to  him,  as  Nathan 
said  to  David,  *  Thou  art  the  man.' 

(3.)  In  respect  of  his  compassion.  Do  not  think  that 
it  is  any  joy  to  us  to  reprove  or  to  threaten.  St  Paul 
is  loath  to  use  the  rod.  Jonah  will  rather  run  away 
from  God  than  he  will  carry  the  news  to  Nineveh  that 
it  must  be  destroyed.  '  Many  walk,  of  whom  I  have 
told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  weeping.'  We  shall 
find,  as  soon  as  we  are  past  this  first  verse,  that  this 
prophet  did  foel  the  burden  which  he  did  see  ;  and 
the  grief  he  tnok  for  tliem  turned  his  harp  into 
mourning,  and  his  organs  into  the  voice  of  them  that 


Vek  2.] 


MABBURT  ON  HABAKKUK, 


11 


"wecp.  Every  tender  heart  avoidetli  being  a  messenger 
of  evil  news,  but  their  feet  be  beautiful  that  bring  glad 
tidings — tidings  of  peace. 

3.    The  word  of  threatening  is  a  burden  to  the 
people  to  whom  it  is  sent.     Judais  non  Chaldteis. 
(1.)  To  the  penitent. 
(2.)  To  the  impenitent. 

(1.)  To  the  penitent.  It  is  an  heavy  burden  to 
them  to  think  how  they  have  provoked  God  to  anger, 
and  have  drawn  out  his  sword  against  themselves. 
They  that  truly  fear  God,  when  they  hear  their  sins 
threatened,  do  retire  themselves  into  their  chambers; 
they  weep  and  deplore  their  iniquities.  Hezekiab, 
hearing  the  prophet  threatening  his  life,  Isa.  xxxviii. 
2,  3,  '  He  turned  himself  to  the  -wall,  he  prayed  to 
the  Lord ;  and  Hezekiah  wept  sore.'  Never  think 
that  you  hear  the  threatenings  of  God  with  any  profit 
till  you  feel  the  burden  of  them  oppressing,  and  the 
edge  of  them  drawing  blood  on  you.  LcuhrymeB  be 
san(fuis  anima. 

The  lion  roareth,  and  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  do 
tremble.  A  tender  son  that  hath  done  a  fault,  and 
heareth  his  father  threatening  to  punish  him,  findeth 
that  threatening  so  great  a  burden  to  him  that  he  can 
give  himself  no  rest  till  he  have  recovered  his  father's 
favour. 

(2.)  The  verv-  impenitent,  who  have  any  sense  of  the 
terror  of  the  Lord,  feel  God's  threatenings  heavy.  It 
will  make  Ahab,  that  sold  himself  to  do  wickedness, 
put  on  sackcloth,  and  crown  his  head  with  ashes,  and 
go  mourning,  if  he  hear  that  God's  anger  is  stirred  to 
bring  evil  upon  his  house.  Even  Absalom,  an  ungra- 
cious son,  is  impatient  of  living  out  of  his  father's 
presence ;  and  he  setteth  Joab's  corn  on  fire  for  ne- 
glecting the  mediation  which  might  bring  him  to  his 
father's  face.  Esau  will  seek  his  father's  blessing 
■with  tears  ;  and  what  would  not  Balaam  give  that  he 
might  die  the  death  of  the  righteous?  Surely  God  is 
a  consuming  fire;  and  if  coals  of  this  fire  are  kindled 
in  the  bosom  of  the  impenitent,  and  their  damnation 
doth  not  sleep,  but  is  awake  in  them,  in  the  accusa- 
tion of  their  guilty  consciences  to  begin  their  hell  even 
here  on  earth. 


Verse  2.  O  Lord,  how  long  shall  I  cry,  and  thou 
vUt  not  hear!  even  cry  out  unto  thee  o/ violence,  and 
thou  wilt  not  save  ! 

Here  this  Habakkuk,  this  wrestler,  doth  begin  his 


wrestling  ;  for  what  is  this  whole  chapter  but  a  serious 
expostulation  and  complaint "?  wherein  the  prophet, 

1.  Contesteth  with  God  himself,  ver.  2—4. 

2.  He  bringeth  in  God  denouncing  his  own  intended 
judgments  against  Judah  and  Jerusalem,  5-11. 

3.  He  returneth  again  to  expostulate  with  God, 
ver.  12-17. 

1.  He  contesteth  with  God,  wherein 

(1.)  He  challengeth  him  for  not  hearing  his  prayer, 
ver.  2. 

(2.)  For  shewing  to  him  the  sins  of  the  people, 
ver.  3,  4. 

In  the  first  observe, 

1.  What  the  prophet  did  :  (1.)  He  cried;  (2.)  He 
cried  long  ;  (3.)  He  cried  to  him. 

2.  What  cause  he  had :  of  violence. 

3.  What  success  :  (1.)  Thou  wilt  not  hear ;  (2.) 
Thou  wilt  not  save. 

To  give  some  light  to  that  which  followeth,  let  me 
first  admonish  you  that  it  may  well  be  gathered,  by 
the  title  that  is  here  given  to  Habakkuk  the  prophet, 
that  he  was  sent  by  almighty  God  to  preach  to  the 
Jews  to  reclaim  them  fi-om  their  evil  ways,  and  to  still 
the  noise  of  their  crying  sins ;  and  prevailing  nothing 
with  them  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  he  prayeth 
and  crieth  to  almighty  God  for  his  judgment  upon 
this  people,  to  punish  their  many  sins ;  and  God  not 
hearing  him,  nor  giving  way  to  his  anger  to  correct 
them,  the  prophet,  moved  with  the  zeal  of  God's  glory, 
wrestleth  with  God,  and  contendeth  with  him  for  his 
rod  upon  them. 

1.  What  the  prophet  did  :  (1.)  'I  cry;'  he  lifteth 
up  his  voice  against  this  people,  his  brethren ;  for  it 
is  twice  expressed.  1.  He  crieth;  then  he  resameth 
it ;  he  saith,  he  crieth  out.  This  is  a  thing  that  God 
doth  use  to  take  special  notice  of,  expectavi  jiistitiam, 
et  ecce  clamor.  It  is  said  of  Abel,  that  being  dead  he 
spake.  Moses  saith,  it  was  vox  sanguinis,  a  voice  of 
blood ;  and  God  said  that  voice  cried  to  him  out  of 
the  earth  for  vengeance.  The  cry  of  a  prophet,  one 
of  God's  secretaries,  to  whom  he  revealeth  his  will ; 
one  of  God's  chaplains,  to  whom  he  committeth  the 
ministry  of  the  revelation  of  his  will ;  one  of  God's 
saviours,  to  whom  he  committeth  the  office  of  saving: 
his  people  ;  the  crying,  the  vociferation  of  one  of 
God's  s^ers,  who  cries  not  out  of  passion  or  human 
perturbation,  but  from  a  secret  inspiration  illumina- 
ting him,  and  shewing  him  things  to  come ;  one  of 
God's  holy  ones,  whom  the  zeal  of  God's  glory  doth 

99 


12 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


inflame  with  this  earnestness,  the  grief  of  man's  rebel- 
lion doth  provoke  to  that  loudness  :  such  a  cry  cannot 
spend  itself  all  into  air  and  sun,  and  perish  with  the 
noise  it  makes. 

(2.)  He  was  no  son  of  thunder,  to  make  some  sud- 
den rattling  noise,  and  then  cease.  He  cried  loud, 
he  cried  long :  '  How  long  shall  I  cry  ? '  If  the  weak- 
ness of  his  voice  could  not  penetrate  the  ear  of  God 
vi,  by  force,  here  was  sape  catJendo,  by  often  calling. 
So  David  got  an  hoarseness  in  throat  with  crying  loud 
and  long  to  the  Lord ;  and  our  Saviour  hath  com- 
manded that  kind  of  importunity  in  prayer.  And  the 
prophet  will  give  God  no  rest  till  he  hear  and  answer; 
for  the  prayer  of  the  just,  if  it  be  fervent,  prevaileth 
with  God.  Zeal  is  an  holy  fire,  the  flame  of  it  ascend- 
eth  to  heaven,  and  penetrateth  all  the  passages  till  it 
come  to  God.  Cold  and  perfunctory  devotions,  inter- 
mitted and  given  over,  do  not  prevail  with  God ;  they 
please  him  best  that  use  most  violence,  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  sufiereth  violence. 

(3.)  Unto  thee.  He  directeth  his  prayers  aright;  for 
Baal's  priests  may  cry  from  morning  to  night,  and 
may  cut  and  lance  their  flesh,  and  make  many  signs 
of  zeal  and  earnest  importunity  without  success,  be- 
cause their  god  heareth  not,  his  eyes  see  not,  his  ears 
hear  not,  his  hands  handle  not ;  there  is  no  breath  in 
his  mouth  to  give  them  answer. 

But  the  cry  of  the  prophet  went  up  to  God,  who 
beholdeth  ungodliness  and  wrong,  that  he  may  take 
the  matter  into  his  own  hand. 

Thus  far  we  have  seen  what  the  prophet  did  :  (1.) 
He  cried ;  (2.)  He  cried  loud ;  (3.)  To  God. 

2.  What  cause  had  he  to  cry  ?  For  violence.  This  is 
fully  and  largely  expressed  in  the  second  part  of  his 
contestation  with  God,  ver.  3,  4. 

I  therefore  only  observe  here  two  things : 
(1.)  That  he  complained  not  without  great  provoca- 
tion, for  violence  was  God's  own  complaint  and  quar- 
rel against  the  old  world :  Gen.  vi.  13,  '  The  earth  is 
fall  of  violence,  and  behold  I  will  destroy  them  with 
the  earth.'      It  was  God's  quarrel  against  Edom  : 
Obad.  10,  '  For  thy  violence  against  thy  brother  Jacob, 
shame  shall  coverthee,and  thou  shaltbe  cut  off  for  ever.' 
(2.)  We  consider  where  this  violence  was ;  not  of 
Esau  against  Jacob,  but  of  Jacob  against  Jacob,  as 
Isaiah   describeth  it :    *  Every  man  eating   the  flesh 
of  his  own  arm,  Manasseh  Ephraim,  and  Ephraim 
Manasseh,  and  both  of  them  against  Judah,'  Isa.  ix. 
21.     Civil  and  domestic  wars  in  the  bosom  of  the 
100 


church,  grievances  and  vexations  one  of  another, 
these  differences  it  is  likely  that  the  prophets  had 
laboured  to  compound,  and  used  all  means  to  settle 
peace  there  ;  but  it  appeareth  that  they  prevailed  not, 
therefore  he  complaineth. 

8.  With  what  success.  (1.)  '  Thou  wilt  not  hear.' 
The  cry  of  the  prophet  was  to  awaken  the  justice  of 
God,  to  chasten  his  people  for  this  violence ;  for  so 
desperate  was  the  disease  of  the  church,  that  they 
needed  the  sharpest  physic  to  heal  it,  even  the  rod  of 
God  to  correct  them.  Yet  God  is  so  slow  to  wrath, 
and  so  long-suffering,  that  he  would  not  hearken  to 
the  voice  of  his  prophets  as  yet,  to  pull  his  hand  out 
of  his  bosom,  though  they  said  with  David,  '  It  is 
time  for  thee.  Lord,  to  put  to  thine  hand.' 

(2.)  '  Thou  wilt  not  save  ;'  i.e.  thou  wilt  not  succour 
them  that  suffer  violence  against  the  hand  of  their 
oppressors.  As  his  not  hearing  is  to  be  imputed  to 
his  mercy  and  patience,  so  his  not  saving  is  to  be  im- 
puted either  to  his  wisdom,  putting  his  children  to 
the  trial  of  their  faith  by  afflictions,  or  to  his  justice, 
making  one  of  them,  who  have  corrupted  their  ways, 
a  rod  to  scourge  the  other,  neither  of  them  being  as 
yet  worth  the  saving,  till  he  had  humbled  them. 

The  text  thus  cleared,  the  doctrines  which  grow 
upon  this  stem  and  first  branch  of  the  prophet's  con- 
testation are  these : 

1.  That  the  weapons  wherewith  the  holy  servants 
of  God  do  fight  against  sin,  are  their  prayers  to  God. 

2.  That  one  necessary  ingredient  in  our  prayers, 
is  earnestness  and  importunity. 

3.  That  the  zeal  of  God's  glory,  and  the  love  of 
peace,  cannot  dispense  with  tumult  and  combustion 
in  the  church  of  God. 

4.  That  God  sometimes  suspendeth  the  desired  suc- 
cess of  the  earnest  prayers  of  his  most  faithful  ser- 
vants, when  they  do  pray  according  to  his  will,  and 
doth  not  hear  them  by  and  by. 

Of  the  first  of  these  first. 

1.  Doct.  The  weapons  wherewith  the  holy  servants 
of  God  do  fight  against  sin,'  is  their  prayers. 

I  find  that  this  people,  to  whom  God  had  sent  his 
prophets,  rising  early  and  sending  them,  were  grown 
incorrigible ;  and  therefore  even  the  prophets,  that  loved 
them,  and  wished  them  well,  having  no  other  way  to 
reform  them,  were  now  put  to  it  to  pray  against  their 
violence  to  God.  They  that  had  wont  to  stand  in  the 
gap,  to  turn  away  ingruent  judgments,  do  take  such 
offence  at  their  ungodliness,  that  they  are  put  to  it  to 


Ver.  2.] 


ItARBTJRY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


13 


pray  to  God  against  them.  Thus  Joseph  carried  the 
evil  report  of  his  brethren  to  his  father,  and  made 
ihem  to  be  shent,  wherein  he  did  a  brotherly  office,  to 
seek  their  reformation. 

The  spleen  of  Habakkok  is  not  against  the  persons 
of  his  brethren,  they  are  not  so  much  as  named  here : 
he  crieth  out  of  violence  ;  and  so  St  Paul  saith,  '  The 
wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  un- 
righteousness and  ungodliness  of  men.'  David  did 
thus  in  a  case  of  violence  :  Ps.  cis.  3,  4,  •  They  com- 
passed me  about  with  words  of  hatred ;  and  fought 
against  me  without  cause.  For  my  love  they  are 
mine  adversaries ;  but  I  give  myself  unto  prayer,'  ego 
oro. 

Quasre.  How  doth  it  stand  with- the  rules  of  charity 
to  complain  to  God  of  our  brethren,  and  to  stir  up 
his  indignation  against  them  ? 

Sol.  I  confess  that  this  asketh  an  especial  tender- 
ness in  the  servants  of  God  ;  for  to  begin  here,  without 
using  other  means  to  reclaim  our  oflFending  brother, 
may  shake  the  walls  of  oxa  charity,  and  may  accuse 
us  of  want  of  love  ;  therefore  all  those  ways  of  charity 
must  be  first  tried,  as  to  admonish  privately ;  or  not 
speeding  so,  join  another  with  thyself  in  the  private 
chiding  of  his  sin ;  after  failing,  to^communicate  the 
matter  to  the  church.  If  all  these  supports  which  we 
do  owe  to  oar  brother  will  not  keep  him  up,  then  let 
him  be  as  an  heathen ;  and  then  is  David's  prayer  in 
season,  *  Let  the  heathen  know  that  they  are  but 
men.' 

But  in  my  text  here  was  the  body  of  the  church 
diseased  ;  the  members  and  parts  of  the  body  in  arms 
one  against  another ;  only  some  few  of  God's  holy 
servants  lived  with  grief  in  their  righteous  souls,  to 
behold  the  ungodly  conversation  of  men  nefariously 
wicked  and  careless  of  religion ;  therefore  what  other 
way  was  left  them,  but  that  of  David  ?  '  I  will  yet 
pray  against  their  wickedness  ;  take  away  their  ungod- 
liness, and  thou  shalt  find  none.' 

The  prophets  and  seers  of  former  times  have  had 
special  revelations  of  the  will  of  God,  concerning  the 
ungodly  of  the  earth,  whereby  they  might  as  boldly 
use  imprecation,  as  deprecation  or  supplication.  We 
that  come  short  of  their  measure  of  the  Spirit,  must 
not  dare  to  go  to  the  farthest  extent  of  their  hberty  in 
prayer,  to  pray  against  our  brethren ;  only  thus  far 
we  may  with  Habakkuk  cry  out  unto  God,  and  make 
our  moan  to  him  for  violence. 

1.  Committing  our  cause,  and  the  care  of  our  safety 


unto  him,  as  to  a  faithful  creator;  and  so  the  care  and 
safety  of  our  brethren. 

2.  Desiring  God  to  bring  to  an  end  the  wickedness 
of  the  ungodly,  and  to  finish  their  sins.    This  serveth, 

1.  To  settle  faith  in  God,  and  to  seek  our  repose 
only  in  him  in  all  cross  opposals,  because  he  is  the 
sun  and  shield,  and  there  is  no  rest  but  in  him.  He 
only  overruleth  all,  and  evacuateth  the  counsels,  and 
frustrateth  the  works  of  wicked  men  ;  he  only  shall 
bring  it  to  pass. 

2.  This  serveth  to  reprove  the  means  that  are  in 
use  amongst  us,  to  reform  sin  as  we  pretend  ;  but 
they  are  unlawfal  and  ungodly. 

(1.)  By  public  blazing  and  detecting  of  oflfenders, 
to  put  them  to  open  shame  in  the  world  ;  for  the  loss  of 
a  good  name  doth  more  often  harden  a  sinner,  and  cause 
impenitency,  than  reclaim  him  ;  for  what  hath  he  to 
boast  that  hath  lost  the  good  opinion  of  men  ?  Love 
covereth  a  multitude  of  sins,  and  therefore  that  is  an 
evil  tongue  that  is  the  trumpet  of  another's  shame. 
It  is  charity  to  make  the  best  of  everything. 

(2.)  The  same  oflence  is  committed  in  private  whis- 
pers and  secret  detractions,  and  the  fault  is  aggra- 
vated by  concealing  ourselves,  as  unwilling  to  justify 
our  accusations. 

(3.)  By  cursing  and  bitter  calling  upon  God  for  his 
vengeance  on  them  that  ofi'end,  if  the  ofience  touch  us 
or  our  friends ;  for  God  knoweth  without  us  how  to 
manage  his  judgments ;  and  cursing,  it  retumeth  and 
smarteth  at  home.  For  the  apostle  saith  it  twice, 
'  Bless,  curse  not.' 

(4.)  By  public  plays  and  interludes,  to  represent  the 
vices  of  the  time,  which,  though  it  were  the  practice 
of  the  heathen,  which  knew  not  God  but  afar  off,  yet 
in  Christian  states,  it  is  no  way  tolerable  nor  justifi- 
able to  act  the  parts  of  evU  doers,  since  the  apostle 
saith  it  is  a  shame  to  name  them,  much  more  to  act 
and  personate  them. 

(5.)  By  private  conceived  libels,  after  divulged  by 
secret  passage  from  pocket  to  pocket,  from  one  bosom 
to  another,  for  which  the  devisers  thereof  have  no 
warrant,  and  to  which  they  have  no  calling. 

(6.)  By  satires  and  poetical  declamations  ;  for  who 
hath  sent  these  into  the  world  to  convince  the  world  ? 
Is  it  not  to  put  the  Spirit  of  God  out  of  office,  who  is 
sent  to  convince  the  world  of  sin  ?  And  who  but  the 
Lord's  prophets  have  warrant  to  lift  up  their  voices 
like  trumpets  to  tell  the  house  of  Jacob  their  sins  ? 
Every  empiric  man  may  not   profess  and   practise 

101 


14 


MARBUET  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


physic.  There  is  a  college  of  soul-physicians,  who 
have  a  calling  to  this  purpose,  and  are  sent  to  heal 
the  sores  of  the  people ; — 

[1.]  By  their  diligent  preaching  of  the  word  of  God 
to  them. 

[2.]  By  drawing  against  them,  and  exercising  upon 
them  the  sword  of  ecclesiastical  discipline. 

[3.]  By  continual  prayer  unto  God  to  give  end  to 
their  sins,  whereby  they  do  trespass  God  and  good 
men. 

3.  This  serveth  to  discourage  men  from  doing  evil, 
for  fear  of  offending  the  prophets  and  ministers  of  the 
Lord,  whose  righteous  souls  cannot  but  be  vexed  to 
fiee  their  good  seed  cast  away  upon  barren,  stony,  or 
thorny  ground. 

For  howsoever  basely  and  unworthily  we  be  deemed, 
if  the  incorrigible  iniquity  of  men  do  put  us  to  it  to 
move  almighty  God  by  our  earnest  prayers  against 
them,  they  shall  find  that  as  Job  can  do  his  friends 
good  by  his  intercession,  because  he  is  a  prophet,  so 
the  Lord's  ministers  may  awake  judgment  against  such 
as  go  on  still  in  their  wickedness,  and  will  not  be 
reformed. 

2.  Doct.  Our  prayers  must  be  importunate. 
The  prophet  cried,  yea,  he  cried  out  to  the  Lord. 
This  importunity  is  expressed  two  ways  : 

1.  In  the  ardency  and  zeal  of  his  prayer,  it  was  not 
oratio,  a  prayer,  but  vociferatio,  a  crying. 

2.  In  the  continuance  of  time.     *  How  long.' 
Thus  must  we  pray  with  fervour  of  spirit.     Our 

tongue  is  the  piece  of  ordnance,  our  prayer  is  the 
shot,  the  zeal  of  our  heart  is  the  powder  that  dis- 
chargeth  it;  and  according  to  the  strength  of  the 
charge,  such  is  the  flight  of  the  shot.  Nineveh  crieth 
mightily  to  God,  Jonah  iii.  8.  Christ  our  Saviour 
cried  earnestly  to  his  Father,  yea,  with  strong  crying 
and  tears.  Solomon  spread  his  arms  abroad ;  the 
publican  beat  his  breast ;  Christ  fell  on  the  ground ; 
David  said,  Ps.  xxxviii.  9,  '  My  sighing  is  not  hid 
from  thee.'  The  Israelites'  weeping  is  thus  described: 
'  They  drew  water  and  poured  it  out  before  the  Lord.' 
The  Holy  Ghost  doth  not  furnish  us  so  much  with 
words  and  phrases  in  prayer  as  with  sighs  and  groans, 
which  cannot  be  expressed.  Paul  prayed  three  times 
against  Satan's  angel ;  Abraham  moved  God  six  times 
for  Sodom  ;  Nehemiah  had  so  spent  himself  in  watch- 
ing and  prayer  for  his  people,  that  the  king  observed 
his  countenance  changed. 
Beloved,  it  is  not  prayers  by  number  and  tale,  as 
102 


in  the  Romish  church,  nor  prayers  by  rote,  or  by  the 
ear  perfunctoriously  vented  in  the  church,  and  for 
custom  said  over  at  home.  It  is  not  much  babbling 
and  multiplicity  of  petitions,  or  vain  repititions,  that 
will  send  up  our  prayers  to  heaven  :  Isa.  i.,  'Though 
you  stretch  out  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from 
you  ;  and  though  you  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not 
hear  you.'  The  Pharisees  wanted  powder  to  their 
shot ;  for  they  prayed  in  their  synagogues,  and  in  the 
corners  of  the  streets,  but,  as  God  saith,  Quis  reqiiisivit 
ista,  Who  requireth  these  things  ? 

The  soul  that  actuateth  and  animateth  prayer  is 
fervor  sjnritus,  the  holy  zeal  of  him  that  prayeth. 

2.  Duration  of  time  is  another  testimony  of  zealous 
importunity;  when  our  prayer  is  not  a  passion,  but  a 
deliberate  and  constant  earnestness,  holding  out,  as 
the  apostle  saith,  '  Pray  continually ; '  not  as  the 
Euchites,  to  do  nothing  else ;  but  to  entertain  all 
occasions  to  confer  with  God,  and  to  prostrate  our 
suits  before  him. 

Christ  spent  a  whole  night  together  often  in  prayer ; 
David,  day  and  night ;  Daniel,  twenty-one  days  to- 
gether, during  the  time  that  he  ate  no  pleasant  bread, 
and  was  in  heaviness,  Dan.  x. ;  Jonah,  three  days  and 
three  nights  in  the  belly  of  the  whale,  made  it  his 
oratory  and  chapel,  from  whence  he  prayed  to  the 
Lord. 

If  our  sore  run,  so  long  we  can  pray  whilst  we 
smart;  or  if  our  necessities  do  press  us  to  importunity, 
we  can  hold  out  long  for  ourselves.  But  in  my  text, 
the  cause  is  God's ;  zeal  for  God's  glory  cannot  con- 
tain itself  in  the  cause  of  God ;  the  Lord's  people  do 
break  his  law,  and  will  not  be  reformed  ;  the  prophet 
of  the  Lord  cannot  stand  and  look  on,  as  in  the  next 
verse  he  doth,  and  see  the  glory  of  God  thus  suffer, 
but  he  must  awake  in  the  cause  of  God  to  bring  him 
to  correction.  So  David  :  '  Rise,  Lord,  and  let  thine 
enemies  be  scattered ;  let  them  that  hate  thee  fly  be- 
fore thee.' 

And  thus,  for  God's  glory's  sake,  we  may,  with  reser- 
vation of  those  that  do  belong  to  the  election  of  grace, 
pray  to  God  earnestly  for  the  confusion  of  all  Sion's 
enemies,  and  of  all  that  would  fain  see  Jerusalem,  the 
true  church  of  God,  in  the  dust. 

Shall  our  fervency  and  heat  be  only  for  ourselves  ? 
If  it  be,  the  grant  of  our  requests  doth  quench  it,  and 
putteth  us  to  silence  ;  but  if  the  glory  of  God  be  that 
we  seek  and  aim  at,  the  more  God  heai'eth  our  prayers 
and  granteth  our  requests,  the  more  he  inflameth  our 


Ver.  3,  4.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


15 


zeal,  and  even,  as  it  were,  transforms  us  into  prayer. 
And  what  better  motive  can  we  give  of  Christ's  so 
frequent,  so  durant  prayers,  than  this,  *  I  know  that 
thou  hearest  me  always '  ? 

Now,  because  long  and  frequent  prayers  are  a 
weariness  to  the  flesh,  the  flesh  is  no  good,  friend  to 
this  exercise ;  and  we  do  find  ourselves  in  no  exercise 
of  religion  more  tempted  than  in  this.  For  this  cause 
watching  and  fasting  are  so  often  joined  with  prayer, 
as  the  best  means  to  disable  the  rebel  flesh  from 
resisting. 

Doct.  God  sometimes  suspendeth  the  success  of 
the  prayers  of  his  servants. 

There  is  a  case  wherein  God  will  not  hear  at  all, 
though  Moses,  Samuel,  Noah,  Daniel,  Job,  do  pray 
to  him.  In  some  cases  God  will  hear,  but  not  yet ; 
for  he  that  keepeth.the  times  and  seasons  in  his  own 
power,  knoweth  best  when  it  is  fittest  for  him  to  hear. 

And  that  was  the  case  of  this  prayer.  God  did,  1, 
give  them  yet  more  time  to  repent  and  seek  his  face, 
that  be  might  preserve  them,  and  sent  his  prophets  to 
them  to  reclaim  them. 

2.  He  did  expect,  if  not  the  conversion  of  them  by 
fair  means,  then,  that  after  the  full  taste  of  the  fruits 
of  his  patience,  they  might  by  the  rod  be  brought  to 
him,  when  he  should  change  his  right  hand.  MiUatio 
dextercB. 

3.  Or  he  did  expect  the  filling  up  of  the  measure 
of  their  sins,  that  they  might  have  no  plea  to  excuse 
their  ungraciousness. 

4.  He  forbore,  to  stir  up  the  prophet  so  much  the 
more  to  this  importunity,  that  it  might  be  seen  that 
not  only  their  sins,  but  the  prophet's  prayers,  had 
awaked  vengeance. 

5.  To  declare  how  acceptable  a  sacrifice  prayer  is, 
he  will  delay  us  that  we  may  pray,  for  with  such 
sacrifices  God  is  pleased ;  but  if  we  withdraw  our- 
selves, God's  soul  will  have  no  pleasure  in  us. 

Let  no  man  think  the  worse  of  this  holy  service  of 
God  because  he  presently  feeleth  not  the  success 
thereof;  but  as  the  woman  of  Canaan,  Mat.  xv.  22, 
would  not  be  put  off  by  the  disciples,  or  by  Christ 
himself,  so  that  both  her  request  was  granted,  and 
her  faith  commended. 

If  we  remember  our  Saviour's  limitation,  all  will  be 
well :  '  Father,  if  thou  wilt.'  Let  us  set  those  bounds 
to  our  prayers. 

1.  What  thou  wilt ;  2,  in  what  measure ;  3,  when 
thou  wilt ;  4,  in  what  manner,  siciU  tu  vis,  as  thou  wilt. 


Ver.  3,  4.  Whij  dost  thou  shew  me  iniquity,  and 
"ause  me  to  behold  grievance  ?  for  spoiling  and  violence 
are  before  me :  and  there  are  that  raise  up  strife  and 
contention.  Therefore  the  laic  is  slacked,  and  judgment 
doth  never  go  forth  :  for  the  wicked  doth  compass  about 
the  righteous  ;  therefore  wrong  judgment  proceedeth. 

2.  He  contesteth  with  God  for  shewing  to  him  the 
sins  of  the  people,  ver.  3,  4. 

For  the  opening  of  that  text. 

Why  dost  thou  shew  me  iniquity  f  The  prophet  doth 
hereby  declare, 

1.  That  it  is  not  his  own  curious  search  to  look 
into  his  brethren.  I  do  not  say  so  scrutinously  as 
the  hypocrite  in  the  gospel,  who,  with  a  beam  in  his 
own  eye,  could  yet  discern  a  mot«  in  his  brother's 
eye  ;  no,  not  to  behold  their  gross  iniquity.  He  did 
not  look  upon  his  brethren  like  an  informer,  to  see 
what  fault  he  could  find  in  them  to  complain  of ;  he 
had  something  else  to  do  :  he  saith  that  God  shewed 
him  the  iniquity  of  his  brethren.  So  he  freeth  him- 
self of  suspicion  of  malice  and  evil  afiection  to  his 
brethren.  For  there  may  be  malice  in  looking  into 
the  vices  of  brethren,  though  it  pretend  desire  of 
reformation. 

2.  This  cleareth  the  prophet  that  he  is  not  as  one 
of  them,  no  partner  with  them  in  their  iniquity; 
seeing  they  that  live  in  the  society  of  evil  practice, 
and  do  not  communicate*  with  the  evil  in  evil,  can- 
not behold  the  evil,  the  object  is  too  near  them  or 
gone  out  of  sight. 

It  sheweth  that  God  doth  not  only  himself  take 
notice  of  the  evils  that  men  do,  but  he  acquainteth 
his  prophets  and  ministers  therewith,  which  he  doth 
to  that  end  that  he  may  prove  their  fidelity  to  him, 
whether  they  will  discharge  their  duty  to  him  and 
their  people  to  whom  they  are  sent,  in  telling  the 
house  of  Jacob  their  sins,  and  in  labouring  to  bring 
them  to  the  knowledge  thereof,  that  they  may  repent. 

It  followeth,  '  Thoii  dost  cause  me  to  behold  grievance.' 
Wherein  he  resumeth  what  he  hath  spoken  before, 
and  rhetorically  amplifieth  it ;  for  it  is  one  thing  to 
shew,  another  to  cause  him  to  behold.  This  is  an 
effectual  demonstration,  as  the  prophet  David  doth 
pray :  Ps.  li.  8,  *  Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness.' 

God  hath  sent  his  gospel,  which  is  the  voice  of  joy 

in  the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous,  all  the  world  over: 

'  Have  they  not  heard  ?    Their  sound  is  gone  out  into 

all  the  world,  and  their  word  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.' 

*  Qu.  '  do  communicate  '  ? — Ed. 

103 


16 


MARBURY  ON  HABAJvKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


But  that  is  not  enough,  except  God  do  cause  us  to 
hear  the  same. 

We  preach  this  gospel  of  peace,  and  we  shew  unto 
men  their  righteousness ;  that  is,  viam  jiistitia,  how 
they  may  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  declare 
unto  men  their  sins,  and  shew  them  how  the  law  of 
God  is  broken ;  but  if  God  do  not  cause  our*  hearts 
to  behold  this,  if  God  do  not  turn  their  eyes  into 
themselves,  and  into  their  own  ways,  to  see  them,  we 
spend  our  strength  in  vain.  The  scorner  goeth  away 
from  church,  and  wipeth  his  mouth,  as  the  harlot  in 
the  Proverbs,  and  saith,  This  is  nothing  to  me,  be- 
cause God  doth  not  make  his  heart  smite  him  for  it. 
God  doth  not  cause  him  to  behold;  God  doth  not 
open  our  eyes  to  see  ourf  sins  for  ourselves  only  that 
we  may  declare  them,  but  for  you,  that  we  may  give 
you  warning  of  the  anger  to  come. 
And  what  did  God  shew  him  V 

1.  Iniquity;  that  is,  the  unjust  dealing  of  the  people 
one  with  another,  as  it  after  followeth. 

2.  Grievance  ;  either  the  grievance  which  that  un- 
righteousness doth  bring  upon  their  brethren,  or  the 
grievance  wherewith  the  righteous  soul  of  the  prophet 
is  vexed  day  by  day,  in  seeing  and  hearing  the  evil 
conversation  of  them  to  whom  he  is  sent. 

For  sjMilvifj  and  violence  are  be/ore  me.  1.  Here 
is  spoiling;  that  is,  robbing  one  another,  invading 
one  another's  goods  and  lands,  and  that  done  in  the 
commonwealth  of  the  Jews,  where  God  himself  was  so 
careful  to  establish  the  right  of  propriety  in  several, 
that  he  divided  the  land  himself,  to  every  tribe  their 
part,  and  by  a  judicial  law  set  every  man  his  bounds, 
and  taught  every  man  to  be  content  with  his  own. 

The  commonwealth  cannot  long  last  in  prosperity 
where  this  spoiling  is  in  practice,  whether  it  be  by 
corruption  of  the  magistrate  stopping  the  course  of 
justice,  or  by  the  covetousness  of  the  private  man 
taking  advantages  to  make  his  brother  a  prey. 

This  is  commonly  the  worm  of  peace  ;  for  when 
external  wars  do  cease,  then  internal  digladiations  do 
commonly  succeed  ;  then  wit,  and  poHcy,  and  power, 
do  put  themselves  to  it  to  see  what  they  can  get ;  and 
this  is  a  sin  which  God  taketh  notice  of,  and  which  he 
declareth  to  his  prophets,  that  they  may  reprove  it. 

2.  Here    is   violence   also   added ;    for  where,  by 

fraud,  and  circumvention,  and  secret  conveyance,  this 

spoiling  cannot  be  wrought,   there,  like  the  priest's 

servant  that  came  for  flesh  for  the  priest,  they  will 

*  Qu.  '  their '?— Ed.  j  Qu.  '  your  ' '?— Ed. 

104 


take  by  strong  hand  and  by  violence  that  which  they 
would  have.  This  is  commonly  the  war  between  the 
superior  and  inferior,  between  the  strong  and  ^the 
weak ;  for  the  weakest  here  go  to  the  wall. 

These  be  signs  of  a  drooping  and  decaying  common- 
wealth, when  cruelty  and  violence  is  its  own  carver, 
and  the  poor  have  their  faces  ground  between  the 
tearing  millstones  of  oppression  ;  when  the  poor  flock 
pines  and  starves  with  hunger ;  when, 

'  Alienas  oves  custos  bis  mulget  in  hora.' 

For  they  be  called  Jilii  alieni,  '  strange  children,' 
that  do  oppress  their  brethren,  when  things  are  not 
carried  by  the  law  of  justice,  but  by  the  power  of 
violence.  And  the  commonwealth  of  the  Jews  were 
even  sick  to  the  death  of  this  disease,  at  this  time 
when  Habakkuk  prophesied ;  for  shortly  after  fol- 
lowed their  deportation,  and  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  desolation  of  the  temple. 

Let  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  take  warning  by 
this  fearful  example,  and  let  not  private  persons  trans- 
gressing in  this  kind  forget  what  the  Lord  did  to  this 
people. 

3.  The  prophet  addeth,  before  me ;  wherein  he  de- 
clareth a  double  boldness  of  these  sinners. 

1.  That  they  professed  their  opposition,  and  cared 
not  who  saw  it ;  for  the  holy  men  of  God  search  not 
so  deep  into  the  manners  of  men  to  seek  out  their 
faults,  neither  do  they  profess  themselves  students  in  the 
afiairs  of  the  commonwealth,  as  to  observe  how  things 
are  carried  ;  but  if  God  declare  it  to  them,  and  cause 
them  to  behold  it,  and  if  the  workers  of  this  wicked- 
ness be  so  bold  and  open  that  they  care  not  who  see 
it,  this  doth  prove  the  sin  deeply  rooted  and  high- 
grown  in  amongst  them. 

2.  It  proves  their  boldness  in  sinning,  that  they 
durst  commit  those  crying  sins  before  the  prophet,  the 
messenger  of  God  sent  of  purpose  to  reprove  them, 
and  coming  from  almighty  God  to  dissuade  them  from 
it.  Sin  at  first  is  bashful  and  modest,  and  doth  fear 
the  sight  of  any  good  man.  Seneca,  the  learned 
preacher,  thought  it  a  good  thing  to  keep  in  unruly 
desires,  and  any  intemperancy  in  young  men.  Pro- 
(lest  sine  diibio  custodem  sibi  imposuisse,  el  habere  quern 
respicias  ;  and  to  live  Tanqua77i  sub  alicujus  boni  viri 
semper  jvasent is  oculis.  But  when  men  grow  to  that 
height  of  sinning  that  they  dare  commit  their  iniquities 
in  the  sight  of  God  and  men  ;  in  the  sight  of  the 
minister  that  carrieth  the  sword  of  God's  Spirit,  the 


Ver.  3,  4.] 


IIARBURY  ON  HAEAKKUK. 


17 


word  of  God  to  reprove  it  and  threaten  it ;  or  in  the 
sight  of  the  magistrate  that  carrieth  the  sword  of  God 
to  punish  it,  then,  to  use  the  apostle's  word,  '  Sin  is 
out  of  measure  sinful.' 

Such  ai-e  they  that  swear,  and  blaspheme  the  name 
of  God,  that  talk  scurrilously  and  lewdly,  that  deprave 
their  brethren  maliciously,  that  drink  drunk  even 
before  us,  the  ministers  of  God's  word,  as  if  God  had 
sent  us  to  bid  them  sin  on,  and  as  if  we  had  no  com- 
mission to  find  fault  out  of  the  pulpit.  They  save 
their  own  stakes  by  confining  us  to  the  pulpit,  and 
shutting  up  our  power  there  ;  for  there  they  know  we 
may  not  tax  personally,  and  they  think  themselves 
free  enough  if  we  smite  at  sin  only  in  general  terms  ; 
for  such  reproofs  have  no  edge  but  what  particular 
application  doth  give  them,  and  therein  they  are  wise 
enough  to  favour  themselves. 

It  is  not  nothing  that  the  prophet  doth  say  that  this 
spoiling  and  violence  was  done  before  him  ;  for  his 
words  of  reproof  will  prove  them  guilty  of  wilful  trans- 
gression, and  contempt  of  the  divine  majesty,  as  it 
presently  followeth.  And  he  will  be  both  a  fearful 
impreeator  against  them,  as  he  proveth  in  this  chapter, 
to  call  down  God's  judgments  upon  them  ;  and  he  will 
be  a  fuU  witness  to  testify  against  them  before  God. 

And  there  are  that  raise  up  strife  and  contention. 
This  is  a  further  complaint  of  the  prophet  against  this 
people  ;  that  they  are  so  far  from  peace,  that  they  do 
pick  quarrels  one  with  another,  and  make  matter  of 
strife  and  contention.  This  is  contrary  to  the  apostle's 
precept :  Rom.  xii.,  '  If  it  be  possible,  as  much  as  in 
you  is,  have  peace  with  all  men.' 

There  be  some  of  that  froward  nature,  and  wrang- 
ling disposition,  that  cannot  contain  themselves  within 
the  bounds  of  peace,  but  they  must  be  ever  searching 
where  they  may  find  fault,  thinking  it  best  fishing  in 
troubled  waters.     You  see  that  God  taketh  notice  of 
such  unquiet  persons,  and  detecteth  them  to  his  pro- 
phets, that  they  may  chide  them  for  it ;  as  the  apostle   ! 
saith,  Rom.  xvi.  17,  '  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,   I 
mark  them  which  cause  divisions  and  ofl'ences.'     You  i 
see  God  marketh  them  ;  for  it  is  one  of  the  six  things  | 
which  God  abhors,  Prov.  vi.  19,  '  him  that  soweth  dis- 
cord among  brethren.'    There  is  great  cause  why  God   i 
should  abhor  such  as  stir  up  strife.  I 

1.  Because  God  is  called  *  the  God  of  peace,'  and 
his  gospel  is  called  '  the  gospel  of  peace  ;'  and  his 
natural  Son  became  ^oj?  nostra,  '  our  peace,'  and  his 
adopted  sons  be  '  children  of  peace.'     Therefore  those 


sons  of  thunder,  those  boisterous  and  tumultuous 
natures,  must  needs  be  abominable  to  him  whose  ways 
be  ri(e  pads,  the  ways  of  peace  ;  for  contraries  do 
expel  one  the  other. 

Contention  doth  derive  itself  from  two  very  oflfensive 
corruptions  in  men,  which  are  abominable  to  God,  as 
Solomon  sheweth. 

1.  Only  '  by  pride  cometh  contention,"  Prov.  xiii. 
12  ;  and  indeed  they  that  think  themselves  wiser  than 
their  brethren,  and  overween  the  graces  of  God  in 
themselves,  and  think  themselves  worthy  to  sit  at  the 
hehn,  and  to  direct  all,  if  they  cannot  have  their  own 
wUls  in  everything,  then  they  quarrel,  and  contend 
with  all  that  oppose  them. 

The  proud  man  God  resisteth,  for  he  encroacheth 
upon  his  sovereignty  ;  therefore  David  saith  that  God 
abhorreth  him. 

2.  '  Hatred  stirreth  up  strife,'  Prov.  x.  12  ;  that  is 
another  corruption  in  man  which  God  cannot  dispense 
with,  because  he  is  charity ;  and  only  '  he  which 
dwelleth  in  charity  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.' 

There  be  many  distastes  and  dislikes  that  do  grow 
even  amongst  friends,  because  we  either  want  the 
wisdom  to  know,  or  the  patience  to  consider,  when 
time  is,  that  there  can  be  no  peace  between  us,  except 
we  can  bear  with  one  another,  and  forgive  one  another 
some  infirmities,  which  the  apostle  calleth  '  bearing 
one  another's  burdens.'  It  is  not  that  sin  of  infirmity 
in  our  nature  that  is  here  complained  of,  but  when 
men  be  so  perverse  and  unquiet  that  they  will  stir  up 
strife  and  contention  ;  as  David  complaineth,  *  They 
stir  up  strife  all  the  day  long.'  And  when  there  is 
not  only  contention,  as  in  those  that  secretly  work 
one  against  another,  but  there  is  jurgium,  a  chiding 
and  scolding  too  ;  and  that  they  go  so  far  in  it,  that 
when  the  prophet  speaketh  to  them  of  peace,  they 
prepare  themselves  to  battle  ;  this  is  hostility  to  peace. 

Here  all  those  that  disquiet  the  peace  of  their 
brethren,  by  secret  whispers  and  by  open  detractions, 
and  all  those  that  molest  one  another  in  needless  suits 
of  law  ;  all  tale-bearers,  that  carry  fire  about  them  to 
inflame  a  brother  against  a  brother,  do  see  who  takes 
notice  of  them,  even  God  himself ;  and  they  make  the 
prophets  and  ministers  of  God,  hke  Joseph,  to  carry 
their  evil  report  to  their  father,  and  to  complain  of 
them  as  enemies  unto  peace. 

All  those,  that  when  a  contention  is  laid  asleep,  do 
awake  it  with  new  suggestions,  and  stir  it  up  afresh, 
and  put  fuel  to  it  to  inflame  it ;  all  which  proceeds 

105 


18 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


from  an  evil  root  of  bitterness  in  us,  and  witnesseth 
against  ns,  that  surely  the  fear  of  God  and  the  love  of 
brethren  is  not  in  that  place. 

The  apostle  telleth  us,  that  '  if  we  be  led  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  we  are  the  sons  of  God.'  But  it  is 
clear  that  contention,  and  strife,  and  debate,  are  fruits 
of  the  flesh,  and  declare  us  to  be  carnal ;  and  '  flesh 
and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven.' 

Those  contentions  do  make  us  unfit  for  the  service 
of  God,  and  to  perform  all  Christian  ofiices  to  one 
another  ;  and  God,  seeing  it  for  the  good  of  his  people, 
he  detecteth  it  to  his  prophets  of  purpose,  that  they 
may  seek  reformation  thereof.  But  these  did  strive 
even  with  the  prophets. 

How  far  this  unquietness  did  stretch  in  this  people, 
the  next  words  declare. 

Therefore  the  law  is  slacked.  By  the  law  here  he 
meaneth  the  law  of  God  that  lahefactata  est,  is  weak- 
ened ;  or,  as  others  read  it,  lacerata  est,  is  torn  in 
pieces  ;  others,  dissobitur,  is  dissolved,  that  is,  the 
law  of  peace  and  charity ;  for  the  whole  sum  of  the 
law  is  love  :  that  is  broken,  and  no  man  maketh  con- 
science thereof,  or  careth  to  be  rued*  by  it.  Here 
observe, 

1.  This  goeth  near  the  heart  of  God's  prophet,  when 
he  seeth  that  God  is  no  more  set  by,  and  his  law  no 
better  regarded  ;  so  doth  the  prophet  complain,  Ps. 
cxix.  158,  '  I  beheld  the  transgressors,  and  was  grieved, 
because  they  kept  not  thy  word.'  This  complaint, 
then,  was  no  human  perturbation,  but  a  sad  com- 
plaint for  the  injury  done  to  almighty  God  in  his  law. 
And  herein  we  shew  our  zeal  of  God's  glory,  when  we 
are  moved  and  troubled  at  the  contempt  of  his  law  ; 
for  commonly  we  are  full  of  heat  and  provocation  in 
personal  injuries  when  ourselves  are  touched  ;  but  we 
are  too  cold  in  the  quarrel  of  God.  The  holy  psalmist 
cries  out,  *  Away  from  me,  all  ye  that  work  iniquity  ; 
for  I  will  keep  the  commandments  of  my  God.'  This 
is  to  be  angry  without  sin,  when  we  are  provoked 
against  them  that  violate  the  holy  law  of  God. 

2.  Note  how  licentiousness  was  overgrown  in  this 
people,  and  to  what  an  height  their  sin  was  come  up. 
When  the  law  of  God,  which  was  by  God  given  to 
them,  deposited  with  them,  given  with  such  a  charge 
of  keeping  it,  with  such  terrible  threatenings  of  all 
declining  from  it,  given  with  such  promises  annexed 
to  the  keeping  of  it,  was  now  neglected  ;  the  lantern 


106 


♦    Qu. 'ruled'?— Ed. 


and  light  to  their  feet  put  out,  of  purpose,  because 
they  love  darkness  more  than  light. 

These  two  things,  mutuo  se  generant,  do  mutually 
beget  each  other  ;  for  from  the  contempt  of  the  law  of 
God  doth  arise  licentiousness  and  custom  of  sinning, 
and  from  that  licentiousness  doth  grow  a  further  con- 
tempt of  the  law. 

When  men  live  out  of  the  awe  of  God's  command- 
ments, and  will  not  be  kept  within  the  bounds  and 
limits  which  the  law  of  God  doth  set  them,  there  can 
be  no  hope  of  their  conversion  ;  their  estate  is  despe- 
rate ;  the  prophet  must  repair  to  God  ;  this  is  dignus 
vindice  nodus.  '  It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord,  to  put  to 
thine  hand  ;  for  they  have  destroyed  thy  laws.' 

Judgment  doth  never  go  forth.  1.  Some  understand 
this  of  the  impurity  of  those  wicked  men,  that  God 
doth  see  their  violence,  and  how  his  law  is  broken, 
and  yet  he  keepeth  in  his  judgment,  and  doth  not 
punish  the  transgressors  ;  which  maketh  them  to  sin 
boldly  ;  for  '  because  sentence  is  not  speedily  executed 
against  the  wicked,  the  heart  of  the  children  of  men  is 
wholly  set  in  them  to  do  evil.'  In  which  sense  the 
prophet  doth  challenge  God  of  remissness  in  execution 
of  his  judgment,  and  quickeneth  him  by  this  complaint. 
2.  Others  do  understand  these  words  of  the  corrup- 
tion of  all  judicial  authority  amongst  them  ;  for  where 
the  law  of  God  faileth,  and  is  not  regarded,  there  can  J 
be  no  seat  of  justice  ;  no  man  can  expect  that  judg-  ' 
ment  should  come  from  thence ;  expectavi  judicium  et 
ecce  clamor,  there  is  the  stool  of  wickedness.  And 
that  sense  doth  best  agree  with  this  place  and  the  co- 
herence of  the  text ;  for  where  religion  is  despised, 
the  courts  of  justice  must  needs  be  corrupt.  Justice 
is  either  turned  into  wormwood,  if  the  judge  be  in- 
censed, and  carry  a  spleen  ;  or  if  the  judge  be  servile, 
and  live  in  fear  of  some  great  power,  he  must  take  his 
directions  from  them,  and  he  must  decree  as  he  is  com- 
manded ;  or  if  he  be  covetous,  justice  is  a  prize,  then 
win  it  and  wear  it ;  or  if  he  be  partial,  as  the  parties 
are  befriended,  so  the  cause  is  ended.  So  that  judg- 
ment, that  is,  upright  and  uncorrupted  judgment, 
never  goeth  out ;  and  so  the  best  causes  speed  worst. 
You  see  here  was  great  cause  of  complaint,  when 
there  was  neither  religion  nor  justice  left  in  that  land. 
It  followeth, 

*  The  wicked  doth  compass  about  the  righteous.''  So 
David  complained,  Ps.  xii.  8,  '  the  wicked  walk  on 
every  side.'  And  again,  Ps.  xxii.,  '  Be  not  far  from 
me,  for  trouble  is  near ;  for  there  is  none  to  help.' 


Vkr.  3,  4.] 


MARBUET  ON  HABAKKUK. 


19 


He  complaineth  of  the  nngoJly,  and  caileth  them  bulls 
and  lions ;  strong  bulls,  ravening  and  roaring  lions. 

*  Dogs  have  compassed  me.'  Where  the  law  of  God 
is  neglected,  authority  and  power  degenerateth  into 
oppression  and  tyranny;  men  lay  aside  humanity,  and 
are  transformed  into  brute  beasts  that  have  no  under- 
standing. There  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to 
be  an  honest  man,  and  one  that  feareth  God  and 
maketh  conscience  of  his  ways  amongst  the  wicked  : 
'  They  came  about  me  like  bees,'  as  the  Sodomites 
came  about  Lot ;  and  they  cry,  Down  with  them, 
down  with  them,  and  let  them  never  rise  again.  The 
prophet  Isaiah  describeth  it  well :  chap.  lix.  14,  15, 

*  And  judgment  is  turned  away  backward,  and  justice 
standeth  afar  off;  for  truth  is  fallen  in  the  streets, 
and  equity  cannot  enter.  Yea,  truth  faileth,  and  he 
that  departeth  from  evil  maketh  himself  a  prey  :  and 
the  Lord  saw  it,  and  it  displeased  him  that  there  was 
no  judgment.' 

Christ  told  us  long  ago,  in  his  disciples,  '  If  you 
were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  you  ;'  for  the 
world  loves  all  her  own  :  '  but  because  you  are  not  of 
the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
therefore  the  world  hateth  you.'  You  see  how  they 
compass  about  the  just  men  in  whom  any  religion  ap- 
pears, or  any  care  of  a  good  conscience,  or  any  fire 
of  holy  zeal ;  the  wicked  come  about  such  to  quench 
this  fire,  and  beset  such  round  about  that  they  may 
not  escape  them. 

Let  Lot  say  to  the  Sodomites,  '  I  pray  you,  brethren, 
do  not  so  wickedly,'  Gen.  xix.  9;  they  will  press  upon 
him,  and  threaten  him,  *  Now  will  we  deal  worse  with 
thee  than  with  them  ;  then  they  pressed  to  break  the 
door.' 

Therefore  icrong  judgment  proceedeth.  Because 
things  are  carried  by  the  licentious  and  unbridled  will 
of  power,  without  religion  or  conscience  of  equity, 
therefore  there  is  wrong  judgment.  I  understand  the 
prophet  thus :  That  private  injuries  and  oppressions 
between  man  and  man  were  frequent,  and  the  wicked 
used  aU  means  to  molest  the  just ;  and  when  they  did 
fly  for  remedy  to  the  courts  of  justice,  they  were  also 
so  corrupt,  and  did  so  favour  the  cause  of  the  wicked, 
that  there  they  had  wrong  judgment.  The  judges  and 
magistrates  that  should  execute  the  judgments  of  God 
upon  the  wicked,  and  should  deliver  the  oppressed 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  oppressor,  they  were 
guilty,— 

1.  Of  favouring  and  animating  and  abetting  the 


wicked  in  their  ungodliness,  which  they  should  have 
punished,  for  which  also  they  were  ordained. 

2.  Of  unjust  judgment,  punishing  where  they  should 
spare,  and  oppressing  whom  they  should  defend. 

Here  was  a  corrupt  commonwealth,  and  this  was 
the  grief  of  the  prophet,  and  he  had  no  remedy  but 
to  put  the  scroll  of  their  sins  and  to  spread  it  before 
the  Lord ;  and  in  behalf  of  the  oppressed,  to  appeal 
from  the  courts  of  men  to  the  tribunal  of  God. 

The  words  thus  opened,  and  the  sense  cleared,  let 
us  consider  this  text, 

1.  In  the  total  sum  :  it  is  a  very  serious  complaint 
of  the  prophet  to  God. 

2.  In  the  particulars  of  which  he  complaineth. 
He  complaineth  of  two  things. 

1.  Of  the  corruption  of  the  state  of  the  common- 
wealth of  the  Jews. 

2.  Of  Gods  declaring  the  same  corruption  to  him. 
The  corruption  is  expressed  in  three  things. 

1.  In  the  conversation. 

2.  In  the  religion. 

3.  In  the  justice  of  that  nation. 

1.  In  the  total.  The  prophet  doth  complain  to 
God  seriously,  and  out  of  a  grieved  heart,  of  the 
people. 

Doct.  Complaint  is  a  part  of  prayer. 

Prayer  is  a  pouring  forth  of  the  heart  to  God, 
wherein  we  prostrate  all  our  desires  to  God,  and  crave 
his  help.  Sometimes  we  call  to  remembrance  the 
mercies  of  God,  and  sum  up  his  benefits,  which, 
though  it  be  joined  viiih.  prayer,  and  doth  pass  under 
the  name  of  prayer,  yet  is  it  rather  a  special  and  dis- 
tinct part  of  God's  worship  in  itself,  than  properly  any 
member  or  part  of  prayer.  Sometimes  we  beg  of  God 
supply  of  our  wants,  and  that  we  call  petition.  Some- 
times we  plead  the  cause  of  our  brethren,  and  beg  for 
them ;  that  is  intercession.  Sometimes  we  pray 
against  judgment  and  sin,  and  that  is  deprecation. 
Sometimes  we  have  cause  to  complain  to  God  of  the 
sins  and  transgressions  of  our  brethren,  when  either 
the  honour  of  God  or  the  peace  of  brethren  is  vio- 
lated :  so  here  ;  this  is  imprecation.  For  when  we 
see  that  the  outward  means  of  reclaiming  men  from 
giving  offence  to  God,  to  the  church,  and  to  Christian 
religion,  do  not  work  eflectually  to  reform  them,  yet 
we  must  not  forsake  the  cause  of  God  so,  but  make 
our  complaint  unto  him,  and  put  the  matter  into  his 
hand. 

Thus,  when  there  was  a  council  held  against  the 

107 


20 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  L 


apostles,  Acts  iv.,  and  therein  consultation  for  the 
quenching  of  the  light  of  the  gospel,  then  beginning 
to  shine  more  clearly,  Peter  and  John  went  aside  from 
the  council,  dismissed  with  a  strait  and  severe  charge 
to  speak  no  more  in  that  name.  They  came  to  their 
brethren  and  informed  them  of  these  things,  and 
'  they  lifted  up  their  voice  to  God  with  one  accord.' 

In  that  prayer  they  complain  of  their  enemies :  1, 
For  that  which  they  had  done  already.  •  For  of  a 
truth,  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast 
anointed,  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  and  the 
Gentiles,  wefe  gathered  together.'  2.  For  that  which 
they  meant  to  do.  *  And  now.  Lord,  behold  their 
threatenings.'  This  also  is  twice  included  in  the 
Lord's  prayer  ;  for  when  we  desire  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  may  come,  we  do  complain  of  the  enemies  of 
that  kingdom,  and  desire  God  to  arise  and  scatter 
them,  and  defeat  all  their  designs  against  the  same. 
And  when  we  pray  not  to  be  led  into  temptation,  but 
to  be  delivered  from  evils,  we  do  secretly  complain  of 
all  those  evils  which  Satan  and  his  wicked  instruments 
do  plot  against  the  body  of  the  church,  or  any  par- 
ticular members  thereof. 

1.  The  reason  is,  because  vengeance  belongeth  to 
God ;  and  we  must  remember  of  what  spirit  we  are, 
and  must  not  take  the  quarrel  of  God  into  our  hands, 
but  leave  it  to  God  to  see  and  require. 

2.  Because  the  times  and  seasons  are  only  in  his 
power ;  and  we  must  leave  it  to  his  wise  justice  to 
take  the  fit  time  for  the  conversion  or  confusion  of  his 
enemies,  in  the  mean  time  resting  ourselves  on  his  sure 
protection  and  faithful  care  of  us. 

3.  Because  we  may  have  enemies  for  the  present, 
who  may  come  to  a  sight  and  sense  of  their  sins,  and 
may  by  our  complaint  of  them  to  God,  receive  his 
saving  mercy  to  reconcile  them  to  the  church,  as  he 
did  Saul  at  the  prayer  of  Saint  Stephen,  who  shortly 
after  became  an  apostle,  and  proved  a  chosen  instru- 
ment of  God's  glory. 

4.  We  must  complain  of  these  things  to  declare  our 
zeal  of  God's  glory,  and  our  holy  impatience  to  see 
his  commandments  despised  of  men. 

5.  To  shew  our  charity  to  our  brethren,  who  do 
suffer  by  this  cruel  and  wicked  world,  whose  estates 
we  pity,  and  we  go  to  God  as  a  common  Father  to  us 
all,  to  take  the  matter  into  his  own  hands. 

From  whence  we  conclude  that  it  ever  ought  to  be 
a  part  of  our  prayer,  to  call  upon  the  name  of  God  by 
way  of  complaint  of  the  iniquity  of  the  times  in  which 
108 


we  do  live,  that  God  may  give  an  end  to  it,  and  that 
it  may  not  prevail  against  his  church,  lest  the  enemies- 
thereof  do  grow  too  proud. 

This  manner  of  complaining  and  calling  upon  God 
for  justice  against  the  ungodly  doth  not  die  with  ua 
here;  the  separated  souls  parted  from  earth,  and  from 
their  bodies,  do  retain  it :  Rev.  vi.  9,  10,  '  I  saw 
under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for 
the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which  they 
held.  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  How 
long,  0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge 
and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth.' 

This  doctrine  yieldeth  this  fruit  of  appUcation  to 
our  pi'ofit. 

1.  If  we  ought  to  complain  to  God  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  our  brethren  when  they  do  grow  incorrigible,, 
it  is  a  fair  warning  to  us  to  walk  warily  and  with  a 
good  conscience  before  God  and  man  ;  and  that  in 
two  respects. 

1.  That  we  do  not  offend  our  brethren  by  any 
means,  lest  we  give  them  occasion  to  complain  to  God 
of  us.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  give  occasion  of 
offence  to  any  of  those  little  ones  that  trust  in  God, 
and  woe  be  to  them  that  give  the  offence.  It  is  the 
praise  of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  Luke  i.  6,  that 
they  were  dfj-ifi'Trroi.  The  apostle  doth  require  this  of 
the  Philippians,  chap.  ii.  15,  /va  ytyr^oDi  a%iiJ.VTot 
xai  axs^aioi.  Sine  querela,  sine  conubiis,  oi  fii,afo{j,ai, 
conqueror. 

You  shall  find  it  a  great  contentment  in  your  heart, 
and  peace  in  your  bones  all  your  life  through,  but 
especially  upon  your  deathbed,  when  you  can  comfort 
yourselves  with  this :  that  your  brethren,  with  whom 
you  have  lived,  have  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  you. 
Biat  it  will  be  an  ornament  to  your  memory,  and  a 
second  life  to  your  good  name,  when  you  are  departed 
hence. 

Let  no  man  neglect  the  complaints  of  his  brethren, 
especially  of  God's  ministers  ;  for  where  they  be  just, 
they  have  swift  passage  and  easy  admittance,  and  most 
gracious  auditors. 

2.  That  we  do  not  so  defile  ourselves  with  our  sins 
that  we  may  complain,  and  God  will  not  hear  us  ;  for 
there  be  many  more  that  complain  and  are  not  heard, 
than  of  those  that  complain  and  have  audience  and 
redress.     For  this  is  much  more  anger  than  holy  zeal. 

They  had  need  be  very  innocent  that  complain  of 
others.     Tnrpe  est  authori  cum  culpa  redarguit  ipsum. 


Ver.  3,  4..] 


MARBURY  ON  HaBAKKUK. 


21 


This  teacheth  us  by  all  means  to  seek  the  reforma- 
tion one  of  another  ;  for  if  by  onr  good  counsel,  or  by 
our  good  example,  or  by  brotherly  reproofs,  or  by  the 
mediation  of  friends,  or  by  the  sharp  coercion  of  the 
laws,  we  cannot  destroy  sin  in  them,  yet  we  must  not 
give  them  over  ;  we  must  complain  to  God  of  them, 
and  leave  them  to  his  justice. 

2.  Let  us  now  review  the  particulars  of  the  pro- 
phet's complaint. 

1.  Of  the  corruption  of  the  state  of  the  common- 
wealth of  the  Jews,  and  therein, 

1.  Of  their  corrupt  conversation  generally,  ex- 
pressed in  these  words,  grievance,  spoiling,  violence, 
strife,  and  contention  ;  all  of  them  against  the  law  of 
the  second  table,  '  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself.' 

Doct.  The  sin  of  uncharitableness  corrupteth  a 
commonwealth,  and  maketh  all  the  faithful  servants  of 
God  complain  ;  it  is  a  crying  sin.  Observe  the  pro- 
phet's words  : 

1.  Grievance:  If  we  do  anything,  or  say  anything 
whereby  we  do  grieve  our  brother,  and  alienate  his 
affections  from  us. 

2.  Spoiling :  If  we  by  any  means  hurt  him  in  his 
maintenance,  either  by  taking  from  him  that  which  he 
doth  possess,  or  by  preventing  him  in  that  which  he 
should  possess,  by  withholding  from  him  the  wages  of 
his  labour,  or  by  denying  the  labourer  work  whereby 
he  should  live,  or  by  undervaluing  his  labour  to  make 
it  unsufficient  to  support  him,  op  by  bringing  up  an 
evil  report  of  him,  or  by  any  alienation  of  his  friends 
from  him. 

3.  Violence  :  Using  strong  hand  to  any  of  these  pur- 
poses, which  is  called  sinning  with  an  high  hand  and 
stiff  neck,  abusing  power  and  place  to  oppression  and 
wrong. 

4.  Strife :  Disquieting  our  brethren's  peace. 

5.  Jurgium :  Provoking  them  with  proud  and  im- 
perious speeches. 

These  sins  corrupt  a  commonwealth,  and  overthrow 
charity,  and  grieve  all  such  as  fear  God. 

1.  Because  they  impeach  the  authority  and  power 
of  God,  who  hath  reserved  to  himself  the  dispensation 
of  his  own  gifts  here  ;  for  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and 
all  that  therein  is,  and  he  hath  given  it  to  the  sons  of 
men.  Whatsoever  either  honour  or  wealth  any  man 
possesseth,  which  is  not  of  his  gift,  that  is  achieved 
by  unlawful  means,  it  hath  not  his  blessing,  and  it  is 
held  by  intrusion  and  usurpation. 


He  hath  not  put  man  into  the  world,  as  he  did  the 
people  of  Irael  into  Canaan,  to  be  his  own  carver,  and 
to  take  what  he  can  get  by  strength  or  policy  ;  they 
had  warrant  for  what  they  did  there,  we  have  a  law  of 
restraint,  to  confine  us  to  lawful  ways  and  means  of 
living;  therefore  all  such  violence  as  invadeth  the 
goods  of  our  brethren  is  a  wrong  to  him  who  openeth 
his  hand  and  filleth  with  plenty,  and  doth  not  bid  us 
arise,  kill,  and  eat,  and  get  what  we  can,  no  matter 
how. 

2.  This  uncharitable  practice  doth  destroy  society; 
for  seeing  God  for  peace  sake  hath  made  a  difference 
between  men  on  earth,  some  superior,  others  inferior ; 
some  rich,  some  poor;  that  there  might  be  a  need  of 
one  another,  to  maintain  the  state  of  a  commonwealth, 
all  they  that  engross  to  their  own  heap,  and  do  only 
study  themselves  and  their  own  house,  they  corrupt 
and  destroy  that  common  society  which  ought  to  be 
in  the  members  of  the  body. 

I  read  that  Pope  Adrian  the  sixth,  a  monkish  man, 
demanded  once  of  John  of  Salisbury,  his  countryman, 
what  opinion  the  world  had  of  the  church  of  Rome. 
He  answered  that  the  church  of  Rome,  which  should 
be  a  mother,  was  now  become  a  step-mother,  and 
gathered  and  got  all  from  her  own  children.  The 
pope  replied  with  a  tale  :  all  the  parts  of  the  body  did 
conspire  against  the  stomach,  and  thought  much  to 
labour  for  that,  whereupon  they  resolved  to  feed  it  no 
longer ;  but  within  few  days,  there  grew  such  a 
general  decay  in  the  stat€  of  all  the  parts  of  the  body, 
that  at  last,  finding  their  error,  they  laboured  as  before 
for  the  stomach,  and  found  then  that  that  maintained 
them  all.  The  pope's  application  was,  that  the  pope 
is  the  stomach  in  the  body  of  the  church,  and  that 
though  aU  the  members  of  the  body  do  feed  him,  yet 
he  gathereth  not  for  himself,  but  for  the  whole  body. 

It  is  true,  that  the  father  of  a  commonwealth  is  the 
stomach,  from  whence  all  the  body,  as  from  the  root, 
deriveth  sap  and  nutriment,  and  therefore  all  must 
labour  for  him.  But  one  body  must  have  but  one 
stomach ;  and  therefore  when  every  man  shall  rob 
and  spoil  and  swallow  up  what  he  can,  the  body  must 
needs  perish. 

Again,  where  that  one  stomach  is  good,  the  body 
thrives ;  for  that  hath  not  only  an  appetitive  faculty  to 
desire  food,  and  receptive  to  entertain  it,  and  a  reten- 
tive to  keep  it,  but  a  digestive  also  to  distribute  it 
into  all  the  parts  of  the  body. 

But  if  the  stomach  be  appetitive  and  rapine,  and 

109 


22 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


devour  all,  as  in  some  disease,  canimts  ajypetUm,  which 
is  a  greedy  devourer ;  or  if  it  be  retentive  and  will 
part  with  nothing,  but  is  the  hell  and  grave  of  all  that 
it  receiveth,  as  in  covetousness  ;  or  if  it  be  defective 
in  the  retentive  faculty,  and  cast  up  all,  as  in  prodi- 
gality and  waste  ;  or  if  it  be  ill  affected  in  the  diges- 
tive faculty,  that  it  feedeth  nothing  but  ill  humours, 
to  overthrow  the  contemperament  of  the  complexions  ; 
that  is,  if  it  feed  the  sanguine  only,  and  so  maintain  all 
kind  of  wantonness,  pride,  and  vanity  ;  if  it  feed  only 
choler,  and  so  support  tyranny  and  violence ;  or  if  it 
support  only  melancholy,  it  feedeth  sullen  and  busy 
projecting  wit ;  or  if  it  feed  phlegm,  it  sustaineth 
idleness ; — if  it  do  not  nourish  the  temperament  of 
these  humours  in  the  body,  it  feedeth  diseases  and 
destroyeth  the  body. 

Thus  was  the  commonwealth  of  the  Jews  at  this  time 
diseased,  and  only  the  choler  was  fed,  which  brought 
forth  grievance,  spoiling,  violence,  strife ;  so  riches 
became  the  faculties  of  evil  doing,  and  power  was  the 
mother  and  nurse  of  violence. 

Use.  Our  lesson  therefore  is,  if  we  love  the  state  of 
the  commonwealth  in  which  we  live,  and  would  have 
the  body  thrive,  of  which  we  are  members,  we  must 
observe  the  law  of  the  Christian  charity  and  common 
justice. 

Justitia  tiia  siium  cnique  tribuit,  charitas  tua  tmim, 
we  must  do  all  men  right,  and  know  our  own  from 
another  man's,  and  we  must  distribute  to  the  necessi- 
ties of  our  brethren,  that  there  be  no  complaining  in 
our  streets  ;  the  elder  must  labour  by  good  counsel 
and  good  examples  to  support  the  younger,  the  younger 
by  their  strength  and  labour  to  give  subvension  and 
help  to  the  elder,  each  to  know  their  own,  and  to 
think  nothing  theirs  which  is  not  lawfully  gotten. 

Let  us  remember  the  severe  prohibition  of  the  law, 
"which  not  only  bindeth  our  hearts  and  affections,  say- 
ing, '  Thou  shalt  not  steal,'  nee  actu,  nee  affectu, 
neither  in  act  nor  in  desire ;  but  it  restraineth  our 
very  first  thoughts  and  motions  of  the  mind  :  *  Thou 
shalt  not  covet  any  that  is  thy  neighbour's.' 

Let  us  remember  how  much  violence,  and  spoiling, 
and  grievance,  and  strife  displeaseth  God,  and  let  our 
brother  dwell  in  peace  by  us  ;  let  us  not  so  much  as 
look  upon  our  brethren  with  an  evil  eye,  to  envy  their 
thriving,  or  with  a  covetous  desire  to  enrich  ourselves 
"with  tbeir  spoils. 

We  see  the  danger  of  this  commonwealth  of  the 
Jews  because  of  their  oppression,  and  we  see  the  re- 
110 


medy  here  used,  to  complain  thereof  to  God ;  there- 
fore if  we  with  Solomon,  Eccles.  iv.  1,  "Turn  and 
consider  all  the  oppressions  that  are  wrought  under 
the  sun,  and  behold  the  tears  of  the  oppressed,  and 
none  comforteth  them ;  and  the  strength  is  of  the 
hand  that  oppresseth  them,  and  none  comforteth 
them  ;'  I  know  no  remedy  that  we  have  but  our 
prayer  to  God,  for  he  only  is  the  refuge  of  the 
afflicted. 

If  the  minister  complain  that  he  cannot  be  enter- 
tained to  execute  the  priest's  office  without  simoniacal 
contracts,  or  being  in  the  execution  of  the  same,  can- 
not keep  the  tithes  and  profits  of  his  place  from  spoil 
and  depredation;  if  the  soldier  complain  that  in  time  of 
peace  he  is  despised;  if  the  merchant  be  hindered  in  his 
commerce,  the  husbandman  overracked  in  his  rent, 
the  labourer  either  not  found  work,  or  not  paid  their 
wages ;  if  the  common  man  be  exhausted  by  imposi- 
tions and  exactions,  and  the  rich  man  milked  by  bor- 
rowings, while  the  most  idle  and  unprofitable  moths 
of  the  commonwealth,  and  the  rust  of  peace,  doth  de- 
vour all,  and  build  their  nest  on  high,  full  of  the  spoils 
of  their  brethren  :  these  things  tell  us,  that  they 
that  are  dead  in  the  Lord  are  happy  ;  as  Solomon 
saith,  they  hear  not  the  voice  of  the  oppressor,  and 
they  shall  not  see  the  evil  which  this  crying  sin  shall 
bring  upon  the  living,  for  you  shall  see  that  God 
heareth  the  complaints  of  his  holy  ones,  and  visiteth 
the  land  that  transgresseth  in  these  things. 

The  corruption  of  religion,  even  the  contempt 
thereof,  is  complained  of.  The  law  of  God  slacked, 
weakened,  despised. 

Doct.  It  is  a  diseased  and  a  desperate  state  where 
religion  is  contemned,  and  where  the  law  of  God  is 
not  cared  for. 

Reason  1.  The  cause  is,  because  we  hold  nothing 
temporal  in  this  life  by  any  other  right  than  upon 
condition  of  our  obedience  to  the  law  and  will  of  God : 
Isa.  i.  19,  20,  '  If  thou  consent  and  obey,  thou  shalt 
eat  the  good  things  of  the  land  :  but  if  ye  refuse  and 
rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured  with  the  sword.' 

Moses,  repeating  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments 
to  the  people,  Deut.  v.  2,  calleth  it  the  covenant  which 
the  Lord  made  with  them  in  Horeb  ;  and  the  condi- 
tions of  the  covenant  were  these  :  *  Ye  shall  observe 
to  do  therefore  as  the  Lord  your  God  hath  commanded 
you ;  you  shall  not  turn  aside  to  the  right  hand  nor 
to  the  left ;  you  shall  walk  in  all  the  ways  which  the 
Lord  your  God  hath  commanded  you,  that  ye  may  live, 


Ver.  3,  4.] 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK 


23 


and  that  it  may  be  well  with  tou,  and  that  ve  may  ' 
prolong  your  days  in  the  land  which  ye  shall  possess.'  ; 
The  very  introdoction  into  the  law,  '  I  am  the  Lord  ' 
your  God,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,'  sheweth  why  ! 
God  delivereth  us  from  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  j 
that  we  may  serve  him,  and  that  we  may  thrive  and  j 
prosper  La  his  service.  I 

Therefore,  where  the  law  is  slacked,  and  reb'gion  ! 
set  at  nought,  the  despisers  thereof  have  no  lawful 
interest  in  anything  that  they  possess,  but  are  in- 
truders and  usurpers,  and  such  as  encroach  upon 
God's  rights  without  any  plea  of  right;  they  are 
robbers  of  the  just,  to  whom  the  earth  is  given,  and 
with  whom  only  the  covenant  of  God  is  made. 

The  psalmist  saith,  Ps.  cxix.  '1,  *  Blessed  are  the 
undefiJed  in  the  way,  who  walk  in  the  way  of  the 
Lord.'  The  idle  speculations  of  secular  wise  men, 
and  the  corrupt  affections  of  carnal  men,  have  sought 
felicity  in  other  ways,  but  have  not  found  it.  The 
•way  of  religion,  and  keeping  the  law  of  God,  never 
failed  any  man ;  for  though  the  faithful  man  be  not 
justified  by  his  obedience  and  keeping  of  the  law,  yet 
the  fiuth  of  the  man  is  so  justified;  as  St  James  saith, 
*  Shew  me  thy  faith  by  thy  works.' 

The  way  of  temporal  fulness  hath  misled  many,  and 
corrupted  the  very  Jews  of  God's  people ;  for  why  did 
they  oppress,  and  spoil,  and  grieve,  and  contend  with 
their  brethren,  but  to  mend  their  own  heap  ?  And 
riches  are  not  but  for  use.  By  riches  they  might 
have  their  heart's  desire  in  anything  here  below,  they 
might  buy  it  out. 

Every  one  observeth  the  way  of  his  time  ;  if  he  see 
that  there  be  no  way  of  rising  or  thriving  in  the  world 
but  by  such  a  mediation,  the  whole  address  is  that 
way,  and  that  means  is  wholly  studied.  If  a  man  see 
that  there  is  nothing  to  be  had  without  money,  for 
money  anything,  then  money  is  his  whole  study  : 
qu<zrenda  pecunia  primin)}. 

And  sure  if  men  did  see  that  nothing  but  virtue, 
and  religion,  and  the  fear  of  God  did  prefer  men,  and 
sufficient  worth  for  the  place  that  they  seek,  men 
would  study  virtue  and  honesty,  and  all  those  parts 
which  might  make  them  worthy  of  what  they 
seek. 

But  it  is  no  matter ;  let  the  men  of  this  world 
share  amongst  them  things  temporal,  and  let  them 
break  and  slack  the  law  of  God  to  humour  the  pre- 
sent times,  as  those  Jews  at  this  time  did,  of  whom 


the  prophet  doth  complain,  'I will  give  them  sauce  to 
their  meat.'  For  three  things  well  considered  will 
call  us  away  from  these  temporal  desires,  and  make 
us  despise  the  world. 

1.  Though  one  man  had  all  that  this  world  afford- 
eth  delightful,  yet  all  this  could  not  satisfy  his  un- 
bounded desire ;  he  could  not  take  use  of  it  all,  he 
should  have  but  the  beholding  of  some  of  it  with  his 
eye,  and  that  the  least  part  of  the  whole. 

2.  All  these  things  could  not  give  rest  and  peace  to 
the  conscience,  or  heal  the  diseased  soul,  or  comfort 
at  the  dying  hour ;  they  cannot  stand  in  the  gap  to 
turn  away  the  judgment  of  God,  they  cannot  so  much 
as  cure  the  headache,  or  the  toothache,  or  any  disease 
of  the  body. 

"When  our  sins  be  ripe  and  ready  for  the  gathering, 
all  the  wealth  of  the  world  cannot  keep  out  the  sickle 
of  vengeance. 

3.  None  of  all  this  sublunary  happiness  can  extend 
itself  to  eternity ;  we  brought  it  not  with  us,  and  we 
must  leave  it  behind  us ;  and,  as  Zophar  said.  Job 
XX.  15,  '  He  that  hath  swallowed  down  riches  shall 
vonjit  them  up  again ;  God  shall  cast  them  out  of  his 
belly.'  Neither  do  all  men  tarry  till  they  die  to  lay 
down  these  things.  We  have  heard  with  our  ears, 
and  seen  in  our  own  times,  how  some  have  outlived 
great  honours,  and  seen  them  conferred  upon  others ; 
we  have  seen  great  esteemed  rich  men  break,  and 
their  poverty  come  upon  them  like  an  armed  man. 

On  the  contrary,  the  man  that  keepeth  the  law  of 
God  with  his  whole  heart,  and  doth  his  best  to  walk 
conscionably  before  God  and  man,  that  man  hath 
three  benefits,  which  would  encourage  any  man  to 
embrace  the  law  of  God  with  obedience,  and  they  are 
the  three  things  in  this  hfe  most  of  all  to  be  desired : 

1.  Safety  from  evils. 

2.  Comfort  within  himself. 

3.  Estimation  abroad. 
1.  Safety. 

The  greatest  danger  that  the  just  man  feareth  in 
this  life  is  the  wrath  of  God  ;  for  all  other  evils  be  the 
exercise  of  his  virtue,  that  evil  of  God's  displeasure  is 
the  wound  of  the  soul ;  for  there  is  no  peace  where 
God  is  angry,  but  only  the  terror  of  the  Lord.  From 
this,  he  that  keepeth  the  law  of  God  is  safe  ;  for  he 
knoweth  that  whom  God  loveth  once,  he  loveth  for 
ever,  and  the  grace  of  election  caunot  be  lost. 

He  may  chasten  such  with  the  rods  of  men,  but  his 
mercy  he  cannot  utterly  take  away ;  for  the  founda- 

111 


24 


MAKBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  T. 


tion  of  the  Lord  is  sealed  with  this  seal :  '  The  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his.'  *  Whom  he  knoweth  he  elect- 
eth,  he  predestinates,  he  calleth,  he  justifieth,  he 
sanctifieth,  he  glorifieth.'  They  cannot  sin  unto 
death.  He  will  cover  them  under  his  wings,  and 
they  shall  be  safe  under  his  feathers. 

2.  Comfort  within  himself. 

This  Cometh  from  a  pure  fountain  of  grace  :  '  The 
Spirit  of  God  witnessing  to  our  spirit  that  we  are  the 
sons  of  God  ; '  and  then  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science to  that  spirit,  which  hath  this  effect,  that  the 
more  we  do  see  and  feel  the  failing  of  all  our  temporal 
comforts,  the  more  we  cleave  to  God,  and  seek  our 
comfort  in  him. 

3.  Estimation  abroad. 

1.  They  are  dear  to  God,  who  loveth  them,  and 
declareth  them  heirs  of  his  promises. 

2.  They  are  "dear  to  the  Son  of  God:  he  bought 
them  with  a  price,  and  he  thought  it  well  bestowed  on 
them  ;  he  gave  them  his  word  in  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
abide  with  them  for  ever,  and  he  is  gone  to  prepare  a 
place  for  them, 

3.  They  are  dear  to  the  angels  of  God  :  they  pitch 
their  tents  about  them  living,  and  minister  unto  them  ; 
and  when  they  die,  they  carry  their  souls  into  Abra- 
ham's bosom. 

4.  They  are  dear  to  their  mother  the  church  of 
God,  who  saith  to  them  as  Solomon's  mother,  Prov. 
xxxi.  2,  '  "What,  my  son?  what,  the  son  of  my  womb? 
what,  the  son  of  my  vows  ? '  And  she  is  ready  to 
tender  her  children  to  God,  saying,  '  Lo,  here  am  I, 
and  the  children  which  thou  hast  given  me.' 

5.  They  that  live  in  the  obedience  of  the  law  of 
God  have  the  testimony  of  the  wicked,  for  they  can- 
not complain  of  them ;  if  they  do  them  wrong,  they 
suffer  it  without  seeking  revenge ;  if  they  need  the 
help  of  the'godly,  they  give  it  them  without  respect  of 
persons  ;  if  they  be  sick,  the  faithful  pray  for  them  ; 
if  they  do  evil,  they  reprove  them  friendly;  and  when 
they  die,  they  will  rather  cast  the  care  of  their  estates 
and  children  upon  such  as  fear  God  than  upon  other 
men  whom  they  have  loved  more  for  their  similitude 
of  manners. 

And  note  this,  they  that  walk  severely  in  the  obe- 
dience of  God's  law,  are  at  the  most  taxed  but  for 
hypocrisy,  which  sheweth  that  even  the  world  cannot 
blame  them,  if  they  be  sincere,  and  truly  and  really 
answerable  to  theu"  outward  profession. 

To  all  this  we  may  add,  as  the  full  comfort  of  all, 
112 


that  '  godliness  hath  the  promises  of  this  life,  and  the 
life  to  come.' 

1.  Of  this  life.  We  hold  that  which  we  possess  in 
a  good  right,  by  our  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  and 
we  have  God's  word  and  promise  for  it,  that  nothing 
shall  be  taken  from  us,  if  that  we  do  enjoy  here  but 
for  our  greater  good. 

2.  Of  the  life  to  come.     That  is  double  : 

1.  Here  ;  in  our  good  name,  in  our  posterity,  a 
sure  house. 

2.  Hereafter;  in  glory,  in  fulness  of  joy. 

I  do  not  doubt  but  God  hath  wrought  that  sad* 
effect  by  the  plentiful  ministry  of  his  word  in  our 
church  ;  that  he  hath  many  holy  souls  here  amongst 
us  which  hold  the  commandments  of  God  more  dear 
than  all  that  they  possess,  or  that  the  world  hath  to 
give  them  ;  and  for  their  sakes  God  is  merciful  to  our 
land,  and  gives  us  that  peace  and  plenty  which  many 
of  our  neighbour  churches  do  want.  And  if  God 
should  shut  up  these  in  the  chambers  of  death,  the 
candle  of  the  wicked  would  be  soon  put  out. 

But  we  cannot  but  see  that  papists  do  grow  both 
more  and  more  bold  than  they  have  been ;  whence 
they  have  their  encouragement,  God  best  knoweth. 
We  see  that  schismatics  and  separatists  are  increased, 
and  much  of  the.  knowledge  that  is  gotten  tumeth  into 
swelling,  and  pride,  and  contention.  We  see  that  the 
Sabbath  of  God  is  most  neglected,  even  of  those  that 
owe  God  most  service,  for  the  abundance  of  things 
temporal ;  we  see  that  profit,  and  pleasure,  and  com- 
pany, and  custom  of  sinning,  hath  brought  the  law  of 
God  into  contempt  with  such  as  are  profane. 

Let  such  see  and  consider  how  God  dealt  with  his 
own  people  in  such  a  case,  as  tlie  next  part  of  this 
chapter  sheweth,  and  let  them  fear.  For  us  ;  let  us 
know  that  in  keeping  of  the  law  of  God  there  is  great 
reward  ;  and  let  us  learn  to  love  this  law,  and  put  our 
whole  strength  to  the  keeping  of  it,  that  we  may  live. 
And  this, 

1.  In  sincerity  ;  not  with  eye-service,  to  be  seen  of 
men  ;  against  hypocrisy. 

2.  In  zeal  and  fervency  of  spirit ;  his  word  in  our 
hearts  must  be  as  a  burning  fire,  Jer.  xx.  9,  against 
cold  and  perfunctorious  profession,  which  is  the  general 
disease  of  professors. 

3.  With  perseverance  to  the  end,  without  any  in- 
termission or  cessation  ;  against  apostasy  and  back- 
sliding, even  as  our  great  example  did,  who  was  obe- 

*  Qu.  'said'?— Ed. 


Ver.  3,  4.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


25 


dient  to  the  death  ;  even  he  bowed  down  his  head, 
and  gave  up  the  ghost.  This,  and  nothing  else,  doth 
make  this  Ufe  peace,  and  the  next  life  glory  ;  this  is 
the  old  and  good  way  ;  walk  in  it,  and  you  shall  find 
rest  for  your  souls. 

3.  The  corruption  of  justice  is  another  of  the  pro- 
phet's complaints. 

Doct.  Corruption  of  justice  is  a  dangerous  sign  of 
a  di'ooping  commonwealth. 

Reason  1.  The  magistrate  sitteth  in  the  place  of 
God,  and  he  is  the  common  father  of  the  people  ;  and 
God  hath  put  his  own  sword  into  his  hand,  and  com- 
manded him  to  judge  justly  between  man  and  man, 

K  either  there  be  no  magistrate,  as  when  there  was 
no  king  in  Israel,  the  people  did  what  seemed  good  in 
their  own  eyes,  then  every  man  is  his  own  judge,  and 
the  stronger  prevail  against  the  weaker.  Or  if  the 
magistrate  be  corrupt,  there  goeth  forth  wrong  judg- 
ment ;  and  good  causes  have  unequal  hearings,  and 
right  taketh  no  place.  Solon  in  the  Athenian,  and 
Lycurgus  in  the  Lacedaemonian,  commonwealth,  got 
them  honour  in  the  books  of  time  for  their  justice  ; 
and  Herodotus  reporteth,  that  amongst  the  Medes, 
when  they  yet  had  no  king,  Deioces  being  but  a 
private  man,  by  compromising  contentions  betwixt 
man  and  man  justly  and  equally,  got  that  reputation 
amongst  the  people,  that  in  short  time  all  the  causes 
of  the  country  were  referred  to  his  hearing,  which  got 
him  such  a  name  of  doing  justice,  that  when  they 
found  it  necessary  to  put  themselves  under  the  govern- 
ment of  a  king,  they  found  no  man  so  fit  to  invest  in 
that  honour  as  Deioces  ;  and  they  with  one  consent 
chose  him  to  be  their  king.  And  Solomon  saith, 
Prov.  xvi.  12,  '  The  throne  is  established  by  righteous- 
ness.' 

Therefore,  where  justice  faileth,  God's  ordinance  is 
made  an  instrument  of  cruelty,  and  the  king's  throne 
is  set  on  a  slippery  place  ;  as  we  find  it  exemplified  in 
this  kingdom  of  the  Jews,  whereof  Zephaniah  com- 
plaineth,  chap.  iii.  3,  '  H^r  princes  within  her  are 
roaring  lions  ;  her  judges  are  evening  wolves.'  And 
Micah,  chap.  iii.  10,  '  They  build  up  Zion  with  blood, 
and  Jerusalem  with  iniquity.  The  heads  thereof  judge 
for  reward.  Therefore  shall  Zion  for  your  sakes  be 
ploughed  as  a  field  ;  and  Jerusalem  shall  become  heaps, 
and  the  mountain  of  the  house  as  the  high  places  of 
the  forest.'  For  God  cannot  long  endure  that  his 
sword  shall  be  drawn  against  his  people,  and  that  his 
gods  (for  he  giveth  judges  his  own  title)  should  be- 


come lions,  and  bears,  and  bulls,  and  wolves,  and 
devils,  amongst  the  sheep  of  his  pasture. 

He  did  the  government,  then,  a  great  honour,  who 
bore  in  his  shield  the  picture  of  justice,  having  in  one 
hand  the  sword,  in  the  other  the  states,*  with  this 
word,  Duir  illa  evincam. 

But  when  trihunalia  may  be  called  trihutalia,  where 
judgment  is  given  according  to  the  gifts  and  rewards 
that  are  given  ;  or  where  corrupt  afiection  serveth  its 
own  turn  any  way  from  the  way  of  justice,  God  seeth 
it,  and  is  angry  that  there  is  no  judgment,  et  qui  videt 
requiret. 

Reason  2.  Corruption  of  justice  is  a  sign  of  a  droop- 
ing commonwealth,  because  it  not  only  is  contrary  to 
religion,  and  the  written  law  of  God,  but  it  is  contrary 
to  the  law  of  God  written  in  the  heart  of  man. 

For,  as  Lactantiusf  saith  well,  Radix  justitice  et 
oirtne  fundamentum  aqidtatis  est  illud,  vide  ne  facias 
ulli  quod  pati  iiolis.  This  counsel  is  good.  Transfer 
in  alterius  personam  quod  de  te  sentis,  et  in  tuam  quod 
de  altero  judicas.  And  if  this  law  of  nature  must  bind 
all  men  to  do  justice  one  to  another,  much  more  must 
it  oblige  those  to  whom  the  office  of  administration  of 
justice  is  committed  ;  let  them  make  it  their  own  case, 
and  so  no  wrong  judgment  shall  go  forth. 

For  this  same  jus  naturale  is  the  fountain  of  all  jus- 
tice ;  which  religion  hath  so  enlightened,  that  God,  hav- 
ing planted  true  rehgion  in  his  church,  the  prophet 
saith,  Isa.  v.  7,  '  He  looked  for  judgment.' 

Use  1.  The  proper  application  of  this  text  is  to  the 
magistrate,  to  admonish  him  to  execute  the  judgments 
of  God  justly,  that  neither  the  people  may  have  cause 
to  complain  of  wrong,  but  may  know  where  to  have 
right  done  them ;  neither  the  prophets  of  God  may  have 
cause  to  awake  the  justice  of  God  against  those  that 
manage  the  sword  of  justice  cruelly  or  partially,  or 
any  way  corruptly.  But  I  have  none  such  in  this 
audience  to  admonish,  and  therefore  I  omit  that  ex- 
hortation, as  unproper  for  this  hearing. 

Use  2.  For  us,  if  we  hear  the  cry  and  complaint  of 
our  brethren,  or  feel  the  smart  of  oppression  in  our- 
selves, we  see  the  danger  of  it  to  the  state  in  which 
we  live,  threatening  it  with  ruin ;  and  it  ought  to  stir 
us  up,  as  the  apostle  doth  admonish,  to  pray  to  God  for 
his  help  :  1  Tim.  ii.  1-3,  *  I  exhort  therefore,  that, 
first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and 
giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for  all  men  ;  for  kings,  and 
all  that  are  in  authority ;  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet 
*  Qu.  '  scales '  ?— Ed.  f  Divin.  Instit. 

113 


26 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap  I. 


and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and  honesty.  For 
this  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  our 
Saviour.' 

Insurrection  against  the  magistrate,  and  deposition 
of  kings,  and  violence  offered  to  their  persons,  even 
unto  death,  is  a  presbyterian  doctrine.  Buchanan, 
the  Scottish  chronicler,  our  king's  first  schoolmaster, 
in  his  book  cle  jure  regni,  was  the  first  broacher  hereof, 
who  maketh  kings  to  derive  their  authority  from  the 
people,  and  giveth  power  to  the  people  to  take  away 
the  same  if  he  govern  not  justly. 

Against  this  we  have  God's  own  word,  saying, 
'Touch  not  mine  anointed,'  where  he  calleth  kings 
his  anointed  by  a  special  title,  not  given  to  any  other 
persons  but  such  as  exercise  regal  authority  all  the 
Scripture  through.  And  if  they  may  not  be  touched, 
much  less  may  they  be  deposed,  or  their  persons  vio- 
lated. 

And  this  title  is  not  only  given  to  David  but  to 
Cyrus  ^  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  Cyrus,  mine  anointed,' 
Isa.  xliii.  1 ;  for,  as  Irenseus  saith,  lib.  v.,  'Inde  illis 
potestas  unde  Cyrus;  for  so  the  apostle,  '  The  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God.' 

Therefore  the  presbytery  and  papacy,  like  Herod 
and  Pilate,  are  friends  to  do  a  shrewd  turn,  when  they 
both  put  power  on  the  people  to  right  themselves 
against  kings  that  do  not  execute  judgment. 

The  apostle  is  a  better  guide ;  he  bids  pray  for 
them,  and  if  you  consider  what  kings  then  reigned, 
you  will  say  there  could  not  be  worse. 

I  must  therefore  with  the  apostle  admonish  :  let 
every  soul  submit  itself;  let  no  man,  let  not  a  confe- 
deracy of  men,  seditiously  and  maliciously  advance 
themselves  against  the  Lord's  anointed.  Hand  off, 
offer  him  no  violence,  use  not  the  tongue  to  curse 
him,  use  not  the  pen  against  him  to  libel  him  ;  curse 
him  not  in  thy  heart,  touch  him  no  noxious  and  offen- 
sive way ;  and  if  subordinate  magistrates  do  let  wrong 
judgment  proceed,  appeal  from  them  to  him  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne  of  justice,  who  doth  drive  away  all  evil 
•with  his  eye.  If  he  will  not  do  thee  right,  go  in  the 
prophet  Habakkuk's  way,  wrestle  with  God  by  thy 
prayers,  and  make  thy  complaint  to  him,  '  He  heareth 
the  complaint  of  the  poor.' 

2.  He  complaineth  and  chideth  with  God  for  shew- 
ing him  all  this  iniquity  and  violence ;  from  whence  we 
are  taught, 

Doct.  It  is  lawful  in  our  prayers  to  expostulate  and 
contest  with  God. 
114 


Habakkuk  goeth  far  in  this,  you  have  heard .  Jerome 
saith,  Nidlus  prGphetarum  ausus  est  tarn  audaci  voce 
Deum  provocare.  Yet  we  shall  find  that  others  have 
gone  very  far  this  way,  David  for  one:  Ps.  xxii.  1, 
'  My  God;  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?  why 
art  thou  so  far  from  helping  me,  and  from  the  words 
of  my  roaring  ?  0  my  God,  I  cry  in  the  day,  but 
thou  hearest  me  not ;  and  in  the  night  season  I  am 
not  silent.'  And  he  professeth  it.  Ps.  xlii.  9,  '  I 
will  say  unto  God  my  rock.  Why  hast  thou  forgotten 
me  ?  why  go  I  mourning  because  of  the  oppression  of 
the  enemy  ?' 

David  is  very  frequent  in  these  expostulations  ;  so 
is  holy  Job,  so  is  Jeremiah,  and  both  these  are  very 
much  overgone  in  passion,  and  therefore  examples 
rather  of  weakness,  which  we  must  decline,  than  rules 
of  direction  to  imitate. 

St  Paul  doth  give  us  good  warrant  for  this  wrestling 
with  God  ;  it  is  his  very  phrase :  Kom.  xv.  30,  '  Now 
I  beseech  you  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ's 
sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive 
together  with  me  in  your  prayers  to  God.'  He  useth 
a  word  that  signeth  such  striving  as  is  in  trying  of 
mastery  who  shall  have  the  best.  And  Jacob  is  a 
type  hereof,  who  wrestled  with  the  angel  till  the  break 
of  the  day  ;  and  though  he  got  a  lameness  by  striving 
with  his  over-match,  yet  would  he  not  let  him  go  till  he 
had  gotten  a  blessing.  Representing  the  fervent  peti- 
tioners that  come  to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ,  as 
the  woman  of  Canaan  did  for  her  daughter,  neither 
the  disciples  nor  Christ  could  make  her  turn  aside  or 
be  silent. 

Quer.  But  here  is  a  quare,  for  the  apostle  doth  say, 
Rom.  ix.  20,  '  0  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest 
against  God?'  When  once  God  hath  declared  him- 
self in  anything,  how  dare  we  call  him  to  account, 
and  ask  him  a  reason  for  anything  he  doth  ?  And 
again  the  prophet  Isaiah  saith,  chap.  xlv.  9,  *  Woe 
unto  him  that  strivcth  with  his  maker.'  Further,  is 
it  not  contrary  to  that  petition  in  the  Lord's  prayer, 
fiat  voluntas  txia ;  for  doth  not  the  prophet  declare 
here  a  dislike  of  that  which  God  did,  as  seeming  to 
wish  it  had  been  otherwise,  when  he  asketh,  ♦  Why 
dost  thou  shew  me  iniquity,  and  make  to  behold  vio- 
lence r 

Sol.  The  best  way  to  clear  this  doubt  is  to  behold 
this  passion  in  some  chosen  servant  of  God,  and  see 
what  he  makes  of  it.  We  will  take  David  for  our 
example,  and  let  us  hear  him  first  complaining  and 


Veb.  3,  i.] 


MARBUBY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


27 


then  answering  for  himself.     His  complaint  is  pas- 
sionate :  Ps.  kivii.  7-9,  '  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  for 
ever  ?  and  will  he  be  favourable  no  more  ?     Is  his 
merev  clean  gone  for  ever  ?  doth  his  promise  fail  for 
evermore  ?     Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ?  hath 
he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  '?'     He  reco-   j 
vereih  himself,  saying,  ver.  10,  '  And  I  said,  This  is  I 
mine  infirmitv  :  but  I  will  remember  the  years  of  the  . 
right  hand  of  the  Most  High.' 

Surely  there  be  infirmit'es  in  the  saints  of  God, 
and  this  expostulation  with  God  is  an  effect  of  infir-  | 
mity.    Yet  shall  you  see  that  this  doth  no  way  weaken  i 
the  doctrine  before  delivered,  that  it  is  lawful  to  expos- 
tulate with  God  in  our  prayers. 

The  infirmities  of  God's  servants  are  of  two  sorts  : 
1,  natural;  2,  sinful. 

We  must  so  distinguish,  for  when  Christ  took  our 
nature  into  the  unity  of  his  person,  with  it  he  took 
upon  him  all  our  infirmities,  but  not  our  sinful  ones; 
for  he  was  like  man  in  all  things  but  sin. 

Three  especially  are  noted  in  the  story  of  the  Gos- 
pel; that  is  to  say, 

Sorrow,  fear,  anger. 

1.  Sorrow  ;  for  he  wept  and  mourned. 

2.  Fear  ;  for  he  was  heard  in  that  he  feared. 

3.  Anger ;  for  he  did  often  chide  and  reprove. 
These  affections  be  natural,  and  so  long  as  they  be 

affections,  they  are  without  blame  ;  when  they  exube- 
rate and  grow  into  perturbations,  then  they  are  faulty, 
for  there  is  r.dog,  which  is  the  inclination,  and  there  is 
rraioc,  which  is  the  inflammation  of  nature.  God,  who 
in  creation  gave  these  afiections  to  nature,  hath  not 
denied  us  the  use  of  them,  yea,  he  hath  ordained  them 
as  excellent  helps  for  his  work  of  grace  in  us  ;  there- 
fore we  find  fear  mingled  with  faith  to  keep  it  from 
swelling  into  presumption ;  that  fear  is  not  a  sin  in  the 
elect,  as  some  weak  consciences  ignorantly  mistake  it, 
but  it  is  cosjidei,  the  whetstone  of  faith,  to  give  it  the 
more  edge,  as  in  that  complaint  of  David,  '  My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?'  Where  the 
first  part  of  that  complaint  is  vox  fidei,  the  voice  of 
faith,  Jii/  God,  my  God  ;  the  second  is  vox  timoris,  the 
voice  of  fear,  quare  me  direliquisti  f  And  we  say  fear  is 
a  good  keeper,  it  makes  us  lay  so  much  the  faster  hold 
on  God  by  faith ;  yea,  it  is  a  warning  to  us  to  avoid 
anything  that  may  do  us  hurt.  '  The  wise  man  feareth 
and  departeth  from  evil,'  Prov.  xiv.  16. 

Sometimes  we  find  fear  mingled  with  joy,  as,  for 
example,  Ps.  cxxvi.  1,  '  When  the  Lord  brought  again 


the  captivity  of  Sion,  we  were  like  them  that  dream.' 
They  were  overcome  with  joy  for  their  deliverance  and 
restitution,  and  yet  they  felt  withal  a  fear  that  it  was 
too  good  to  be  true,  and  doubted  that  it  was  bnt  a 
dream.  We  do  not  receive  any  good  news,  but  before 
the  hearing  of  it  we  fear.  The  angel  that  appeared  to 
Zacharias  the  priest  found  him  afraid,  Luke  i.  13.  The 
angel  that  came  to  the  Virgin  Mary  found  her  afiraid, 
so  did  he  that  brought  the  news  of  the  birth  of  Christ 
to  the  shepherds ;  for  all  men  know  that  we  have  no 
cause  to  expect  any  news*  from  heaven,  we  are  so 
evil  and  sinful. 

And  although  the  comforts  of  God  do  remove  that 
fear  for  a  time,  yet  God  would  not  have  it  quite  extin- 
guished in  us,  for  the  prophet  biddeth  us,  Ps.  ii.  11, 
'  serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling;" 
and  the  apostle  doth  bid  us,  too, '  work  out  our  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling.' 

Sometimes  grief  is  mingled  with  faith,  as  in  the  poor 
man  in  the  Gospel,  of  whom  Christ  said,  '  Dost  thou 
believe '?'  He  answered  first  with  his  tears,  then  with 
his  words,  saying,  '  Lord,  I  believe :  help  thou  my 
unbelief.'  So  in  the  publican,  beating  his  breast,  and 
saying,  *  Lord,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 

Sometimes  indignation  is  mingled  with  faith,  as  in 
all  the  imprecations  of  the  prophet,  which,  as  they  are 
prophecies,  and  so  proceed  firom  the  Spirit  of  God,  so 
are  they  passions  in  these  holy  men,  and  are  vented 
with  that  indignation  of  which  the  prophet  saith,  'Be 
angry  and  sin  not,'  and  which  the  same  prophet  jnsti- 
fieth,  '  Shall  not  I  hate  them,  0  Lord,  which  hate 
thee  ?'  And  this  holy  indignation  you  see  in  the  very 
separate  souls :  Rev.  vi.  10,  '  They  cry  with  a  loud 
voice.  How  long.  Lord,  dost  thou  not  judge  and 
avenge  cur  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth '?' 
Tantcene  animis  coelestibus  i)ce! 

To  come  now  to  the  point  in  question  : 
This  zeal  of  the  prophet  is  not  a  dislike  of,  or  an 
opposition  to,  the  will  of  God  by  way  of  contradiction, 
but  a  dislike  of  the  thing  done,  according  to  the  ex- 
press win  of  God,  wherein  the  prophet  doth  not 
offend. 

The  example  of  our  Saviour  Christ  is  full,  and 
giveth  testimony  to  this  truth  ;  for  coming  of  purpose 
to  lay  down  bis  Ufe  for  his  church,  and  knowing  it  to 
be  his  Father's  will  that  he  should  so  do,  yet  in  the 
garden  he  three  times  prayed  that  if  it  were  possible 


*  Qn. '  good  news  '  ? — Ed. 


115 


28 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


that  cup  might  pass  from  him.  He  did  not  resist  the 
will  of  God,  for  to  that  he  suhmitted  himself,  but  he 
disliked  that  which  he  was  to  suffer  according  to  that 
will.  The  reason  is,  because  it  was  evil  and  a  punish- 
ment, and  he  who  taught  us  to  pray,  Libera  nos  a 
malo,  '  Deliver  us  from  evil,'  did  so  himself. 

So,  though  he  knew  the  will  of  God  to  be  peremp- 
tory for  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  Jews,  he  sorrowed  and  wept  for  the  same, 
which  sheM'ed  his  dislike  of  the  thing  decreed,  though 
he  approved  the  decree  itself,  and  resisted  it  not. 

Sorrow  is  a  grief  taken  by  a  natural  dislike  of  that 
for  which  we  grieve.  "When  our  parents,  wives,  chil- 
dren, or  friends  die,  we  grieve.  The  apostle  doth 
not  forbid  that  affection  :  he  limiteth  and  regulateth 
it ;  he  would  not  have  us  sorrow  as  men  without 
hope.  And  when  he  took  on  him  our  natural  infir- 
mities and  affections,  he  did  not  so  undertake  them 
to  remove  them  from  us  or  to  extinguish  them  in  us, 
but  to  correct  and  temper  them  ;  as  St  Cyril  saith, 
vt  sic  natura  nostra  reformaretur  ad  melius,  that  so 
our  nature  might  be  bettered. 

In  this  very  example  in  my  text,  of  the  prophet's  dis- 
like that  God  should  shew  him  this  iniquity  and  violence 
of  the  Jews,  which  was  a  grief  and  a  burden  to  him 
to  see,  remember  what  is  said  of  Lot  by  St  Peter  : 
2  Peter  ii.  8,  '  For  that  righteous  man  dwelling  among 
them  vexed  his  righteous  soul  from  day  to  day  with 
their  unlawful  deeds.'  Here  was  not  only  an  holy 
grief  for,  but  an  holy  indignation  against,  the  sight 
of  these  things  which  God  shewed  him,  and  that  in 
the  righteous  soul  of  a  righteous  men. 

I  conclude  this  point  as  before,  with  David's  words. 
I  deny  not  that  this  was  the  prophet's  infirmity ;  I 
deny  it  to  be  his  iniquity,  it  was  no  sin  in  him.  And 
I  again  urge  my  former  point  of  doctrine,  it  is  lawful 
for  the  holy  servants  of  God  to  expostulate  and  con- 
test with  God  in  their  prayers. 

Beason  1.  Because  hereby  we  declare  our  dislike 
of  those  things  against  which  we  contest,  as  here  the 
prophet  sheweth  that  it  is  to  him  very  hateful  and 
offensive  to  behold  the  sins  of  the  people,  which  both 
corrupt  and  endanger  the  state  of  the  commonwealth. 
So  when  the  prophet  complaineth  often  of  God's 
longsuffering  toward  the  wicked,  he  sheweth  it  to  be 
an  offence  to  the  children  of  God,  that  the  enemies  of 
God  should  be  so  long  forborne.  And  when  he  awak- 
eth  God,  ♦  Up,  Lord,  why  sleepest  thou  ?'  and  stirreth 
him  to  revenge  of  his  own  cause,  therein  he  declareth 
116 


his  zeal  of  the  glory  of  God,  of  which  he  must  be 
careful  especially. 

Reason  2.  This  public  expostulation,  used  in  this 
case  to  awake  the  justice  of  God  against  the  wicked, 
doth  seem  to  terrify  the  ungodly  from  their  wicked 
ways  ;  for  when  they  see  that  they  that  fear  God,  and 
walk  before  him,  and  with  him,  are  up  in  arms  against 
them,  and  bandy  their  imprecations  against  them, 
they  cannot  but  see  their  estates  in  great  danger. 

Reason  3.  This  expostulation  of  the  just  doth  de- 
clare that  their  yielding  to  the  will  of  God  in  these 
things,  which  they  do  without  offence  to  God's  dislike, 
is  not  out  of  natural  principles  and  reasons  incident 
to  humanity,  but  from  a  supernatural  dedition  and 
yielding  of  themselves  to  the  transcendent  will  of  God, 
whereby  they  do  approve  even  what  they  do  dislike, 
because  they  find  the  will  of  God  that  way. 

The  profit  which  we  may  make  of  this  point  is, 

1 .  To  teach  us  zeal  in  the  cause  of  God ;  for  there 
is  no  life  in  the  service  that  we  perform  to  God  with- 
out zeal.  There  is  not  only  the  Spirit  of  God  required 
in  us,  but  fervency  of  the  Spirit  by  the  apostle  ;  and 
that  the  same  apostle  calleth  the  Spirit  '  dwelling  in 
us  plentifully ;'  and  in  another  place,  *  The  Spirit 
sanctifying  us  throughout.' 

This  giving  our  bow  the  full  bent,  that  it  may  have 
the  full  strength,  and  this  to  be  drawn  home,  when 
we  send  our  prayers  up  to  heaven,  that  they  may 
reach  the  mark,  this  is,  *  So  run,  that  ye  may  obtain.' 
It  is  called  striving  to  the  mark. 

Zeal  only  used  in  matters  of  form  and  ceremony, 
and  in  outward  things,  makes  us,  like  Agrippa,  almost 
Christians  ;  but  zeal  against  the  evil  life  and  crying 
sins  of  the  time,  is  discreet  and  necessary ;  for  these 
do  hack  and  hew  the  bough  we  stand  upon,  these 
underdig  the  ground  we  walk  upon. 

These  put  it  to  an  if,  si  Filiiis  Dei  es,  if  thou  be  the 
Son  of  God.  Let  them  that  love  righteousness  and 
peace  be  troubled  at  these  things,  and  quench  this 
common  fire  first ;  that  is  the  apostle's  method.  For 
having  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  and  of  holy  preparation  to  the  com- 
municants, he  concludeth :  1  Cor.  xi.  34,  '  And  the 
rest  will  I  set  in  order  when  I  come,'  diard^o/xai. 
First,  he  directed  them  in  the  prayers  of  piety  ;  he  re- 
serveth  the  rd^i;,  the  order,  till  his  coming  to  them, 
shewing  that  he  had  apostolical  power  for  that ;  but 
that  must  be  done  after  this. 

In  religion,  that  is  now  the  double  complaint, 


Ver.  5-11.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


29 


1.  Of  want  of  zeal  where  it  most  should  be. 

2.  Of  inordinate  zeal  in  other  things. 

The  want  of  zeal  in  many  professors  of  religion  is 
such,  that  both  popery,  and  anabaptistry,  and  other 
schismatical  and  sectarious  professors,  are  suffered  to 
grow  up  together  with  the  profession  of  the  gospel, 
which  could  not  be  if  we  had  zeal  proportionable  to 
our  knowledge,  such  as  was  in  David,  '  AH  false 
ways  I  utterly  abhor.' 

TVe  see  also  great  corruptions  in  manners,  which 
holy  zeal  might  soon  eat  out,  and  without  which  reU- 
gion  may  bring  us  to  church,  and  to  the  font,  and  to 
the  Lord's  table,  and  may  rank  us  with  outward  pro- 
fessors ;  but  till  we  grow  to  such  an  hatred  of  sin,  as 
the  very  patience,  and  forbearance  of  God  toward  those 
that  do  abominably,  and  will  not  be  reformed,  doth 
disquiet  and  grieve  us,  and  make  us  complain,  we  fail 
and  come  short  of  duty  to  God. 

2.  Another  complaint  of  the  church  is,  of  inordi- 
nate zeal,  which  is, 

(1.)  Either  in  persons  without  a  lawful  calling  seek- 
ing to  reform  things  amiss. 

(2.)  Or  in  respect  of  the  things,  when  men,  carried 
with  the  strong  current  of  opinion,  find  fault  where  no 
fault  is,  or  make  the  fault  greater  than  it  is. 

(3.)  Or  in  respect  of  times,  when  men  prevent  the 
time,  and  exasperate  the  judgments  of  God,  and  pro- 
voke his  justice  against  their  brethren,  before  they 
have  done  all  that  can  be  done  by  the  spirit  of  meek- 
ness. 

(4.)  Or  in  respect  of  time,  when  they  express  their 
zeal  first  against  those  things  that  may  with  least 
hurt  to  the  church  be  forborne,  till  more  concerning 
affairs  of  the  church  be  advisedly  thought  upon. 

(5.)  Or  in  respect  of  the  measure  of  zeal,  if  it  be 
more  or  less  than  the  cause  of  God  requireth. 

(6.)  In  respect  of  the  mixture  of  it,  if  it  be  com- 
meded  with  any  of  our  own  corrupt  and  furious  per- 
turbations. 

2.  Seeing,  therefore,  we  may  make  so  bold  with 
God,  as  the  prophet  here  doth,  we  are  to  be  taught 
that  God  is  so  slow  in  the  execution  of  his  judgments, 
even  upon  them  that  do  ill,  that  till  he  find  that  his 
patience  is  a  burden  to  his  church,  and  till  he  beieven 
chidden  to  it  by  his  faithful  ones,  he  cannot  strike. 

Wherefore  we  must  both  stir  up  ourselves  and  our 
brethren  to  a  serious  consideration  of  this  goodness  of 
God,  and  that  which  the  apostle  doth  call  '  the  riches 
of  his  patience;'  that  we  despise  it  not,  that  we  spend 


not  such  riches  unthriftily,  but  bestow  it  upon  our 
repentance,  and  making  our  peace  with  God. 

3  Seeing  we  may  thus  call  God  to  account,  as  the 
prophet  here  doth,  and  chide  his  remissness,  let  us 
not  take  it  ill  at  the  hands  of  God  if  he  chide  us  for 
our  sins,  which  do  well  deserve  it,  and  he  contest 
with  us  for  our  neglect  of  our  duties,  either  to  him  or 
our  brethren. 

4.  Seeing  we  have  so  good  warrant  for  it,  when  we 
see  any  unremedied  evils  which  do  threaten  ruin  to 
our  church  or  commonwealth,  which  perchance  the 
minister  may  be  forbidden  to  reprove  or  to  dissuade, 
such  as  these  in  my  text,  violence  and  oppression, 
corruption  of  religion,  and  corruption  of  courts  of 
justice,  which  the  minister  in  general  terms  may  re- 
prove, but  he  must  not  with  Nathan  say,  Tu  es  homo. 
Thou  art  the  man,  to  any  delinquent  in  any  of  these 
kinds. 

This,  then,  is  the  remedy :  we  may  go  to  God  him- 
self, and  chide  with  him  for  it,  without  any  fear  of 
scandalum  magnatum;  and  in  holy  indignation  and 
zeal  of  God's  glory,  laying  aside  our  own  corrupt  pas- 
sions, we  may  call  him  to  account  for  shewing  us,  and 
making  us  to  see  such  things. 

And  I  do  not  doubt  but  we  shall  have  as  good  suc- 
cess as  this  prophet  had,  as  the  next  section  of  this 
chapter  doth  declare. 


Vers.  5-11.  Behold  ye  among  the  heathen,  and  re- 
gard, and  wonder  marvellously ;  for  I  icill  work  a 
work  in  your  days,  irhich  you  will  not  believe,  though  it 
be  told  you.  For,  lo,  I  raise  up  the  Chaldeans,  that 
bitter  and  hasty  nation,  ichich  shall  march  through  the 
breadth  of  the  land,  to  possess  the  dicelling -places  that  are 
not  theirs.  They  are  terrible  and  dreadful :  their  judg- 
ment and  their  dignity  shall  proceed  of  themselves.  Their 
horses  also  are  swifter  than  the  leopards,  and  more  fierce 
than  the  evening  wolves :  and  their  horsemen  shaU 
spread  themselves,  and  their  horsemen  shall  come  from 
far ;  they  shall  fly  as  the  eagle  that  hasteth  to  eat. 
They  shall  come  all  for  violence :  their  faces  shall  sup  up 
as  the  east  wind,  arid  they  gather  the  captivity  as  the 
sand.  And  they  shall  scoff  at  the  kings,  and,  the 
princes  shall  be  a  scorn  unto  them :  they  shall  deride 
every  stronghold ;  for  they  shall  heap  dust,  and  take  it. 
Then  shall  his  mind  change,  and  he  shall  pass  over,  and 
offend,  imputing  this  his  power  unto  his  god. 

These  words  are  the  second  section  of  this  chapter, 

117 


30 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


and  do  contain  God's  own  answer  to  the  former  com- 
plaint of  the  prophet,  wherein  God  declareth  how  he 
will  be  avenged  on  his  own  people,  for  the  oppression 
and  violence  which  they  have  used,  for  the  corruption 
in  manners,  in  religion,  and  in  the  administration  of 
justice. 

Let  us  begin  at  the  words,  and  search  the  will  of 
God  revealed  therein. 

Ver.  5.  Behold  ye  among  the  heathen,  and  regard, 
and  wonder  marvellously .  Here  is  God  himself  speak- 
ing to  his  sinful  people  the  Jews,  and  awaking  them 
to  behold  the  anger  to  come. 

Here  is  first  the  roaring  of  the  lion,  as  in  Amos, 
chap.  i.  2,  '  The  Lord  will  roar  from  Sion,  and  utter 
his  voice  from  Jerusalem.' 

This  is  the  thunder;  the  thunderbolt  doth  after 
follow. 

1.  He  biddeth  them  behold;  that  is,  to  take  this 
threatening  of  God's  judgment,  and  to  spread  it  before 
their  eyes,  and  to  peruse  the  sad  contents  thereof. 

2.  Behold  ye  among  the  heathen.  He  turneth  their 
eyes  to  the  heathen,  whom  God  will  now  make  their 
sharp  schoolmasters  to  instruct  them  ;  for  seeing  they 
will  learn  nothing  by  the  ministry  of  his  prophets, 
whom  he  hath  sent  to  them  to  chide  them,  and  guide 
them ;  and  seeing  they  are  not  moved  with  the 
lamentable  complaints  of  their  brethren,  groaning 
under  their  oppressions,  and  grievances,  and  injustice ; 
now  he  biddeth  them  to  look  among  the  heathen,  as 
to  the  quarter  from  whence  the  following  tempest  is 
like  to  arise ;  for  by  them  God  intendeth  to  punish 
the  Jews. 

3.  He  addeth  Regard ;  for  beholding  without  regard- 
ing, and  taking  the  matter  into  due  and  serious  con- 
sideration, is  but  gazing.  As  the  apostle  presseth  an 
exhortation,  '  Consider  what  I  say.' 

God  hath  sent  his  prophets  to  instruct  them,  and 
they  heard  them,  but  regarded  them  not.  Now  he 
will  not  be  so  neglected. 

4.  He  addeth,  and  wonder  marvellously:  atloniti 
este  et  ohstupescile.  Here  he  prepareth  their  expecta- 
tion for  some  extraordinary  judgment.  This  is  that 
which  the  apostle  doth  call  terror  domini,  and  ira 
Ventura,  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  and  the  wrath  to 
come. 

5.  He  addeth  in  general  terms  the  matter  of  their 
fear  and  consternation.     For, 

1.  There  is  a  work  to  be  done. 
118 


2.  God  himself  professeth  to  be  the  worker. 

3.  The  time  is  at  hand,  '  in  your  days.' 

4.  The  wonder  is,  that  though  God  himself  foretell 
them  thereof,  non  credetis,  you  will  not  believe. 

The  work  to  be  done  is,  ver.  6,  God  threateneth  to 
raise  up  the  Chaldeans  against  the  Jews ;  he  calleth 
them  a  bitter  and  a  hasty  nation ;  those  shall  go  all 
the  land  over,  and  drive  out  or  destroy  the  Jews,  and 
take  possession  of  their  land. 

Chaldea  lay  from  Jerusalem  north.  It  was  a  mighty 
kingdom,  and  the  chief  city  thereof  was  Babylon. 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  king  thereof.  They  are  to  be 
stirred  up  by  God  himself,  who,  as  you  heard  out  of 
Obadiah,  doth  use  to  punish  one  nation  by  another, 
and  sometimes  his  church  by  the  heathen. 

He  gave  Israel  the  promised  land  upon  condition 
of  their  obedience  to  his  law ;  and  now,  finding  them 
rebellious,  he  giveth  away  their  land  to  the  heathen  ; 
and  as  before  he  drove  out  the  posterity  of  Canaan  to 
plant  Israel  there,  now  he'wiil  remove  them,  and  give 
their  land  to  the  Chaldeans. 

God  is  very  terrible  in  his  threatenings ;  for  a  great 
part  of  the  chapter  is  spent,  as  you  see,  in  description 
of  that  nation  of  the  Chaldeans,  to_  fill  them  full  of 
horror. 

Ver.  6.  For  the  people  of  that  land,  he  calleth  them 
'  bitter  and  hasty.'  Bitter  in  the  execution  of  that 
wrath  whereof  God  had  made  them  his  ministers,  and 
hasty  in  the  speed  thereof;  for  the  wicked  are  limited, 
and  if  God  stayed  them  not,  they  would  soon  swallow 
up  the  church  of  God;  but  when  God  enlargeth  them, 
and  sufiiereth  them  for  the  sins  of  the  church  to  break 
in  upon  them,  they  will  come  in  like  a  flood  that  over- 
floweth  and  breaketh  the  banks,  and  cover  all  with 
inundation. 

Ver.  7.  They  are  described  to  be  *  terrible,'  and 
•  dreadful ; '  and  therein  he  declareth  that  he  will  put 
the  Jews  out  of  heart,  that  they  shall  have  no  courage 
to  resist  this  invasion  ;  for  God  will  smite  them  with 
fear  of  the  adversary's  power,  which  fear  in  them  shall 
open  the  enemy  an  easy  way  to  victor^'. 

He  proveth  this,  for  he  saith,  'their  judgment  and 
their  dignity  shall  come  of  themselves.'  His  meaning 
is,  that  God  will  not  restrain  them,  but  give  the  Jews 
into  their  hands,  and  leave  the  Chaldeans  to  be  both 
judges  and  executioners  in  their  own  cause,  and  to 
follow  the  leading  of  their  own  will.     No  law  of  God 


Vee.  5-11.] 


MAEBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


31 


sliall  awe  them,  no  law  of  nature  or  nations  shall  limit 
them,  their  own  will  shall  carry  them  to  give  judg- 
ment upon  the  Jews,  and  to  get  them  dignity  and 
honour  over  them. 

The  reason  why  God  will  put  them  into  so  merci- 
less hands  is  given  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah :  chap, 
xliv.  16,  17,  for  the  Jews  have  said  to  Jeremiah,  '  As 
for  the  word  that  thou  hast  spoken  to  us  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee :  but  we 
wiU  certainly  do  whatsoever  thing  goeth  forth  out  of 
our  own  mouth.'  For  this  wilful  stubbornness  God 
doth  now  purpose  to  put  them  into  the  power  of  such 
as  shall  be  as  wilful  as  they,  whose  judgment,  by  which 
they  shall  judge  the  Jews,  and  whose  dignity,  by  which 
they  shall  exalt  themselves,  shall  follow  their  own  will. 

Yer.  8.  He  proceedeth  to  shew  what  preparation 
they  had  for  war ;  and  herein  first  of  their  horses,  in 
which  kind  of  strength  some  put  their  trust ;  as  David 
saith,  '  Some  put  their  trust  in  chariots,  and  some  in 
horses.' 

These  horses  of  the  Chaldeans  he  doth  make  terrible 
in  two  things  : 

1.  *  They  are  swifter  than  the  leopards  ; '  he  com- 
pareth  them  not  with  the  roebuck  and  the  hind,  so 
much  mentioned  in  Scripture  for  speed,  nor  with  the 
hare,  whose  speed  is  to  save  themselves,  but  with  the 
leopards,  persecuting  with  swiftness  the  beasts  on 
which  they  prey,  as  he  addeth, 

2.  '  They  are  fiercer  than  the  evening  wolves ; ' 
those  wolves  whose  hunger  not  only  leadeth  them  out 
to  seek  prey,  but  such  is  their  cruelty,  that  they  will 
destroy  whole  flocks  if  they  can. 

The  Chaldeans  did  breed  horses  for  the  war,  whose 
speed  and  fierceness  is  such,  that,  as  Jeremiah  saith, 
describing  the  turning  of  men  to  their  own  iU  ways,  it 
was  like  as  an  horse  nisheth  into  the  battle. 

Yet  this  were  no  great  terror,  but  that  it  foUoweth, 
their' riders  shall  be  such  as  shall  put  them  to  it. 

1.  They  shall  spread  themselves ;  for  they  were  to 
pass  throughout  the  breadth  of  the  country,  that  there 
will  be  no  escaping  them  by  resistance. 

2.  They  shall  come  from  far  to  set  up  the  army,  so 
that  they  shall  be  terrible  in  their  number. 

3.  They  shall  fly  as  the  eagle  that  hasteth  to  eat ; 
no  man  shall  escape  them  by  flight,  all  shall  be  a 
prey. 

Yer.  9.  He  proceedeth  to  describe  the  easy  victory 


that  the  Chaldeans  shall  have  over  the  Jews  :  '  They 
shall  come  all  for  violence.'  Tola  gem  ad  rapinam 
veniet  ;  not  ad  pugnam,  but  ad  pncdam.  The  whole 
nation  shall  come  to  spoil,  not  to  fight,  but  to  prey. 

Their  faces  shall  sup  up  the  east  icind.  The  east 
wind,  it  seemeth,  was  the  most  unwholesome  breath 
of  heaven  upon  that  land,  within  short  time  withered 
and  destroyed  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  the  hopes 
of  the  spring.  The  Lord  saith  that  the  faces  of  the 
Chaldeans,  the  very  sight  of  them  shall  be  as  baneful 
and  as  unresistible  as  the  east  wind. 

Theg  shall  gather  the  captivity  as  the  sand.  1.  They 
shall  gather  together  the  people  of  that  land  to  carry 
them  away  into  captivity,  with  no  more  pain  than  one 
would  take  up  his  vessel  full  of  sand  out  of  the  heap ; 
or  they  shall  carry  multitudes  of  the  "Jews  into  cap- 
tivity, without  number,  as  the  sand. 

Yer.  10.  They  shall  scolf  at  the  kings,  and  the  princes 
shall  be  a  scorn  unto  them.  Either  he  meaneth  that 
he  shall  make  nothing  of  the  power  of  any  kings, 
either  in  the  land  against  which  he  cometh,  or  amongst 
their  confederates,  but  shall  laugh  them  to  scorn  that 
come  to  help  the  Jews,  as  his  vassals.  Or  he  shall 
easily  subdue  them,  and  lead  them  in  triumph  whither- 
soever he  goeth,  and  proudly  insult  over  them. 

Some  extend  it  so  far,  as  that  the  Chaldean  con- 
queror shall  make  kings  his  jesters  and  parasites,  and 
make  himself  sport  with  them.  And  whereas  the 
strongholds  and  castles  are  wont  to  be  a  teiTor  to  the 
invader,  the  Chaldeans  shall  deride  every  stronghold. 

For  they  shall  heap  dust  and  take  it;  i.  e.  they  shall 
raise  up  of  the  earth  near  unto  their  strongholds  such 
fortifications  as  shall  defend  them  ^nd  oft'end  the 
enemy,  the  very  earth  of  the  Jews  shall  they  use 
against  the  Jews  to  overcome  them. 

Yer.  11.  Then  shall  his  mind  change,  and  he  shall 
pass  over.  These  words  do  declare  that  the  Chaldeans, 
full  of  victories,  and  full  of  pride  after  this  great  eon- 
quest,  shall  change  their  mind,  and  pass  over  to  some 
other  quest  of  glory,  big-swoUen  with  their  former  pre- 
vailings ;  and  he  sheweth  how  these  enemies  of  the 
Jews  shall  run  themselves  upon  the  just  displeasure 
of  God,  who  stirred  them  up  to  this  war. 

He  shall  offend,  imputing  this  his poicer  unto  his  God. 
From  hence  cometh  the  ruin  of  the  Chaldeans ;  for 
being  pufied  up  and  proud  of  their  victories,  they  shall 
not  acknowledge  the  great  God  of  heaven,  the  God  of 

119 


32 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


their  war,  or  esteem  themselves  his  agents  to  chasten 
the  Jews,  but  shall  give  the  glory  of  their  conquest  to 
their  own  idol  god. 

Now  in  these  words  thus  interpreted,  observe, 

1.  The  total. 

2.  The  particulars. 

1.  The  total  is  the  answer  of  God  to  the  grievous 
complaint  and  expostulation  of  the  prophet. 

2.  The  particulars  are  two. 
(1.)  The  judgment  threatened. 

(2.)  Tbe  executioners  of  this  judgment,  very  fully 
and  rhetorically  described. 

1.  The  total.  God  answereth  the  prophet's  com- 
plaint, yieldeth  this  doctrine,  that, 

Boct.  God  doth  hear  the  complaints  of  such  as 
have  just  cause  to  complain  of  violence,  to  execute  his 
judgments  upon  them  that  offend. 

The  story  of  holy  Scripture  is  full  of  examples  of 
this  truth.  Cain  for  Abel,  vox  sanguinis,  the  voice  of 
blood. 

The  whole  old  world  was  punished  with  a  general 
inundation  for  the  cruelty  that  was  upon  the  earth ; 
their  violence  made  the  Lord  repent  that  he  made 
them. 

You  have  heard  out  of  Obadiah  how  the  cruelty  of 
Edom  was  intolerable,  and  God  heard  the  cry  of  the 
church  and  delivered  them,  and  punished  Edom  with 
desolation. 

And  when  Israel  was  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the 
house  of  bondage,  God  saith,  '  I  have  seen,  I  have 
seen  the  affliction  of  my  people  which  is  in  Egypt, 
and  I  have  heard  their  groaning,  and  am  come  down 
to  dehver  them,'  Acts  vii.  34. 

Even  Israel  his  own  people  is  not  spared ;  Zion  his 
holy  mountain,  Jerusalem  his  holy  city,  is  punished 
for  oppression.     He  doth  this, 

Reason  1.  First,  In  regard  of  his  servants  that  do 
complain  to  him,  to  let  them  see  the  power  of  their 
prayers,  that  he  may  stir  them  up  in  all  grievances  to 
commit  their  cause  to  him,  and  not  to  seek  private 
revenge,  as  Tertullian,  Si  ajntd  Deum  deposueris  inju- 
riam,  ipse  ultor  est ;  si  damnum,  restitutor  est. 

Use.  Therefore  let  not  the  oppressed  wrong  their 
own  cause  with  vexing,  and  disquieting  their  own 
hearts  at  them  that  lie  heavy  upon  them ;  for  St 
James  tells  us,  chap.  i.  20,  that  '  the  wrath  of  man 
worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God.' 

Let  them  not  vent  their  spleen  in  bitter  cursings 
and  execrations,  which  be  the  voice  and  language  of 
120 


impatience  and  impiety,  and  turn  upon  us,  and  all 
to  tear  us ;  but  let  them  seriously  complain  to  God, 
and  he  will  hear  them,  and  do  them  right.  Let  them 
tarry  the  Lord's  good  leisure,  and  they  shall  see  that 
he  will  take  the  matter  into  his  own  hand. 

1.  Either  he  will  take  the  oppressed  out  of  the 
world,  and  give  them  rest  from  their  labours,  and  lay 
them  in  the  beds  of  ease,  and  lock  them  in  the  cham- 
bers of  peace  till  all  storms  be  over,  and  then  he  will 
say,  *  Return  ye  sons  of  Adam.' 

2.  Or  he  will  change  the  heart  of  the  oppressors, 
and  for  stony  hearts,  give  them  hearts  of  flesh,  and 
fill  them  with  compassion  and  tenderness. 

3.  Or  he  will  restrain  the  power  of  the  wicked 
against  his  chosen,  and  suffer  no  man  to  do  them 
wrong,  but  will  reprove  even  kings  for  their  sakes ; 
the  rage  of  man  will  he  restrain. 

4.  Or  he  will  give  the  oppressed  such  a  measure  of 
patience  and  charity,  as  he  shall  bear  injuries  without 
murmuring,  and  bless  them  that  hate  and  persecute 
him. 

5.  Or  he  will  pour  forth  his  wrath  upon  the  op- 
pressor, and  let  him  feel  the  weight  of  his  hand: 
either  upon  his  body,  by  inflicting  diseases  upon  it ;  or 
upon  his  mind,  by  the  troubles  of  an  unquiet  con- 
science ;  or  upon  his  family,  by  cursing  the  fruit  of  his 
loins,  that  they  shall  be  his  son-ows  by  taking  ill 
ways ;  or  upon  his  estate,  by  cursing  all  his  gather- 
ings, that  though  all  the  streams  of  profit  run  every 
way  into  his  bags,  nothing  shall  make  him  rich,  like 
the  Caspian  sea,  into  which  many  waters  do  pour  in 
water  continually,  yet  is  it  never  the  fuller,  rather  hke 
the  lean  kine,  never  the  fatter ;  or  upon  his  life,  by 
taking  him  out  of  the  world,  and  thereby  giving  occa- 
sion to  the  afilicted  to  rejoice. 

Therefore,  art  thou  afflicted?  pray  and  complain, 
and  expostulate  with  God,  for  he  will  hear  thee. 

Reason  2.  God  heareth  the  complaint  of  the  just 
against  the  oppressors  for  his  name's  sake,  for  so 
David  urgeth  him.  *  Hear  me,  0  God,  for  thy  name's 
sake  ; '  for  it  toucheth  God  in  honour  when  his  faith- 
ful servants  do  appeal  from  the  school  of  unrighteous- 
ness, where  they  are  oppressed,  to  the  tribunal  of  his 
judgment,  where  they  should  be  relieved,  and  cannot 
be  heard. 

You  remember  when  Christ  was  on  the  cross,  and 
his  enemies  had  their  cruel  hearts'  desire  against  him, 
they  contented  not  themselves  to  be  cruel  and  scorn- 
ful to  him,  but  they  blasphemed  also  the  name  of 


Yer  5-11 ] 


MARBT'RY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


33 


God,  saying,  Mat.  ixvii.  43,  '  He  trnsted  in  God,  let 
him  deliver  him  now  if  he  wUl  have  him.'  The  very 
thieves  that  were  fastened  then  to  the  cross,  on  either 
hand  of  him,  cast  that  in  his  teeth. 

When  the  wicked  prevail  against  the  just,  the  next 
word  is,  '  Where  is  now  their  God  ? ' 

Use.  Let  us  then  know  the  name  of  God  is  himself; 
he  cannot  deny  himself,  he  hath  a  name  above  all 
things,  and  a  special  glory  due  to  that  name ;  he  can- 
not suffer  that  name  to  be  blasphemed :  '  He  will  not 
hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain.' 

Therefore,  in  all  grievances,  let  us  say  with  David, 
'  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  hath  made 
heaven  and  earth.' 

It  is  our  comfort  in  trouble  that  we  do  suffer  to- 
gether with  the  name  of  God,  and  if  we  do  lay  fast 
hold  on  that,  we  shall  be  delivered  together  with  it ; 
we  may  well  cast  our  trust  upon  that  name,  for,  in 
hoc  vinces,  in  this  thou  shalt  overcome,  is  the  motto 
and  word  thereof,  it  is  a  strong  tower  to  all  that  trust 
in  it. 

Reason  3.  God  wiU  hear  the  complaints  of  the  just, 
for  his  truth's  sake  ;  for  he  hath  promised  the  just, 
'  I  will  not  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.'  And  he 
hath  said,  '  He  shall  call  upon  me,  and  I  wiU  hear 
him.  I  am  with  him  in  trouble,  I  will  deliver  him, 
and  he  shall  glorify  me.' 

And  David  saith,  '  He  will  not  suffer  his  truth  to 
fail.'  We  have  more  than  his  promise,  we  have  his 
oath  against  the  ungodly  :  Ps.  xcv.  11,  '  I  have  sworn 
in  my  wrath  that  they  shall  not  enter  into  my  rest.' 

Use.  Let  us  build,  then,  upon  this  promise,  for 
God  is  faithfal  that  hath  promised.  The  violent  and 
the  oppressor  hath  part  in  the  wrath  of  God,  as  he 
saith  :  Mai.  iii.  5,  '  And  1  will  come  near  to  you  in 
judgment ;  and  I  will  be  a  swift  witness  against  the 
sorcerers,  and  against  the  adulterers,  and  against  false 
swearers,  and  against  them  that  oppress  the  hireling 
in  his  wages,  and  the  fatherless,  and  the  widow,  and 
that  turn  aside  the  stranger  from  his  right,  and  that 
fear  not  me,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Here  is  God's 
threatening  against  two  of  the  sins  of  this  people, 
violence,  and  the  want  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  whereby 
the  law  is  slacked.  And  for  corruption  of  justice,  they 
that  turn  judgment  into  wormwood  have  their  doom. 
Judgment  without  mercy  shall  be  shewed  to  them  that 
have  no  mercy. 

Let  us  not,  therefore,  fear  them,  or  be  troubled  at 
them  that  go  in  these  wicked  ways  ;  for  the  judge  of 


all  the  world  will  do  justly.  '  The  cry  of  the  oppressed 
shall  prevail  against  them.  He  also  will  hear  their 
cry,  and  will  help  them.' 

The  Lord  is  king,  the  earth  may  be  glad  thereof, 
and  the  multitude  of  the  lands  may  rejoice ;  for  he  is 
known  by  executing  judgment ;  he  is  the  husband  of 
the  widow,  and  the  father  of  the  fatherless.  The 
poor  committeth  his  cause  unto  him,  for  he  relieveth 
the  oppressed. 

2.  The  particulars  of  this  judgment  threatened  con- 
tain two  things  : 

1.  The  judgment  threatened. 

2.  The  executioners  thereof. 

1.  The  judgment  threatened  is,  that  he  will  punish 
them  by  the  conquering  hand  of  the  heathen.  This 
calleth  to  our  remembrance  divers  points  of  doctrine 
delivered  out  of  the  prophecy  of  Obadiah. 

1.  That  the  decrees  of  God's  judgment  upon  the 
wicked  are  constant  and  unchangeable. 

2.  That  God  useth  war  as  one  of  his  rods  to  punish 
sin. 

8.  That  all  wars  are  ordained  by  God  ;  for  he 
stirreth  up  this  war  against  the  Jews. 

4.  That  God  punisheth  one  evil  nation  by  another. 

5.  That  God  giveth  warning  of  his  judgments  to 
those  whom  he  foreknoweth  to  be  such  as  they  will 
take  no  warning  to  amend. 

6.  That  God  requiteth  sinners  in  the  same  kind  in 
which  they  offend.  The  Jews'  sin  was  violence,  and 
violence  is  their  punishment. 

7.  That  the  judgment  of  God  upon  the  wicked  and 
unmerciful  shall  be  without  all  mercy. 

Doct.  The  point  that  I  will  now  add  is,  that  the 
justice  of  God  doth  not  spare  his  own  people,  if  they 
provoke  him.  The  Jews  shall  have  no  favour,  if  the 
prophets  and  holy  men  have  cause  to  complain  of 
them.  All  the  promises  that  God  made  to  Israel  are 
Umited  by  the  condition  of  their  obedience,  and  the 
law  given  to  them  is  called  the  Lord's  covenant,  be- 
cause all  those  promises  did  follow  the  obedience  of 
that  law,  otherwise  God  stood  free  to  withdraw  his 
mercy  from  them. 

So  Moses,  Dent.  v.  2,  '  The  Lord  made  a  covenant 
with  us  in  Horeb.'  The  covenant  is,  '  You  shall  walk 
in  all  the  ways  which  the  Lord  your  God  commanded 
you,  that  ye  may  live,  and  that  it  may  go  well  with 
you,  and  that  ye  may  prolong  your  days  in  the  land 
which  ye  shall  possess.' 

God  himself  confesseth,  Ps.  kxxix.  3,  'I  have  made 

121 


34 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


a  covenant  with  my  chosen  ;  I  have  sworn  unto  David 
my  servant :  thy  throne  will  I  establish  for  ever,  and 
build  up  thy  throne  to  all  generations.' 

But  yet  with  condition  of  obedience,  for,  vers. 
30-32,  '  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and  walk  not 
in  my  judgments  ;  if  they  break  my  statutes,  and  keep 
not  my  commandments,  then  -will  I  visit  their  trans- 
gression with  the  rod,  and^their  iniquity  with  stripes.' 
So  that  no  promise  or  oath  of  God  doth  give  privilege 
or  immunity  to  any  to  offend  the  law  of  God.  And 
such  is  the  equal  justice  of  God,  that  David,  though  a 
man  after  God's  heart,  although  a  servant  of  God's 
finding,  a  king  of  God's  own  anointing,  doth  confess, 
*  If  I  regard  wickedness  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will 
not  hear  me.'  Moses  his  sister  Miriam  must  be  a 
leper,  and  shut  out  of  the  camp  for  murmuring. 
Moses  and  Aaron  shall  not  go  into  the  promised  land 
for  their  want  of  sure  trust  in  God  ;  for  God  is  no 
accepter  of  persons. 

Reason.  Those  who  are  sealed  with  the  Spirit  of 
promise  have  their  infii-mities,  lapses  and  relapses  ; 
but  as  they  sin  not  unto  death,  /.  e.  the  second  death, 
so  they  cannot  suffer  any  other  than  temporal  chas- 
tisement ;  yet  these  they  cannot  stop,  for  by  this  physic 
God  doth  often  purge  them  and  restore  them  to  health : 
in  this  fire  of  tribulation  he  doth  often  purge  their  dross. 

For  some,  water  will  serve  to  wash  them  if  they  be 
taken  in  time;  for  some,  that  have  taken  rust  with 
God's  long  forbearance,  and  their  own  custom  of  sin- 
ning, fire  is  necessary  to  burn  out  their  dross.  But 
none  escape  ;  of  this  all  are  partakers :  and  as  per- 
sonal sins  have  personal  chastisements,  so  epidemical 
sins  have  popular  punishments.  When  a  common- 
wealth is  diseased,  what  though  it  be  a  people  as  Israel, 
whom  God  hath  chosen  out  of  all  the  nations  of  the 
world  ;  what  though  he  have  rooted  out  the  heathen 
to  plant  them  in,  although  he  have  given  them  a  land 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  settled  the  priesthood 
and  his  worship,  given  them  his  word,  continued 
them  in  peace  many  generations ;  yet  if  they  shall  use 
violence  and  oppression,  if  they  shall  break  the  law 
of  God,  and  corrupt  the  seat  of  judgment,  the  Lord 
will  see  it,  and  be  angry  ;  and  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job 
shall  not  keep  out  judgnaent,  rather  the  complaints  of 
the  just  shall  help  to  hasten  the  coming  of  wrath 
against  that  land. 

We  have  heard  also  that  judgment  beginneth  at 
the  house  of  God,  1  Peter  iv.  17.  When  God  sent 
destroyers  into  Jerusalem,  their  commission  was, 
122 


Ezek.  ix.  6,  '  Slay  utterly  old  and  young,  both  maids 
and  the  children,  and  the  women  ;  and  begin  at  my 
sanctuary.' 

Use.  We  may  say  that  England  hath  been  for  many 
years,  since  the  restitution  of  our  religion,  God's 
pleasant  plant ;  he  hath  given  it  rest,  he  hath  hedged 
you,  walled  it  with  his  providence.  He  hath  given  us 
peace  within,  he  hath  given  us  victories  abroad,  he 
hath  kept  out  the  Chaldeans,  the  Spaniards,  whose 
invincible  strength  came  to  possess  and  divide  the 
land.  He  hath  spoken  the  word,  and  we  have  had 
multitude  of  preachers,  religion,  and  all  kind  of  learn- 
ing ;  all  mercature  hath  flourished,  and  we  have  traded 
to  the  ends  of  the  world  ;  mechanical  and  manual  arts 
have  come  up  to  their  full  growth  ;  we  may  say,  Non 
fecit  Deus  taliter,  we  have  peace  now  with  all  the  world, 
at  least  in  show  and  pretence. 

Let  not  these  favours  of  God  swell  us,  and  make 
us  presume  in  our  hearts  that  our  God  cannot  be  lost 
to  us,  to  encourage  sin.  If  the  sins  of  the  Jews  be 
found  amongst  us,  violence,  contempt  of  religion,  and 
corruption  of  justice,  God  will  do  a  thing  in  our  days 
which  he  that  heareth  will  not  believe,  by  reason  of 
our  long  rest. 

All  the  favours  of  God  came  in  with  true  religion, 
and  the  contempt  thereof  will  carry  them  out  again  ; 
for  God  is  no  accepter  of  persons.  As  we  are  Angli,  if 
we  were  anyeli,  he  would  cast  us  out  of  our  heaven 
upon  earth,  and  give  our  land  to  strangers  that  shall 
punish  us,  and  make  them  that  hate  us  to  be  lords 
over  us. 

2.  The  executioners  of  this  judgment ;  wherein 
observe, 

1.  By  whom  God  will  punish. 

2.  How  far  the  punishment  shall  extend. 

8.  W^hat  shall  become  of  them  whom  God  doth  use 
as  his  rods  in  this  execution. 

1.  By  whom?  By  the  Chaldeans.  These  are  de- 
scribed, 

(1.)  By  their  own  fitness  for  their  design. 
(2.)  By  their  preparation  to  accomplish  it. 
(3.)  By  their  intention  in  it. 

2.  How  far  the  punishment  shall  extend, 
(1.)  To  a  full  conquest. 

(2.)  To  a  proud  triumph. 

3.  What  shall  become  of  them  ? 
(1.)  They  shall  change  their  mind. 

(2.)  They  shall  ofiend  in  imputing  their  victories  to 
their  own  idols. 


Ver.  5-11.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


35 


1.  By  whom  God  shall  punish  the  Jews, 

(1.)  Of  their  fitness  for  this  execution.  They  are  de- 
scribed to  us  by  these  notations  : 

[1/  They  are  bitter. 

[2.]  They  are  hasty. 

[3.]  They  are  dreadful. 

[4. J  They  are  wilful. 

[1.]  Bitter  in  their  harsh  and  cruel  natures. 

[2.]  Hasty  in  their  participation*  and  speed. 

[3.]  Dreadful  in  their  power  and  strength. 

[4. J  Wilful  in  taking  their  own  ways  ;  for  their 
judgment  and  dignity  proceedeth  from  themselves. 

To  be  bitter  and  slow  gives  warning  to  resist,  and 
aflfordeth  the  benefits  of  time,  a  great  friend  to  defence. 

To  be  bitter,  and  hasty,  and  weak,  is  but  a  light- 
ning, a  flash  and  away. 

To  be  bitter  and  hasty  are  dreadful,  but  to  admit 
advice  gives  time  of  breathing  ;  but  when  the  nature 
is  inflamed  with  bitterness,  and  the  action  is  accele- 
rated with  haste,  and  fortified  with  sti'ength,  and  fol- 
lowed with  wilfulness,  this  makes  up  a  fnU  danger, 
especially  where  God  setteth  such  a  work. 

These  be  evil  aff'ections  in  this  people,  and  prove 
their  minds  set  upon  mischief  j  yet  God  maketh  rods 
of  these  twigs,  and  whips  of  these  cords,  to  punish 
the  sins  of  his  own  people. 

The  point  of  doctrine  here  is, 

Doct.  That  God  can  make  good  use  of  the  vices  of 
men,  and  can  make  wicked  men  serve  him  as  the  in- 
struments of  his  will,  as  Augustine,  Dens  bonus  ulitiir 
vialis  nostris  bene. 

So  Mr  Calvin  judiciously  observeth  on  the  text, 
Hac  quidem  nonfuerunt  laudanda  in  Chaldms,  amani- 
lentia  et  furor  ;  sed  potest  Dens  hctc  vitia  convertere  in 
optimum  Jinem.  St  Augustine,!  treating  of  the  pro- 
semination  of  the  gospel,  and  the  quick  spreading 
thereof,  hath  two  chapters  to  our  purpose. 

In  the  50th,  he  sheweth,  Per  passioties  prccdicantium 
illustrior  facta  est  prmlicatio,  by  the  sufiierings  of 
preachers  preaching  is  made  the  more  famous. 

In  the  olst.  Per  dissensiones  hareticonim  fides 
CathoUca  roboratur,  by  the  dissensions  of  heretics  the 
Catholic  faith  is  strengthened. 

He  is  so  full  to  this  purpose,  to  shew  what  good  God 
works  out  of  evil,  that  I  cannot  suppress  his  words. 

Inimici  ecclesia,  quolibet  errore  cacentur,  si  accipiunt 
potestatem  corporaliter  affligendi,  exercent  ejus  patien- 
tiam.     Si  tantummodo  male  sentiendo  adversanfur,  exer- 

*   Qn.  '  preparation '?— Ed.  t  Civ.  del.  18, 


cent  ejus  sapientiam .  Vl  diligantur,  exercent  ejus  bene- 
rolentiam.  But  when  the  church  of  God  grows  foul, 
and  when  people  of  God  forsake  God  and  go  in  their 
own  ways,  then  God  useth  the  wicked  ad  vindictam  ; 
then,  as  David  saith,  Ps.  xvii.  13,  *  the  wicked  are  the 
sword  of  the  Lord.' 

And  that  is  the  reason  why  God  doth  suffer  so  many 
evils  in  the  world,  because  they  be  his  rods  to  chasten 
evil. 

Even  in  this  example,  Jeremiah  the  prophet  of  the 
Lord  doth  threaten  the  same  judgment :  chap,  xxxvii.  8, 
'  The  Chaldeans  shall  fight  against  this  city,  and  take 
it,  and  bum  it  with  fire.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Deceive 
not  yourselves,  saying,  the  Chaldeans  shall  depart  from 
us,  for  they  shall  not  depart.  For  though  you  had 
smitten  the  whole  army  of  the  Chaldeans  that  fight 
against  you,  and  there  remained  but  wounded  men 
amongst  them,  yet  they  should  rise  up  every  man  in 
his  tent,  and  burn  the  city  with  fire,'  Thus  God  doth, 
because  he  will  declare  his  own  perfection  of  wisdom 
and  goodness,  that  he  can  work  good  out  of  evil,  and 
dispose  the  very  vices  of  men  to  good. 

And  thus  the  examples  of  foul  sins  in  our  brethren 
do  move  us, 

1.  To  a  loathing  thereof.  As  we  read,  the  Lacedae- 
monians would  make  their  slaves  drunk,  and  then 
shew  them  to  their  children  to  make  them  loathe 
drunkenness  ;  and  all  that  have  the  fear  of  God,  when 
they  see  and  hear  the  evil  conversation,  and  the  evil 
and  profane  words  of  the  wicked,  they  behold  in  them 
the  ugly  face  of  sin,  and  are  touched  at  the  heart  with  a 
detestation  of  the  same. 

2.  They  move  us  to  charity. 

1.  Charitas  incipiens,  at  ourselves,  to  take  warning 
by  their  example,  that  we,  when  we  see  a  thief,  do 
not  turn  to  him,  nor  be  partakers  with  the  adulterers. 

To  make  us  set  a  guard  upon  our  whole  life,  a  zealous 
pm-pose  to  eschew  evil. 

To  use  the  means  for  our  preservation  from  evil, 
which  are  hearing,  and  meditation  of  the  law  of  God, 
and  frequent  and  fervent  prayer. 

2.  Charitas  proficiens,  to  pray  God  for  our  brethren, 
that  he  would  direct  their  paths,  forgive  their  sins, 
and  mend  their  lives,  and  preserve  others  from  being 
coiTupted  by  their  evil  example. 

Reason  2.  God  bringeth  forth  the  effects  of  his  own 
good  will  out  of  the  ministry  of  the  vices  of  men,  to 
declare  his  true  justice  in  punishing  sin  by  sin,  that 
sinners  may  see  that  they  serve  for  rods,  one  to  whip 

123 


36 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


another  of  them,  whereas  the  just  do  not,  cannot,  hurt 
one  another,  for  all  evil  is  noxious,  holiness  is  humble. 

Reason  3.  God  declareth  himself  King  and  supreme 
Lord  of  the  earth  herein  ;  for,  as  David  saith,  fecit 
quicquid  volult,  'he  hath  done  whatever he'will.'  He 
will  not  let  either  the  sinner  that  acteth,  or  Satan  that 
suggesteth,  evil,  to  have  the  managing  thereof;  for 
howsoever  it  seemeth  that  they  serve  their  own  turns 
therein,  he  will  dispose  their  evil  to  his  own  proper 
ends,  and  they  shall  unwillingly  work  for  him,  though 
both  the  bent  of  the  suggestions  of  Satan,  and  the 
promise  of  the  intention  of  the  sinner,  and  the  fuel  of 
the  affection,  and  the  whole  force  of  the  action,  be 
diverted  against  him.  So  Joseph's  brethren,  full  of 
envy  to  him,  sold  him  into  Egypt.  What  a  charity 
did  God  work  out  of  it !  So  the  Jews  for  envy  pur- 
sued Christ  to  the  cross.  All  the  godly  fare  the  better 
for  the  good  which  was  effected  by  it. 

Israel  is  here  punished  by  the  Chaldeans,  and  God 
maketh  use  of  these  briars  and  thorns  to  prick  and 
gore  his  people.  He  suffereth  them  to  be  carried  into 
captivity. 

All  the  force  of  Satan  and  his  instruments  prevail  no 
further  against  his  church  than  for  correction  and 
burning  out  the  dross  ;  God  doth  still  do  all  things 
for  the  best. 

Use.  The  consideration  whereof  serveth, 

1.  To  pacify  us  against  evils,  and  to  lay  that  storm 
which  either  human  passion  or  inordinate  zeal  may 
stir  up  against  sin  and  sinners.  Though  all  punishment 
in  its  nature  be  evil,  yet  God  may  work  good  of  it ; 
and  the  Son  of  God  saith.  Resist  not  evil ;  let  it  have 
its  course,  and  expect  God's  end  in  it. 

You  see  how  much  Habakkuk  was  troubled  at  the 
sins  of  the  Jews,  how  he  did  even  chide  with  God 
for  his  patience  and  remissness  toward  them.  You 
see  from  thence  it  is  a  burden  to  men  to  bear  the  im- 
pieties of  their  brethren,  and  to  behold  their  unchari- 
tableness,  and  therefore  it  is  lawful  to  complain 
to  God  of  such,  and  to  awake  his  justice  against 
them. 

And  here  in  God's  answer  you  see  that  God  can 
make  use  of  men  of  evil  natures  and  ungodly  lips  to 
execute  his  will. 

Observe  the  faults  of  these  Chaldeans  ; 

1.  Idolatrous  ;  therefore  religion  and  the  whole  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  the  house  of  his  worship,  and  the 
priests  and  the  ministers  of  it,  were  hke  to  pay  for  it. 

Woful  is  that  state  that  giveth  any  way  to  idolatry 
124 


to  enter  into  it,  for  Amaziah  cannot  endure  Amos  to 
prophesy  near  the  king. 

2.  Fierce  and  cruel,  and  therefore  no  mercy  to  be 
expected  where  they  may  use  the  sword. 

3.  Proud  and  imperious,  so  that  to  serve  them  was 
the  basest  vassalage  that  might  be.  Such  a  nation  as 
this  will  always  make  a  good  sharp  rod  to  scourge  the 
church  when  it  rebelleth  against  God. 

And  let  that  land  into  which  such  a  nation  doth 
come,  either  in  a  storm  by  force,  or  in  a  calm  by 
treaty,_to  have  power  therein,  persuade  itself  that  God 
owes  it  a  whipping,  and  will  not  be  long  in  debt. 

But  in  all  fears  and  smart  let  the  comfort  of  this 
doctrine  season  our  hearts,  that  God  doth  use  the  evils 
that  be  in  men  well,  and  all  things  shall  come  to  the 
best  to  them  that  fear  God. 

Let  us  remember  our  lesson,  let  us  live  in  the  learn- 
ing and  practice  of  it,  fear  God  and  keep  his  command- 
ments, and  let  Satan  do  his  worst ;  and  let  the  Catholic 
bishop,  and  the  Chaldeans,  his  idolatrous,  cruel,  and 
proud  sons,  use  either  their  wit  or  strength  against  us  ; 
si  Deiis  pro  nobis,  if  God  be  for  us,  all  is  well. 

These  thorns  shall  bear  us  grapes,  and  these  thistles 
figs.  We  had  need  to  consider  that  in  all  machinations 
and  actions  of  mischief  against  the  church,  there  is 
also  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High,  dextera  excelsi. 
Let  us  take  heed  that  we  do  not  sin  too  boldly  with 
that.  Rather  let  us  await  the  good  issue  that  his 
holy  will  shall  produce,  for  all  things  do  work  together 
for  our  good  if  we  do  fear  and  serve  him. 

Use  2.  This  serveth  to  soften  that  hard  doctrine  of 
our  Saviour's,  which  goeth  so  much  against  the  heart  of 
flesh  and  blood,  to  bless  those  that  curse  and  perse- 
cute us,  and  to  pray  for  those  that  hate  us,  to  love  our 
enemies  ;  for,  seeing  all  their  actions  be  governed  and 
disposed  by  the  providence  of  God,  who  loveth  us  so 
well  that  he  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  up 
to  the  death  for  us,  we  may  promise  ourselves  good 
out  of  all  evils  that  they  imagine  to  execute  against  us. 

There  be  two  things  which  must  be  considered  in 
our  enemies  to  quicken  this  charity: 

1 .  The  person  of  our  enemy,  which  beareth  (though 
much  defaced)  the  image  of  God,  and  is  the  same 
nature  with  us,  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and  bone  of  our 
bone,  which  we  must  not  hate  nor  wish  ill  to. 

2.  The  employment  of  God  in  his  actions  which  do 
offend  us,  for  we  see  that  God  stirreth  him  and  setteth 
him  a-work,  and  manageth  the  whole  operation  to  his 
own  purpose.      Therefore,  think  not   our  Saviour's 


Ver.  5-11. J 


ilARBURY  OX  HABA.KKUK. 


37 


precept  an  hard  saying,  who  commandeth  charity  even 
to  an  enemy,  and  love  to  such  as  hat«  us.  For  even  in 
the  iujuries  they  do  to  their  brethren,  they  do  service  to 
God. 

Yet  is  not  God  author  of  the  evil  done,  but  of  the 
good  extracted  out  of  that  evil,  and  applied  to  the  be- 
nefit of  his  church. 

2.  Their  preparation  to  accomplish  this  will  of  God, 

(1.)  In  their  own  persons.  [1.:  Terrible.  [2.]  Wil- 
ful. 

(2.)  In  their  military  forces. 

[1.]  Their  horses,  fierce,  speedy. 

[2.]  Their  riders,  numerous,  speedy,  cruel. 

(1.)  For  their  own  persons.  No  doubt  but  they 
should  bring  with  them  all  the  appearance  of  danger 
and  horror  that  might  be,  that  God  might  cast  the  fear 
of  them  upon  the  Jews ;  that  is,  number,  choice  of 
soldiers,  strength  of  arms. 

(2.)  For  the  forces  here  named,  horses  trained  up 
to  the  field,  fleshed  in  blood,  with  horsemen  to  manage 
that  fierceness,  to  the  destruction  of  the  Jew. 

This  is  their  preparation,  wherein  we  are  taught  that, 

Doct.  "When  God  undertaketh  to  do  a  work,  he  ac- 
commodateth  all  fit  means  for  a  full  execution,  -ravra 
ffvvstysT,  all  things  work  together ;  for  when  he  begin- 
neth,  he  will  also  make  an  end. 

You  all  know  that  God  hath  no  need  of  means  to 
execute  his  will ;  his  will  is  a  law  to  his  creature.  Yet 
he  chooseth  in  his  great  wisdom,  by  visible  and  sen- 
sible means,  to  chasten  the  rebellion  of  the  Jews,  that 
his  ways  may  be  known  upon  earth,  even  the  ways  of 
his  judgments,  that  the  earth  may  stand  in  awe  of 
him.  God  would  have  his  church  know,  that  if  he 
once  take  displeasure  against  them,  he  hath  the  com- 
mand of  armies  to  fight  against  them ;  for  he  is  *  Lokd 

OF  HOSTS.' 

Men,  partners  with  them  of  the  same  nature,  shall 
be  fearful  and  terrible  to  them  ;  they  shall  lay  aside 
all  humanity,  and  shall  arm  themselves  with  malice 
and  cruelty  to  destroy  them  ;  they  shall  see  that  God 
can  put  mettle  into  them,  and  into  their  horses,  and 
make  all  their  military  provisions  mortal  to  destroy 
them  ;  for  who  is  so  great  a  God  as  our  God  ? 

Edom  had  made  peace,  as  you  heard  out  of  Oba- 
diah,  with  his  neighbour  nations,  yet  the  men  of  his 
confederacy  put  a  wound  xmder  him. 

Let  us  not  put  our  trust  with  all  the  world,  espe- 
cially with  them  whose  religion  is  a  warrant  to  them 
to  break  with  us  when  they  see  an  advantage. 


Let  us  make  and  keep  peace  with  our  God,  and  put 
our  sins  to  silence,  which  cry  out  for  judgments  against 
us  ;  for  if  he  be  on  our  side,  we  need  not  fear  the  arm 
of  flesh :  the  horse  and  the  rider  too  will  fall,  and 
fail,  as  in  the  example  of  Israel ;  he  hath  a  red  sea,  a 
judgment  of  vengeance  to  foUow  them :  one  shall  chase 
a  thousand  :  Ps.  xci.  7,  '  A  thousand  shall  fall  on  thy 
side,  and  ten  thousand  at  thy  right  hand,  but  shall  not 
come  near  thee.'  There  is,  there  can  be,  no  danger 
to  them  that  have  the  God  of  Jacob  for  their  refuge. 
When  armies  fight  his  battles,  they  are  terrible  and 
dreadful ;  when  he  is  on  our  side,  there  are  more 
with  us  than  against  us. 

The  name  of  the  Chaldeans,  their  fierceness,  their 
hasty  violence,  their  number,  their  horses,  their  riders, 
their  whole  preparation  for  war,  do  all  borrow  terror 
from  Eyo  excitabo,  I  will  stir  up  ;  it  is  God  that  setteth 
them  a-work,  which  putteth  this  mettle  into  them. 

Let  me  learn  of  the  apostle  St  Paul  to  apply  this 
terror  to  the  common  use  of  all  those  that  are  the 
despisers  of  the  threatenings  of  God  :  Acts  xiii.  40, 
'  Beware,  therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you  which  is 
spoken  of  by  the  prophets.'  And  there  he  citeth  these 
words,  ver.  5,  '  I  will  do  a  work  in  your  days,  which 
ye  will  not  believe,'  &c.,  whereby  he  sheweth, 

1.  That  the  provocation  which  moveth  God  to  this 
severe  judgment  is  contempt ;  therefore  St  Paul  saith, 
'  Hear,  ye  despisers,'  for  it  was  spoken  at  first  to  such 
as  did  slack  the  law  of  God,  and  had  no  awe  or  reve- 
rence of  his  threatenings  and  judgments. 

2.  That  this  was  no  singular  judgment  proper  to 
that  nation  of  the  Jews,  but  common  to  his  people  aU 
the  world  over  ;  for  God  seeing  religion  contemned, 
and  justice  corrupted,  that  neither  a  Christian  nor  a 
moral  conversation  is  regarded,  he  wiU  fiind  Chaldeans, 
more  fierce  and  hasty  and  violent  nations,  to  overran 
and  destroy  such  a  people.  Our  sins  are  the  edge  and 
point  of  their  weapons. 

3.  The  intention  of  the  Chaldeans. 

God  worketh  as  he  professeth  in  this  invasion,  and 
his  end  is,  to  punish  the  overgrowing  sins  of  the  Jews ; 
and  the  Chaldeans  they  work,  their  end  is  spoil,  and 
enlargement  of  their  dominion. 

God,  for  his  own  end,  giveth  way  to  them,  and 
sufiereth  ;  that  is  not  all,  he  worketh  with  them,  and 
accomplisheth  their  desire. 

The  papist  and  the  anabaptist  do  both  charge  the 
protestant  church  that  we  maintain  God  to  be  the 
author  of  s!n. 

125 


38 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


Campian  saith  for  us,  Volem,  suggerens,  efficiens, 
juhens,  operans,  et  in  hoc  inipiorum  scelerata  consilium 
gubernans.     And  this  is  one  of  our  paradoxes. 

Cardinal  Bellarmine  doth  maintain  that  all  evils  are 
done  on  earth  only  permittente  Deo,  by  God's  permis- 
sion.    Our  answer  is, 

That  in  all  sinful  actions  two  things  are  to  be  con- 
sidered, as  Aquinas  well  teacheth  : 

1.  Ipsa  actio,  the  action. 

2.  Vitium  aciionis,  the  fault  of  the  action. 

We  confess  that  God  is  volens,  suggerens,  efficiens, 
juhens,  operans,  et  gubernans  in  actione ;  for  omnis 
actio  quatenus  actio  est  bona,  for  Deus  omnia  operatur. 
In  him  we  live  and  move,  and  without  his  power  no 
action  can  be  performed.  It  is  blasphemy  to  say  or 
think  that  anything  is  or  can  be  done  against  the  will 
or  without  the  power  of  God,  or  that  God  doth  lend 
his  power  to  any  against  himself  and  his  will,  for  that 
destroyeth  the  omnipotent  providence  of  God. 

But  for  the  evil  that  is  in  a  wicked  action,  that 
deriveth  itself  from  the  corrupt  root  of  man's  sinful 
nature. 

St  Augustine,  handling  this  point,  doth  thus  exem.- 
plify  it  :*  Quwn  Pater  tradiderit  Filiuni,  et  Dominus 
corpus  suum,  et  Judas  Dominum,  cur  in  hac  traditione 
Deus  Justus  est,  et  homo  reus,  nisi  quia,  in  re  una  quam 
fecerunt,  causa  non  una  est  oh  quam  fecerunt  f 

In  the  example  in  my  text,  God  himself  hath  cleared 
this  truth,  for  here  are  the  Chaldeans  : 

1.  Out  of  a  natural  fierceness  of  evil  nature,  apt  to 
do  mischief,  and  hasty  to  execute  it. 

2.  Out  of  a  covetous  desire  to  enrich  themselves, 
making  no  conscience  to  invade  the  goods  of  their 
neighboui's. 

3.  Out  of  an  ambitious  and  proud  desire,  longing  to 
possess  a  land  that  is  not  theirs. 

Doth  God  approve  these  unchristian  desires  in  this 
idolatrous  and  wicked  nation  ?  We  say  and  believe 
that  God  hateth  wickedness,  neither  shall  evil  dwell 
with  him. 

Yet  for  the  action  of  violence.  God  seeth  his  people 
of  the  Jews,  for  contempt  of  religion,  and  for  corruption 
of  justice,  and  for  violence  to  one  another,  worthy  of 
punishment;  he  holdeth  them  worthy  to  be  punished 
with  violence,  and  therefore  he  stirreth  up  a  violent 
nation  against  them.  He  seeth  that  they  live  by  op- 
pression, and  therefore  he  sendeth  oppressors  to  strip 
them  out  of  all.  He  seeth  that  they  live  in  unbridled 
*  Ep.  xlviii,  ad  Vincent. 
126 


licentiousness,  and  therefore  he  taketh  away  their 
liberty,  and  sendeth  them  into  captivity.  He  findeth 
them  unworthy  of  the  land  which  he  gave  them,  and 
therefore  he  giveth  it  away  to  strangers,  and  putteth 
their  enemies  into  possession  thereof.  Consider  all 
this  as  malum  j>cence,  the  evil  of  punishment,  and  so 
God  is  author,  suggester,  and  operator  herein. 

.  But  consider  how  the  Chaldeans  work  in  this  affair, 
and  God  himself  acquitteth  himself  in  this  text,  and 
putteth  it  oflf  upon  them :  ver.  7,  '  Their  judgment 
and  their  dignity  shall  proceed  from  themselves.' 
That  which  they  seek  is  a  project  of  their  own,  they 
know  not  what  God  would  have  done ;  and  as  they 
advise  not  with  him,  nor  understand  that  he  stirreth 
them,  they  acknowledge  nothing  to  him,  as  it  foUowetb, 
for  they  thank  their  own  god  for  the  victory. 

You  do  now  see  God's  good  end  and  their  evil,  and 
in  this  one  action.  And  St  Augustine  saith,  Deus  quas- 
dam  voluntates  suas  utique  honas  implet,  per  malorum 
hominum  voluntates  malas.  (Vide  Whitak.  contra 
Camp,  ratione  8.) 

From  hence  it  cometh  that  they  which,  fulfilling  the 
will  of  God,  which  they  know  not,  do  fulfil  their  own 
-will,  which  they  aim  at,  have  no  reward  of  their  ser- 
vice ;  but  rather  are  after  punished  for  the  same.  As 
Hugo  de  Sancto  Victore  saith,  Quoniam  non  sua  volun- 
tate,  ad  implendam  Dei  voluntatem  dirigmitur,  sed  occulta 
ipsius  dispositione.  And  thus  doth  Master  Calvin* 
teach  men,  in  those  places  which  Campian  doth  slan- 
derously traduce  to  this  paradox,  that  God  is  author 
of  sin.  The  title  is,  Deum  ita  impiorum  opera  uti,  et 
animos  jiectere  ad  exequenda  sua  judicia,  id  j)urus  ipse 
ah  omni  lahe  maneat. 

It  sufficeth  that  we  see  the  intention  of  the  Chal- 
deans evil,  for  that  condemneth  them ;  and  his  judg- 
ment upon  them,  which  followeth  in  this  chapter, 
doth  prove  that  their  intentions  make  their  whole  ser- 
vice corrupt,  so  that  though  it  pleased  God  that  evil 
was  done  against  the  Jews,  they  did  not  please  God 
that  did  execute  the  same. 

The  rule  is  true,  that  all  evil  actions  are  justly 
judged  by  the  intentions  of  their  agents.  Good  ac- 
tions are  not  so,  for  every  good  intention  will  not  jus- 
tify an  action  to  be  lawful,  as  in  Rebekah  and  Jacob 
her  son  ;  it  was  a  good  intention  to  seek  the  blessing 
which  God  had  decreed,  but  the  act  whereby  it  was 
attained  was  merely  unlawful ;  but  an  evil  intention  is 
sufficient  to  corrupt  any  action,  though  it  carry  never 
*  Inst.  i.  18. 


Ver.  5-11.] 


MARBURT  ON  ELiBAKKUK. 


39 


so  specious  a  show  of  good.  Jacob's  sons  went  about 
a  good  action,  to  draw  the  Shechemites  into  a  confor- 
mity with  the  Hebrews  in  religion.  The  intention  of 
the  Shechemites,  which  made  them  embrace  the  mo- 
tion, was  the  enriching  of  themselves  by  this  corres- 
pondency ;  the  intention  of  Jacob's  sons  was  to  bretray 
them  to  death,  and  God  punished  them  both — the 
Shechemites  with  death,  the  sons  of  Jacob  with  their 
father's  curse. 

And*  the  Chaldeans  punished  the  Jews,  and  sought 
therein  the  glory  of  God  only,  and  gave  him  the  praise 
of  their  victory  of  whom  they  borrowed  the  power  of 
their  strength,  they  had  been  blameless  ;  but  their 
hands  concurred  with  the  just  will  of  God,  their  hearts 
did  not,  yet  God  is  just  in  employing  them. 

The  rule  therefore  is,  that  he  that  willeth  the  same 
thing  which  God  willeth,  and  doth  the  same  thing 
which  God  would  have  done,  sinneth,  except  he  will- 
eth and  doth  the  same  thing  in  the  same  matter  and 
for  the  same  end  which  God  projecteth.  '  Let  the 
same  mind  be  in  you  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus ;'  '  Arm 
yourselves  with  the  same'mind,'  1  Peter  iv.  1. 

That  mind  is  an  armour  against  the  wrath  of  Goi ; 
we  know  we  cannot  displease  him,  so  long  as  there  is 
an  harmony  of  our  mind  with  his.  That  mind  is  an 
armour  against  the  revenge  of  men,  for,  if  we  be 
abundant  always  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  we  know 
that  our  labour  is  not,  cannot  be,  in  vain  in  the  Lord, 
Eph.  iv.  23,  for  we  must  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
our  mind,  we  must  not  be  like  the  axe  and  hammer  in 
the  hand  of  the  artificer,  which  knoweth  not  who  useth 
it,  nor  what  he  doth,  nor  why  ;  we  are  living  instru- 
ments, and  our  minds  must  set  our  hands  a- work;  we 
must  know  what  we  do,  for  whom  and  why,  or  else 
our  work  is  against  ourselves. 

We  do  nothing,  but  as  God  doth  guide  the  hand,  so 
he  frameth  the  heart  and  affections  to  it ;  if  he  do  not 
also  enlighten  our  understandings,  and  apply  our  minds 
to  it,  we  are  carried  as  brute  beasts,  we  are  not  led  as 
men. 

So,  then,  I  leave  those  Chaldeans,  though  the  armies 
of  God  at  this  time,  and  doing  the  will  of  God  igno- 
rantly,  yet  for  the  corruption]of  their  intention  culpable, 
and  in  as  ill  case  as  they  whom  they  persecute  and 
overcome. 

Use.  AU  the  injuries  thatVe  do  by  word  or  deed  to 
our  brethren,  they^are  done  with  God's  privity  ;  he 
knoweth  thereof,  he  disposeth  them  to  their  pnnish- 
♦  Qu.  '  had  '  ?— Ed. 


ment  who  suffer  by  us,  or  for  the  exercise  of  their 
patience,  or  the  trial  of  their  charity  to  them  that 
hurt  them,  or  their  constancy  in  obedience  to  him. 

Let  us  not  so  much  consider  what  good  God  doth 
work  out  of  us  to  them  as  what  evil  breedeth  in  our 
heart,  and  so  no  thanks  to  Joseph's  brethren  that  he 
is  the  second  man  in  Egypt.  All  the  fat  of  the  land 
of  GosheU;  and  the  sweet  exchange  of  their  pinching 
famine  for  a  swelling  plenty,  will  not  still  the  clamor- 
ous accusing  voice  of  their  guilty  conscience  for  the 
sin  of  their  evil  intention  against  their  brother;  for 
as  soon  as  their  father  died  their  fear  revived :  they 
doubted  that  Joseph  would  revenge  that  fault. 

The  old  word  was  Animus  cujusque,  is  est  quisque, 
every  man's  mind  is  himself;  and  so  when  David 
saith  of  the  just  man,  '  the  floods  of  many  waters 
shall  not  come  near  him,'  it  is  expounded  it  shall  not 
come  so  high  as  his  mind,  to  the  disquieting  thereof: 
it  shall  not  come  so  high  as  his  faith,  to  the  weakening 
thereof. 

Remember  this  when  you  pray,/i«^  voluntas  tua,  thy 
will  be  done  ;  that  you  desire  of  God  not  only  a  cor- 
respondence with  his  hand,  that  you  may  do  that  which 
he  would  have  done,  but  correspondence  of  will  that 
you  may  do  it  for  the  same  cause. 

2.  How  far  the  punishment  shall  extend.  (Divis. 
p.  34.) 

(1.)  To  a  full  conquest. 

(2.)  To  a  proud  triumph. 

(1.)  The  full  conquest  is  set  forth,  ver.  6  :  '  They 
shall  march  through  the  breadth  of  your  land,  to 
possess  the  dwelling-places,  that  are  not  theirs.  They 
shall  come  all  for  violence,  and  shall  gather  together 
the  captivity  as  the  sand.' 

Wherein  is  described  a  full  possession  of  the  land 
of  the  Jews,  and  a  deportation  of  the  people,  a  loss 
even  of  the  birthright  and  the  blessing. 

The  land  of  Canaan  is  called  the  land  of  promise, 
for  God  promised  it  to  Abraham,  and  swore  to  him 
that  his  seed  should  inherit  it,  but  by  way  of  covenant 
which  had  reference  to  their  obedience  of  the  law  of 
God,  for  so  Moses  forewarned  them  :  Deut.  viii.  19, 
'  If  you  forget  the  Lord  thy  God,  &c.,  I  testify  unto 
you  this  day,  ye  shall  surely  perish,  as  the  nations 
which  the  Lord  destroy eth  before  you  ;  so  ye  shall 
perish,  because  ye  would  not  be  obedient  unto  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  your  God.'  Deut.  xi.  26,  'And 
Moses  saith  unto  them.  Behold  I  set  before  you  this 
day  a  blessing  and  a  curse  :  blessing,  if  you  obey  the 

127 


40 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


commandments  of  the  Lord,  &c.;  and  the  curse,  if  you 
will  not  obey.' 

Now  God  is  free  of  his  promise  and  oath  that  he 
made  to  them,  for  they  have  disobeyed  him ;  they 
have  corrupted  their  ways,  they  have  contemned  and 
slacked  the  law  of  God,  therefore  they  have  forfeited 
their  estate  in  that  good  land,  and  their  persons  stand 
obliged  to  the  punishment  of  their  disobedience. 

Dod.  The  lesson  is,  that  all  the  promises  of  God's 
favour  to  men  are  not  absolute,  but  conditional,  and 
are  referred  to  the  obedience  or  disobedience  of  men. 

Benson.  For  man  is  mutable.  God  is  unchange- 
ably just ;  he  must  not,  he  cannot  favour  disobedience ; 
his  love  goes  not  in  the  blood,  but  in  the  faith  of 
Abraham.  Israel,  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  is  no 
more  to  him  than  the  posterity  of  Canaan,  who  had 
his  father's  curse,  except  that  Israel  do  serve  him 
better  than  they  do.  He  hath  told  them  so  by  Moses, 
for  seeing  there  was  no  merit  in  them  to  deserve  his 
love  at  first,  and  no  means  for  them  to  continue  his 
love,  but  their  obedience  ;  that  failing,  they  are  to  him 
as  heathens. 

Christ  teacheth  us  that  if  any  be  wilful,  and  will 
not  obey  the  church,  he  must  be  to  us  as  an  heathen 
and  a  publican ;  we  can  never  excommunicate  such  ex 
communione  charitalis,  out  of  the  communion  of  charity, 
for  as  much  as  in  us  lieth  we  must  have  peace  with 
all  men,  and  we  must  never  hide  ourselves  from  our 
own  flesh,  and  we  must  do  good  unto  all  men ;  but 
we  may,  we  must  exclude  them,  ex  communione  ecclesia, 
from  the  communion  of  the  church  ;  we  must  not  ad- 
mit them  to  our  congregations,  nor  esteem  them  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  till  they  be  reconciled. 

Religion  is  the  knot  of  true  union,  that  knitteth  us 
to  God,  that  uniteth  us  to  one  another  ;  that  once 
dissolved,  farewell  fair  weather,  we  must  turn  all  into 
chiding  and  reproof,  and,  as  the  apostle  saith,  come 
to  them  with  the  rod.  We  must  complain  of  them  to 
God,  and  awake  his  justice  upon  them.  So  that  if 
we  would  keep  our  laud  from  invasion  and  depopula- 
tion, our  persons  from  captivity  and  deportation,  our 
goods  from  direption  and  deprecation,  let  us  serve  the 
Lord  in  fear  and  obedience,  in  holiness  and  righteous- 
ness before  him  all  the  days  of  our  lives. 

(2.)  The  punishment  shall  extend  to  a  proud 
triumph,  which  is  expressed,  ver.  10  :  *  They  shall 
scoff  at  the  kings,  and  the  princes  shall  be  a  scorn  to 
them;  and  they  shall  deride  every  stronghold.' 

Doct.  This  is  another  of  God's  rods  :  he  punisheth 
12S 


the  despisers  with  scorn  and  contempt,  as  you  heard 
out  of  Obadiah  :  *  Behold  I  have  made  thee  small ; 
thou  art  greatly  despised,'  ver.  2. 

Therefore  St  Paul,  repeating  this  prophecy.  Acts 
xiii.  40,  doth,  by  way  of  exposition,  to  shew  to  whom 
this  judgment  doth  belong,  say,  '  Behold,  ye  despisers, 
and  wonder,  and  vanish  away,  for  behold  ye  amongst 
the  heathen.'  This  is  God's  own  word,  *  He  that 
despiseth  me,  shall  be  despised.'  Yea,  as  the  psalm- 
ist saith,  'He  poureth  contempt  upon  princes.' 

Two  things  that  are  most  privileged  from  contempt 
shall  here  suffer  it. 

1.  The  majesty  of  kings. 

2.  The  strength  of  fortifications. 

But  when  the  supreme  majesty  of  God  is  offended 
and  despised,  these  cannot  escape  both  destruction 
and  contempt. 

This  the  generous  nature  of  man  doth  more  fear 
than  any  temporal  evil :  let  me  ache,  and  smart,  and 
lose  all,  but  let  me  not  be  despised. 

When  the  Jews  began,  after  their  captivity,  to  build 
again  the  walls  of  the  city,  they  had  strong  opposi- 
tion by  their  enemies,  Tobiah,  and  Sanballat,  and 
others,  who  laboured  to  hinder  the  building  all  they 
could.  But  when  they  despised  the  Jews,  and  scorned 
their  work,  Nehemiah  took  it  to  heart,  and  grew  very 
earnest  with  God  in  complaint  against  them.  For, 
Neh.  iv.  1,  Sanballat  mocked  the  Jews,  and  said  be- 
fore his  brethren  and  the  army  of  Samaria,  *  What 
do  these  weak  Jews  ?  will  they  fortify  themselves  ? 
will  they  sacrifice  ?  will  they  finish  it  in  a  day  ?  will 
they  make  the  stones  whole  again  out  of  the  heaps  of 
dust,  seeing  they  are  burnt  ?  And  Tobiah  the  Am- 
monite was  beside  him ;  and  said.  Although  they 
build,  yet  if  a  fox  go  up,  he  shall  even  break  down 
their  strong  wall.'  This  sends  Nehemiah  to  God, 
saying,  *  Hear,  0  God ;  we  are  despised :  and  turn 
their  shame  upon  their  own  head.*  This  heavy  judg- 
ment shall  God  inflict  upon  the  Jews. 

Reason.  The  reason  is,  because  this  is  the  fittest 
punishment  for  their  pride."  Now  they  shall  see,  that 
so  long  as  a  people  walketh  humbly  before  God,  so 
long  they  live  in  glory  and  reputation  ;  but  when  God 
faileth  them  for  their  sins,  their  enemies  do  prevail 
against  them,  and  cover  them  with  disdain. 

When  God  tried  Job  with  all  kind  of  corporal  and 
temporal  calamities,  in  the  agony  and  smart  of  his 
passion,  he  looketh  back  to  the  former  mercies  of  God ; 
wherein  I  observe,  that  ho  giveth  the  first  place  of 


Ver.  5-11.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


41 


his  temporal  happiness  to  that  respect  that  was  given 
to  him  :  Job  xxix.  7-11,  '  When  I  went  out  to  the 
gate  through  the  city  ;  when  I  prepared  my  seat  in 
the  street !  The  young  men  saw  me,  and  hid  them- 
selves ;  and  the  aged  arose,  and  stood  np.  The 
princes  refrained  talking,  and  laid  their  hand  on  their 
mouth.  The  nobles  held  their  peace,  and  their  tongue 
cleaved  to  the  roof  of  their  mouth.  When  the  ear 
heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me  ;  and  when  the  eye  saw 
me,  it  gave  witness  to  me.' 

Bat  in  the  next  chapter,  recounting  the  miseries 
which  had  come  upon  him,  he  gives  the  first  place  to 
contempt :  chap.  xxx.  1,  '  But  now  they  that  are 
younger  than  I  have  me  in  derision,  whose  fathers  I 
would  have  disdained  to  set  with  the  dogs  of  my  flock.' 
Ver.  8-10,  *  They  were  children  of  fools,  yea,  chil- 
dren of  base  men  ;  they  were  viler  than  the  earth. 
And  now  I  am  their  song ;  I  am  their  by- word.  They 
abhor  me,  and  fly  far  from  me,  and  spare  not  to  spit 
in  my  face.'     (Read  on  at  leisure.) 

But  thus  did  the  Jews  abuse  Christ :  '  Is  not  this 
the  carpenter  ?'  And  after  they  put  on  him  a  purple 
garment,  and  put  a  reed  in  his  hand,  and  crowned 
him  with  thorns,  and  saluted  him  scornfully,  '  King 
of  the  Jews.'  They  spit  on  his  face,  and  even,  hang- 
ing on  the  cross  of  pain  and  shame,  they  laughed  him 
to  scorn.  Some  refer  the  non  siciit  to  this  especially : 
Lam,  i.  12,  '  Have  ye  no  regard,  all  ye  that  pass 
by  the  way  ?  consider  and  behold,  if  ever  there  were 
sorrow  like  my  sorrow,  which  was  done  to  me.'  For 
the  grief  of  contempt  must  needs  be  the  greatest 
humiliation,  because  of  the  eminency  and  excellency  of 
his  person. 

And  for  Christian  religion  in  the  primitive  times  of 
the  church,  the  common  evil  opinion  of  it  was,  that  it 
was  heresy  ;  but  the  learned  Grecians  did  call  preach- 
ing foolishness  :   Vbl  sapiens  '  ubi  scriba  ? 

Uie.  The  way  to  avoid  this  contempt  is  humility,  a 
virtue  unknown  to  the  moral  wise  men  of  former  ages ; 
it  is  the  proper  virtue_of  the  Christian.  Discite  a  me 
quia  mitis  et  humilis.  This  is  the  virtue,  and  he  the 
only  teacher  of  it,  the  best  example  of  it,  the  fullest 
reward  of  it.  You  heard  from  Obadiah  to  Edom, 
ver.  3,  '  The  pride  of  thy  heart  hath  deceived^  thee.' 
The  pride  of  Hfe  is  the  queen  of  vices,  as  you  heard 
then ;  it  trespasseth  the  majesty  of  God ;  it  turned 
angels  into  de\'ils,  and  cast  men  out  of  paradise  (Hugo). 
Superbia  mihi  Deum  aufert. 

Humihty  doth  make  us  think  reverently  of  God,  and 


charitably  of  our  brethren,  and  worse  of  ourselves. 
St  Paul,  *  Of  whom  I  am  chief.'  Humihty  makes  ua 
think  all  the  least  favours  of  God  too  good  for  us,  and 
so  joineth  contentedness  with  godliness. 

Contempt  cannot  smart  upon  the  humble  in  respect 
of  themselves,  but  in  respect  of  God,  who  is  despised 
in  them.  Study  and  pray  to  God  for  this  grace  ;  this 
keeps  peace  in  the  church,  and  quietness  in  our  com- 
mon conversation,  for  only  of  pride  cometh  contention. 
Let  me  once  say  with  Jacob,  '  I  am  not  worthy  of  the 
least  of  thy  mercies,'  and  we  shall  value  the  very 
crumbs  that  fall  from  the  children's  table.  The  least 
of  God's  favours  will  be  sweet  to  us,  and  God  shall  be 
praised  for  them.  And  with  such  as  be  of  a  contrite 
and  lowly  spirit  God  will  dwell ;  God  himself  boweth 
the  heavens,  and  cometh  down  to  such  to  visit  them, 
Atque  humiles  habitare  casas,  '  Behold  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock,'  Not  at  the  door  of  the  proud,  for 
their  self-love  keepeth  him  out. 

The  humble  man  is  the  Lord's  temple,  and  he  saith, 
'  Here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  a  dehght  therein  :'  '  I 
will  satisfy  their  poor  with  bread,'  *  the  holy  ones  shall 
rejoice  and  sing :'  '  I  took  David  from  the  sheepfold,' 
'  there  will  I  make  the  horn  of  David  to  flourish  ;  I 
have  ordained  a  lanthom  for  mine  anointed,' 

Ver.  11.  Then  shall  his  mind  change,  and  he  shall 
pass  over,  and  offend,  imputing  this  his  power  unto  his 
god. 

3.  What  shall  become  of  the  Chaldeans  thus  victo- 
rious? 

1 ,  They  shall  change  their  mind, 

2,  They  shall  pass  over, 

3,  They  shall  ofi"end. 

4,  Their  fault. 

1.  They  shall  change  their  mind.  The  prosperous 
and  victorious  success  of  the  Chaldean  shall  so  in- 
fatuate the  Chaldean,  that  he  shall  be  transported  with 
the  pride  thereof,  and  God  shall  give  end  unto  his 
violence.  God  shall  change  his  mind,  for  their  sakes 
whom  he  reserveth  as  his  remnant  amongst  the  Jews. 

Doct.  The  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest  on  the 
lot  of  the  righteous.  The  wicked  are  the  sword  of 
the  Lord ;  he  will  not  always  chide  nor  strike,  but  he 
will  put  up  his  sword  in  his  sheath,  his  arm  in  his 
bosom. 

He  guideth  the  hearts  of  all  men,  like  rivers  of  wa- 
ters, which  way  he  pleaseth.  It  is  a  doctrine  which 
I  lately  taught  out  of  Obadiah.     Though  the  church 

129 


42 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


-of  God  do  live  under  the  cross  for  a  time,  it  ehall  not 
be  always  so  ;  for,  as  here  it  is  declared,  '  their  mind 
shall  change  that  afflict  her.' 

1.  Because  God's  quarrel  is  not  against  the  persons 
of  men,  but  against  their  sins  ;  therefore  he  punisheth 
non  ad  vindictam,  but  ad  emendationem  vita;,  and  it  is 
no  pleasure  to  God  to  punish  his  children ;  therefore 
he  will  not  alwajs  punish,  because  afflictions  are  of 
excellent  force  to  bring  forth  in  his  children,  1,  con- 
•trition ;  2,  supplication. 

2.  He  will  not  always  punish,  lest  the  extreme  pas- 
:sions  of  his  servants  should  breed  in  them  a  doubt  of 
this  love,  and  so  weaken  their  faith. 

8.  Lest  the  righteous  should  put  forth  his  hand 
unto  sin. 

4.  Lest  the  enemies  of  his  church  should  grow  too 
insolent. 

Further  we  are  taught,  that  those  whom  God  useth 
as  his  rods  are  limited ;  when  they  have  executed  his 
will,  they  shall  then  change  their  minds.  The  mind 
of  the  Chaldean  was  cruelty,  and  oppression,  and  cove- 
tousness,  and  ambition  ;  this  victory  shall  change  their 
mind  into  pride  and  insolence,  so  that,  as  the  wise  man 
saith,  •  The  prosperity  of  fools  shall  destroy  them.' 

It  is  a  true  saying  for  the  most  part,  that  as  the 
good,  so  the  blood  riseth.  Men  of  low  degree,  when 
they  rise  to  high  places,  men  of  poor  estate  when  they 
grow  to  plenty,  even  nations  when  they  overflow  their 
own  banks  and  overrun  others,  do  change  their  minds ; 
they  have  not  the  same  hearts  and  affections  that  they 
had.  It  is  a  singular  wisdom  to  use  the  fulness  of 
prosperity  well.  The  paradise  of  God  did  not  content 
our  first  parents ;  the  forbidden  fruit  seemed  to  Eve 
the  fairest  fruit  of  the  garden  ;  that  changed  her  mind 
from  the  obedience  of  the  law  of  God,  to  be  both  a  pre- 
varicator and  a  tempter. 

The  sons  of  God,  living  in  prosperity  in  the  favour 

'of  God,  set  their  eyes  on  the  daughters  of  men ;  and 

because  they  looked  fair,  like  Eve's  apple,  they  changed 

;  their  mind  from  living  under  the  religious  awe  of  God, 

;to  take  them  wives,  by  whom  the  service  of  God  was 

■  corrupted;  for  they  that  marry  with  tempters,  and 

take  them  to  their  bosoms,  either  presume  too  much 

on  their  own  strength,  and  they  tempt  God  therein  ; 

or  else  they  change  their  minds  and  religions  with 

them.    *  Can  a  man  carry  fire  in  his  bosom,  and  not 

be  burned  ?    Or  walk  upon  burning  coals,  and  not  be 

scorched  ?'     The  author  of  the  book  of  "Wisdom  saith 

well  of  the  righteous,  chap.  iv.  11,  '  That  he  is  speedily 

130 


taken  awaj-,  lest  wickedness  should  alter  his  under- 
standing, or  deceit  beguile  his  soul.' 

There  is  a  great  measure  of  grace  needful  to  him 
that  would  use  prosperity  well :  he  must  not  be  wicked  ; 
for  where  the  good  Spirit  of  God  is  wanting,  there  is 
nothing  but  unstaidness  and  inconstancy.  But  David 
prayeth,  *  Establish  thou  me  with  thy  free  Spirit.' 
David's  victories  and  peace  and  prosperity  did  change 
his  mind ;  he  grew  wanton ;  and  to  hide  that,  cruel, 
and  to  live  in  that  sin  of  uncleanness,  irreligious,  till 
God  sent  Nathan  to  him. 

Hezekiah,  having  rest,  changed  his  mind,  and  proud 
of  his  treasures,  shewed  them  to  his  own  disadvantage, 
and  provoked  God's  anger  against  him. 

Experience  shews  us  how  the  world,  and  the  wealth 
and  honours  thereof,  do  corrupt  men  of  good  minds 
before,  and  changeth  their  understandings :  that  Demas 
will  forsake  Paul,  whom  he  hath  long  served ;  and 
some  disciples  will  no  longer  walk  with  Christ. 

Reason  1.  The  cause  hereof  is  because  outward 
things,  unsanctified  to  the  owner  and  user  thereof,  have 
no  power  to  establish  the  heart ;  for  the  heart  is  es- 
tablished by  grace,  and  not  with  meats,  nor  with  any 
outward  things. 

Reason  2.  Because  there  is  no  peace  with  the  wicked 
manj  he  must  be  as  violent  and  as  inconstant  as  the 
sea,  casting  up  also  foam  and  filth. 

Reason  3.  Because  iniquity  knoweth  no  measure, 
but  runneth  into  all  extremes,  virtiUisque  viam  deserit 
ardua' :  their  mirth  is  madness,  their  music  vanity. 
So  their  sorrow  is  suUenness  and  discontent.  Con- 
quered, they  are  base,  and  Uck  the  dust  from  the  ene- 
my's foot :  conquering,  ihay  are  proud,  and  tyrannise 
over  them  whom  they  have  subdued. 

Thus  the  mind  of  the  wicked  changeth  in  them. 

Use.  The  profit  that  we  may  make  of  this  point  is 
great. 

1 .  It  discourageth  us  from  greedy  seeking  of  tem- 
poral prosperity,  because  it  hath  this  danger  in  it,  to 
change  our  minds,  and  to  shift  us  from  vice*  to  vice  : 
wherefore  it  is  a  good  petition  in  our  holy  Litany,  '  In 
all  time  of  our  wealth,  good  Lord,  deliver  ns.'  And 
that  of  Agur,  Prov.  xxx.  9,  '  Give  me  not  riches,  lest 
I  be  full  and  deny  thee,  and  say,  ^Vho  is  the  Lord  ?' 

2.  It  comforteth  the  oppressed,  that  their  oppres- 
sors are  not  always  of  the  same  mind,  but  they  may 
hope  for  fairer  weather  in  the  greatest  storms  that  do 
arise,  because  the  minds  of  their  enemies  shall  change ; 

*  Qu. 'virtue'?— Ed. 


Ver.  5-11.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


43 


as  David  saith,  *  He  made  them  that  led  them  away 
captive  to  pity  them,'  for  God  hath  a  power  in  this 
change,  which  is  mutatio  dextra  exceUi. 

2.  They  shall  pass  over  them. 

Either  to  some  farther  quest  of  glory,  or  they  shall 
exceed  their  commission  and  go  beyond  the  bounds 
appointed  them,  either  in  punishing  whom  God  would 
have  to  be  spared,  or  in  time,  continuing  the  punish- 
ment beyond  the  time  designed.   ; 

God  only  knoweth  how  far  he  would  have  his  jadg- 
ment  to  pass ;  the  Chaldeans  do  ti'ansgress  and  pass 
over  this  measure,  whereby  they  grow  intolerable,  and 
their  mahce  punishable. 

Or pertransibnnt  maybe  referred  to  their  own  short 
domination  ;  for  the  Chaldeans  were  a  few  years  after 
conquered  by  the  Medes  and  Persians,  as  the  learned 
Jesuit  Ribera  observeth.  And  we  find^that  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the  king  of  the  Chaldeans,  felt  the  smart  of 
this  prophecy  in  his  own  person. 

For,  Dan.  iv.  33,  he  changed  his  mind,  and  passed 
over,  when  he  became  as '  a  brute  beast,  and  was 
driven  from  men,  and  did  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  his 
body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  till  his  hairs 
were  grown  like  eagles'  feathers,  and  his  nails  like 
birds'  claws.  Thus,  he  that  passed  the  bounds  of 
justice  in  the  oppression  of  the  Jews,  and  the  bounds 
of  modesty  in  the  pride  of  his  victory,  is  changed  in 
his  understanding,  and  .passeth  the  bounds  of  common 
humanity.  All  this  proves  that  God's  employing  the 
wicked  to  punish  others  doth  not  move  them  or  derive 
the  favours  of  God  upon  them,  they  cannot  keep 
within  any  compass. 

1.  If  pertransibit,  pass  over,  do  S'gnify  a  further 
quest  of  glory,  we  are  taught  hence  that  the  ungodly 
are  insatiable  in  their  desires,  nothing  will  content 
them,  every  victory  encourageth  to  a  new  war,  as  we 
find  in  all  examples  of  the  greatest  monarchies  of  the 
world,  till  their  own  weight  ruin  them. 

2.  As  this  passing  over  doth  signify  their  going 
beyond  their  bounds,  we  are  taught  that  they  whom 
God  employeth  without  their  knowledge  and  privity, 
do  only  seek  their  own  ends,  neither  is  God  in  all 
their  ways. 

3.  As  this  passing  over  signifieth  the  short  joy  of 
their  victory,  so  it  teacheth  that  an  ungodly  man  can 
never  be  a  happy  man,  nor  a  sinful  man  a  wise  man ; 
for  in  short  time  he  will  lose  that  what  he  hath  un- 
justly gotten.  For  though  God  intended  the  taking 
away  of  the  Jews'  land  from  them,  he  intended  it  but 


for  a  time";  he  meant  the  Jews  a  sharp  chastisement, 
not  an  eradication. 

I  understand  those  words  of  a  cessation  from  any 
further  prosecution  of  this  war  against  the  Jews  ;  for 
he  shall  carry  away  some  captive  into  his  own  land, 
and  the  meaner  sort  he  shall  leave  behind  to  husband 
Judea,  and  so  shall  cease.  And  this  doth  strengthen 
our  former  doctrine,  that  those  whom  God  useth  as 
instruments  of  his  justice,  shall  at  length  desist;  God 
will  not  suffer  them  beyond  his  decreed  time. 

3.  They  shall  ofend.  Let  no  man  mistake  this 
place,  as  if  God  did  lay  upon  them  a  necessity  of 
offence  ;  but  he  doth,  out  of  his  prescience,  foretell 
that  they  will  offend  God,  as  with  all  their  other  sins, 
so  particularly  with  this,  their  service  done  to  him. 

Doct.  1.  They  are  stirred  up  to  this  war  by  God, 
and  it  is  his  just  will  to  punish  the  Jews  ;  yet  the 
Chaldeans,  that  execute  this  will,  do  offend,  which  was 
before  proved  by  their  evil  intention,  and  will  after 
more  appear  in  the  close  of  this  text ;  wherein  we 
have  charged  the  action  upon  God,  and  the  evil  of 
the  action  upon  the  Chaldeans. 

Bod.  2.  God  foreknoweth  the  sins  of  men. 

He  foreknew  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  provided  a 
remedy  for  it  in  his  eternal  counsel.  He  foreknew 
the  sins  of  the  old  world,  and  provided  a  judgment  to 
punish  them.  He  foreknew  the  sins  of  his  Israel,  and 
therefore  he  made  all  his  promises  conditional,  and 
referred  them  to  their  obedience.  He  foreknew  the 
trespass  of  Judas,  the  cruelty  of  the  Jews,  the  injustice 
of  the  Romans  against  his  Son ;  and  he  made  his  death 
medicinal  and  cordial  for  his  church,  and  a  ruin  to 
the  enemies  thereof.  The  same  stone  which  was  the 
comer- stone  of  the  church,  was  a  rock  of  offence  to 
her  enemies.' 

This  is  the  ground  of  God's  justice  against  the 
Chaldeans  in  the  next  section  of  this  chapter;  for 
foreseeing  how  they  would  offend,  he  did  also  fore- 
decree  how  he  would  punish  them. 

He  is  called  Qic;,  a  seer*  for  all  things  are  manifest 
in  his  sight ;  the  eye  of  the  Lord  is  over  all  the  world, 
he  seeth  both  the  good  and  the  bad.  God  foreseeth 
offences  before  they  be  come  into  the  hearts  of  men, 
as  Christ  knew  Judas  would  be  a  traitor  before  Judas 
knew  it  himself;  and  God,  by  his  prophet,  2  Kings 
xiii.  8,  told  Hazael  how  cruel  he  should  be,  before 
Hazael  was  king;  and  when   Hazael  thought   such 

*  This  is  on  the  supposition  that  eso?  is  derived  from 
^taefiai,  video. — Ed. 

131 


44 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


•wickedness  could^not  have  bred  in  him,  '  Am  I  a  dog 
that  /  should  do  this  great  thing  ?'  And  Christ  told 
Peter  that  he  would  deny  him,  when  Peter  protested 
against  it  very  strongly. 

1.  Because  he  knoweth  the  heart  in  which  sin 
breedeth,  and  knows  how  apt  it  is  to  conceive  sin. 
He  knoweth  whereof  we  be  made. 

2.  He  foreseeth  the  temptations  whei'ewith  man  shall 
be  tempted. 

3.  He  knoweth  what  measure  of  strength  and  virtue 
is  gone  out  from  him  to  man,  to  enable  him  against 
these  temptations. 

Use  1.  Let  no  man,  therefore,  flatter  himself  that 
he  can  commit  any  sin  so  secretly  that  the  eye  of  God 
shall  escape  it ;  he  knoweth  our  thoughts  long  before, 
there  can  no  darkness  hide  us  from  this  eye  ;  but  the 
darkness  is  as  light  as  tbe  day  to  him,  darkness  and 
light  are  both  alike.  And  if  God  foresee  offences  to 
come,  much  more  doth  he  remember  sins  past,  and  ob- 
serve sins  present. 

Use  2.  Let  this  stir  us  up  to  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
which  is  a  continual  putting  of  us  into  the  presence  of 
God,  and  filleth  us  with  fervent  prayers  to  God  to 
keep  us  from  sin,  either  from  the  desire  of  it,  or  from 
the  committing  of  it,  or  from  the  punishment  of  it,  by 
giving  us  strength  to  resist  sin  tempting  us,  or  at  least 
to  hate  the  evil  which  we  do  against  the  law  of  our 
mind,  transported  by  the  law  of  our  members ;  or  to 
give  us  the  grace  of  repentance,  that  we  may  turn  to 
him,  and  break  off  our  sins  by  righteousness  and  godly 
life. 

This  is  that  petition  in  our  Lord's  prayer,  *  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation.'  Which  petition  foUoweth  that 
former,  '  Forgive  us  our  trespasses ;'  for  whom  God 
pardoneth,  them  Satan  tempteth  most,  both  because 
he  despiteth  God,  and  because  relapse  into  sins  once 
pardoned,  is  a  double  danger.  And  he  prayeth  God 
not  to  lead  him  into  the  temptation,  because  we  must 
not  only  remember  with  grief  the  sins  we  have  com- 
mitted, but  we  must  consider  with  fear  what  sins  our 
infirmities  may  fall  into.  Into  which  God  leadeth  us, 
by  withdrawing  his  grace  from  us,  or  from  which  he 
keepeth  and  preserveth  us  by  his  assisting  grace.  The 
foresight  of  God  is,  in  respect  of  himself  and  his  own 
perfect  knowledge,  infallible  and  certain  ;  that  will 
come  to  pass  which  he  foreseeth,  and  this  is  his  wis- 
dom ;  though  man  have  a  free  will  to  do  evil,  yet  he 
knoweth  how  far  this  his  free  will  shall  mislead  him. 
And  for  that  cause  he  hath  set  a  guard  of  angels  about 
132 


the  just,  to  keep  them  in  all  their  ways  that  they  fall 
not,  to  take  them  up  again  when  they  fall ;  and  he 
hath  given  his  word  and  lantern  to  their  feet,  to  guide 
and  direct  their  paths. 

Yet  we  nday  say,  that  this  foresight  of  God  may  be, 
in  respect  of  the  means,  conditional ;  and  so  God  may 
foresee  such  an  event  upon  some  secret  condition, 
which  yet  by  means  may  be  prevented,  and  not  suc- 
ceed. 

A  great  example  hereof  in  David's  story,  1  Sam. 
xxiii.  He  heareth  that  the  Philistines  do  rob  Keilah, 
David  goeth  against  the  Philistines,  and  overcometh, 
and  saveth  the  men  of  Keilah.  Saul,  hearing  of  it, 
arms  his  forces  to  surprise  Keilah  secretly.  David 
asketh  of  God  :  ver.  12,  '  Will  the  men  of  Keilah  de- 
liver me  and  my  men  into  the  hand  of  Saul  ?'  The 
Lord  said,  '  They  will  deliver  thee  up.'  Here  God 
foresaw  a  sin  in'  the  men  of  Keilah  which  was  never 
committed,  but  Saul  had  sent,  and  God  knew  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  heart  of  these  men,  and  gave  warning. 
Here  his  foresight  in  respect  of  himself  was  certain, 
which  was,  that  David  should  take  this  warning  to 
escape.  But  in  respect  of  the  sucesss,  it  was  condi- 
tional, because  it  hath  reference  to  the  means  of 
evasion. 

So  God  foresaw  the  death  of  Hezekiah,  by  his  con- 
ditional will,  deferred;  but  by  his  revealed  will,  pre- 
sent; and  his  revealed  will  doth  not  always  make 
necessity  of  event,  but  sometimes  it  is  a  warning  to 
escape  it. 

Thus  God  foreseeth  the  spawning  of  sin  in  man's  life, 
in  the  seed  or  root  thereof,  which  is  lust ;  yet  he  re- 
vealeth  means  to  keep  the  just  from  falling  into  these 
sins.  But  for  the  wicked,  he  leaveth  them  to  the 
stream  and  current  of  their  own  free  will,  and  leadeth 
them  into  temptation ;  for  temptation  is  their  punish- 
ment. 

This  may  stir  us  up  to  husband  the  means  of  grace 
to  the  best  advantage  of  our  souls,  to  keep  us  undefiled 
in  the  way,  that  iniquity  may  not  have  dominion  over 
us.  For  God's  certain  knowledge  of  our  evils  vill 
bring  forth  a  certain  judgment  to  punish  them. 

4.  Wherein  he  shall  offend,  ivipnting  this  his  pmver 
to  his  god.  The  Chaldeans  were  not  without  their  god. 
Nebuchadnezzar  their  king  had  made  them  a  god  of 
the  best  metal,  and  had  set  it  up  in  the  plain  of  Durah, 
in  the  province  of  Babel,  and  called  all  the  people  in 
his  dominions  to  worship  the  god  which  Nebuchad- 
nezzar the  king  had  set  up.     This  god  must  have  the 


Ver  5-1 1.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKCTK. 


45 


glory  of  the  Chaldeans'  conquest;  and  what  greater 
dishonour  can  they  do  to  the  living  God  than  to  give 
his  glory  to  lifeless  and  senseless  stocks  ? 

1.  Yet  it  appeareth  that  those  people,  although  they 
knew  not  the  true  God,  yet  they  had  a  knowledge  of 
the  Divinity.  And  so  we  do  hold  that  no  man  is  sim- 
pUciler  atheos,  that  is,  without  knowledge  or  acknow- 
ledgment of  some  divine  power  ruling  and  governing 
all  things.  For  this  is  the  finger  of  God  in  the  heart 
of  the  natural  man,  who,  though  he  do  not  perceive  qua 
Dei,  the  things  of  God,  yet  he  perceiveth  quod  Deus, 
that  there  is  a  God. 

2.  It  appeareth  that  they  did  confess  a  debt  of  glory 
due  to  the  Deity.  Whatsoever  they  would  think  worthy 
to  be  esteemed  theu-  god,  they  would  think  it  worthy 
of  all  ascriptions  of  honour  and  glory ;  which  is  another 
truth  of  the  law  of  God  wTitten  in  the  heart  of  every 
man,  and  it  is  a  good  principle  of  nature,  it  is  a  linea- 
ment of  the  image  of  God  in  man. 

3.  It  also  appeareth  that  they  believed  the  ordinance 
and  moderation  of  great  afi"airs  to  depend  on  the  power 
and  strength  of  their  god,  because  they  gave  him  the 
honour  of  this  victory ;  for  this  power,  the  power  which 
he  calleth  his,  he  confesseth  to  be  borrowed,  for  he  im- 
putelh  it  to  his  god,  which  also  is  another  beam  and 
ray  of  heavenly  light.  But  the  Lord  saith  here,  they 
shall  offend  herein  ;  for  God's  glory  is  given  away  from 
him,  and  horrible  idolatry  is  committed. 

This  light  of  nature  doth  serve  to  convince  the 
Chaldeans  that  Nebuchadnezzar's  golden  image  is  not, 
cannot  be,  God  ;  for  that  is  fixed,  it  moveth  not.  "What 
wealth  it  hath  in  the  matter,  is  the  king's  gift ;  what 
proportion  or  form  it  hath  in  the  fabric  and  form  of  it, 
it  hath  from  the  hand  of  the  workman. 

But,  beloved,  let  me  lay  open  to  you  the  true  cause 
of  all  idolatry,  not  only  that  of  the  heathen,  but  even 
that  of  them  that  call  themselves  Christians ;  it  is  want 
of  faith.  For  seeing  God  is  an  invisible  essence,  and 
they  are  loath  to  worship  what  they  cannot  see,  and 
they  walk  by  sense  and  not  by  faith  ;  the  invisible 
Deity  is  by  them  worshipped  in  some  visible  form ; 
and  I  cannot  judge  more  hardly  against  them  than  that 
they  have  too  much  weakness  in  their  understanding 
to  make  it  necessary  that  their  god  must  be  visible, 
yet  not  so  much  weakness  of  sense  as  to  judge  that 
idol  to  be  God  which  is  of  their  own  making. 

But  see  how  God  punisheth  them ;  for  seeing  they  will 
not  worship  a  god  whom  they  cannot  see,  he  leaveth 
them  to  worship  that  which  they  can  see  to  be  no  god. 


Yet  give  me  leave  to  commend  the  Chaldean  for  one 
thing,  he  doth  not  assume  the  glory  of  this  victory  to 
himself,  and  he  findeth  the  honour  of  it  above  human 
nature.  Therein  teaching  us  to  give  the  glory  of  all 
our  good  successes  to  him  whom  we  know  and  believe 
to  be  our  God,  and  not  to  overween  ourselves  herein ; 
for  before  this  chapter  shall  pass  us,  we  shall  find  that 
the  Chaldean  will  learn  to  be  his  own  god,  and  thank 
himself  for  his  victories ;  as  it  foUoweth,  ver.  26, 
*  Therefore  they  sacrifice  to  their  net ;'  for  nemo  subito 
Jit  pessimiis. 

Yet,  some  interpreters,  applying  this  to  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, do  think  that  this  imputing  of  the  power  to  his 
god  was  assuming  of  it  to  himself,  and  that  he  was  his 
own  god ;  as  we  read  of  Alexander,  that  after  his  many 
victories  he  was  so  full  of  himself  as  to  suffer  himself 
to  be  flattered  with  that  high  appellation.  And  Daniel's 
story  sheweth  the  pride  of  Nebuchadnezzar  high  grown ; 
and  this  sacrificing  to  their  own  net,  which  followeth, 
doth  favour  this  exposition. 

When  I  put  these  things  together,  they  shall  offend, 
imputinrj  this  their  strength  to  their  god,  I  find  here, 

1.  Idolatry,  imputing  this  to  his  god. 

2.  That  idolatry  is  an  offence  to  God. 

1.  Idolatry.  That  the  Chaldean  is  justly  charged 
with  idolatry  here,  I  thus  shew.  Dr  Rainold,  de  Idol, 
lib.  ii.  1,  1,  '  WTiosoever  gives  divine  worship  to  a  crea- 
ture is  an  idolater ;  Quisquis  creaturoe  divinum  cultum 
exhibet  idololatra  est,  at  Chaldasus  hoc  facit,  but  the 
Chaldean  doth  so,  ergo. 

The  first  proposition  is  cleared,  for  whatsoever  is 
honoured  with  the  honour  of  God  is  put  into  the  place 
of  God,  against  that  law,  ISTo/i  habebis  Deos  alienos, 
'  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods.' 

That  the  Chaldean  is  thus  guilty,  the  text  convinceth 
him  ;  he  imputeth  the  force  of  his  war  and  victory  to 
his  god.     This  is  deus  aliemts,  this  is  an  idol. 

It  is  the  proper  honour  to  the  true  God  to  be  custos 
hominum,  the  preserver  of  men — to  be  Dominus  exer- 
cituum,  the  Lord  of  hosts.  This  honour  the  Chaldean 
gave  to  his  god. 

When  Rachel  said  to  Jacob,  Gen.  xxx.  2,  '  Give  me 
children,  or  else  I  die,'  Jacob  was  very  angry  with  her, 
whom  he  loved  dearly,  that^she  should  despoil  God  of 
his  due  glory,  and  seek  it  from  a  creature;  and'he  an- 
swered, 'Am  I  instead  of  God?'  for  Plato,  an  heathen 
philosopher,*  did  confess,  Quamvis  in  mortali  animante 
jiat,  res  tamen  divina  est prcegnatio,et  ab  immortalibusest. 
*  In  Sjmpos. 

133 


46 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


So,  wlieu  the  king  of  Syi'ia  ^vl•ote  to  the  king  of 
Israel  in  the  behalf  of  Naaman  the  leper,  that  he  might 
be  cured  of  his  leprosy,  the  king  of  Israel  rent  his 
clothes  at  that  idolatrous  demand,  and  said,  '  Am  I  a 
god,  to  kill  and  give  life  ?'  so  that  the  honour  of  God 
given  away  from  him  to  any  creature  is  the  setting  up 
of  an  idol  in  the  place  of  God. 

The  Nicene  Synod  did  condemn  the  Arians  of  idola- 
try, because  they  denied  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  yet 
acknowledged  divine  worship  to  him;  and  because 
Nestorius  did  affirm  Christ  to  be  a  mere  man,  and  not 
God,  both  the  Ephesian  and  Nicene  Synods  condemned 
them  of  anthropolatry. 

We  do  usually  ofl'end  too  much  in  our  ascriptions  to 
the  means  of  any  good  to  us,  wherein  we  wrong  God's 
glory,  if  we  look  not  up  to  him  as  the  supreme  agent 
working  in  that  means.  Thus,  in  the  church  of  Rome, 
angels  by  God  employed  for  the  service  of  man,  by  the 
overdoing  thankfulness  of  man,  were  honoured  with  the 
honour  due  to  him  that  sent  them. 

Those  that  leave  the  service  of  God  and  study  men, 
and  apply  themselves  wholly  to  their  humours  to  better 
their  estates,  do  set  up  new  and  strange  gods  against 
the  true  God,  and  give  his  glory  to  creatures,  and  make 
their  means  their  idols,  do  commit  idolatry,  and  break 
the  first  great  commandment  of  the  law. 

The  Romanists  cannot  clear  themselves  of  this  tres- 
pass, though  Bellarmine  their  champion  do  his  best  to 
excuse  it.  He  distinguisheth  between  images,  which 
he  calleth  verus  rerum  simil Undines,  the  true  similitudes 
of  things  ;  but  he  calleth  idols  false  representations  of 
things  that  are  not. 

But  not  to  trouble  ourselves  to  examine  his  frivolous 
distinction,  the  image  itself  of  a  true  thing  subsisting 
is  a  creature,  and  to  give  that  the  honour  due  only  to 
God  is  gross  idolatry ;  for  example,  that  in  their  Roman 
breviary,  which  is  directed  to  the  cross,  be  it  not  to  the 
image  and  representation  of  the  cross  before  their  eyes, 
but  in  it  to  the  cross  itself,  is  it  not  idolatry  ?  O  crux 
ave  spes  unica,  hoc  passionis  tempore  auge  piis  justitiam, 
reisque  dona  veniam  ! 

2.  This  text  chargeth  them  that  they  offend,  whereby 
it  appeareth  that  idolatry  is  an  offence.  You  see  how 
high  it  reacheth,  even  to  the  ungodding  of  the  Almighty, 
and  we  shall  shortly  see  how  sore  it  smarteth  upon  the 
offenders. 

Reas.  1.  The  devil  is  the  author  of  idolatry,  for, 
when  God  had  buried  Moses  secretly  to  prevent  ido- 
latry, the  devil  would  have  discovered  the  place,  to 
134 


move  the  people  to  idolatry.  That  was  the  strife 
which  St  Jude  mentioneth  between  Michael  the  arch- 
angel and  the  devil  about  the  body  of  Moses,  wherein 
the  archangel  prevailed  against  him. 

Beas.  2.  The  devil  is  a  great  tempter  to  idolatry, 
for  he  assaulted  Christ  so.  Mat.  iv.,  si  procidens  adora- 
veris  vie,  *  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me.' 

Reas.  3.  The  devil  is  the  chief  agent  in  the  minis- 
try of  the  idolatrous  priests,  as  the  evil  spirit,  1  King3 
xxii.  22,  offered  his  service  to  be  a  lying  spirit  in  the 
mouths  of  Baal's^  prophets,  four  hundred  of  them  at 
once. 

The  promise  of  Satan  is  that  which  he  professed  to 
Christ,  to  draw  men  from  the  worship  of  God  to  wor- 
ship him ;  and  there  is  no  mean :  all  worshippers  that 
do  not  worship  the  true  God  worship  Satan.  So  the 
Chaldean  imputeth  their  force  to  Satan,  for  he  that  is 
not  with  him  is  against  him. 

Use.  The  use  of  this  point  is  taught  by  the  apostle 
St  John:  1  John  v.  21,  'Babes,  keep  yourselves  from 
idols ;'  give  not  the  glory  of  God  to  creatures. 

It  is  an  admirable  thing  in  the  whole  course  of  the 
story  of  Israel,  and  after  of  the  Jews,  Moses  could 
tell  them,  Deut.  iv.  7,  '  For  what  nation  is  there  so 
great,  who  hath  God  so  nigh  unto  them,  as  the  Lord 
our  God  is  in  all  things  that  we  call  upon  him  for  ?' 
Yet  was  idolatry  their  national  sin,  although  upon  all 
occasions  they  might  advise  with  God,  though  they 
had  the  pillar  of  fire,  the  pillar  of  cloud,  the  ark,  the 
law,  the  priesthood,  the  temple,  and  all  the  oracles 
of  God  committed  to  themj  therefore  no  wonder  if 
the  Chaldean,  who  had  none  of  this,  did  commit 
idolatry. 

These  are  examples  for  us ;  and  because  we  have 
no  fear  but  of  the  idolatry  of  the  church  of  Rome,  we 
must  take  warning  to  keep  ourselves  from  their  idols 
and^their  idolatry. 

This,  we  understand,  is  now  the  study  and  care  of 
the  religious  patriots  in  the  honourable  and  high  court 
of  parliament.  Let  us  join  with  them  in  om-  prayers 
to  God  for  the  rooting  out  of  the  Romish  religion ; 
let  us  give  God  our  hearty  thanks  that  he  worketh  by 
his  Spirit  such  zeal  of  the  glory  of  his  truth  in  the 
godly  faithful  hearts  of  the  commons  of  this  land,  to 
stir  and  rouse  up  themselves  in  a  matter  so  much 
concerning  the  honour  of  our  God  as  this  doth. 

For  who  delivered  us  from  the  Spanish  violence  in 
'88  ?  and  who  delivered  us  from  the  bloody  powder 
treason  in  An.  1605  ?     K  the  gods  that  our  enemies 


Ver.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


47 


serve  could  have  prevailed  against  our  God,  had  we 
not  been  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  ? 

Therefore  let  us  pray  God  to  preserve  us  from  idols, 
and  from  them  that  love  and  serve  them,  of  whom  I 
may  say  truly  with  David,  Ps.  Iv.  21,  •  The  words  of 
their  mouths  are  smoother  than  butter,  but  war  is  in 
their  heart :  their  words  are  softer  than  oil,  yet  are 
they  drawn  swords.' 

There  can  be  no  hope  that  those  men  which  will 
rob  God  of  his  glory,  and  give  it  away  to  creatures, 
will  ever  be  true  to  us.  Let  every  one  in  the  zeal  of 
God's  glory  shew  and  profess  his  hatred  to  idolatry 
and  his  love  of  the  true  worship  of  God ;  and  as  they 
need  the  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon,  so  let  us 
cry,  The  sword  of  the  Lord,  his  word  in  the  mouths 
of  his  faithful  ministers,  and  the  sword  of  Gideon — 
the  sword  of  the  religious  court  of  parliament  against 
them ! 


Vers.  12-17.  'Art  thou  not  from  everlasting,  O  Lord 
my  God,  my  Holy  One?  ice  shall  not  die.  0  Lord  my 
God,  thou  hast  ordained  them  for  judgment ;  and,  O 
mighty  God,  thou  hast  established  them  for  correction. 
Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and  canst 
not  look  on  iniquity ;  wherefore  lookest  thou  upon  them 
that  deal  treacherously,  and  holdest  thy  tongue  ichen  the 
vicked  devoureth  the  man  that  is  more  righteous  than 
he  ?  And  mahest  men  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  as 
the  creeping  things,  that  have  no  ruler  over  them?  They 
take  up  all  of  them  with  the  angle,  they  catch  them  in 
their  net,  and  gather  them  in  their  drag  ;  therefore  they 
rejoice  and  are  glad.  Therefore  they  sacrifice  unto  their 
net,  and  bum  incense  unto  their  drag ;  because  by  them 
their  portion  is  fat,  and  their  meat  plenteous.  Shall 
they  therefore  empty  their  net,  and  not  spare  contitmally 
to  slay  the  nations  ? 

After  God  had  denounced  his  judgment  upon  the 
Jews,  contained  in  the  former  section,  now  the  prophet 
beginneth  a  new  wrestling  with  God  in  the  behalf  of 
the  afflicted  members  of  his  church. 

The  prophet's  speech  is  addressed  to  God  himself, 
wherein  he  first  ascribeth  to  God  eternity  :  '  Art  not 
thou  from  everlasting,  0  Lord  my  God  ?'  He  ascribeth 
to  him  holiness  :  '  My  Holy  One.'  And  this  pronoun 
possessive,  my,  doth  lay^hold  upon  a  special  interest 
that  Habbakuk  by  faith  claimed  in  God. 

From  which  consideration  he  draweth  this  cheerful 
conclusion,  *  We  shall  not  die,  0  Lord ;'  speaking  of 


himself  and  of  the  afflicted  in  the  church  of  the  Jews, 
that  though  God  had  threatened  such  an  invasion  by 
the  hand  and  power  of  the  Chaldeans,  yet  shall  it 
not  proceed  to  their  ruin.  God  will  keep  his  church ; 
there  is  a  remnant  that  God  will  save  from  the  stormy 
wind  and  the  tempest ;  as  David  saith,  '  The  flood  of 
many  waters  shall  not  come  near  them.'  This  faith 
he  builds  upon  a  good  foundation,  for, 

1.  From  the  eternity  of  God  we  may  conclude  that 
the  love  wherewith  he  loveth  the  church  is  an  eternal 
love,  and  therefore  not  to  be  subject  to  the  power  of 
time. 

2.  From  the  hoHnessof  God  he  may  conclude  that  all 
the  faithful  Jews,  being  an  holy  seed,  shall  have  his 
favour. 

Against  this  it  may  be  objected  that  God  hath 
revealed  himself  to  the  contrary,  for  he  hath  before 
threatened  to  raise  up  the  Chaldeans,  a  fierce  and 
terrible  nation,  that  shall  go  through  the  breadth  of 
the  land,  and  shall  run  like  an  eagle  and  an  evening 
wolf  only  for  prey.  What  hope  then  can  there  be 
against  these  ? 

The  prophet  answereth  that  objection  :  '  Thou  hast 
ordained  them  for  judgment,  and,  mighty  God,  thou 
bast  established  them  for  correction  ;'  that  is,  God, 
by  his  might  hath  armed  them  against  the  Jews  to 
execute  his  judgment  on  them,  and  for  castigation  and 
correction  of  them,  not  for  eradication. 

He  proceedeth  then  to  expostulate  and  dispute  with 
God  concerning  this  judgment  to  be  executed  upon  the 
Jews  by  the  Chaldeans  :  '  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than 
to  behold  evil,  and  canst  not  look  on  iniquity.' 

There  is  a  further  confession  of  the  holiness  of  God,, 
to  whom  he  attributeth  pure  eyes,  such  as  cannot  behold 
evil  and  look  upon  iniquity,  because  that  holiness 
cannot  approve  ill,  and  that  justice  cannot  wink  at  it 
and  leave  it  unpunished. 

Otherwise,  videre  malum  non  est  malum,  to  see  evil 
is  not  evil.  God's  general  view  of  all  things  doth  set 
his  eye  upon  the  good  and  evil.  So  the  sun  shineth 
upon  the  just  and  the  unjust,  but  God  is  a  God  that 
loveth  not  iniquity,  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  him  t 
he  abhorreth  all  them  that  work  wickedness.  David 
saith,  his  soul  abhorreth  them.  So  that  the  prophet 
here  acquitteth  God  from  any  hand  in  the  evil  of  these 
Chaldeans,  although  he  stirreth  them  up  against  the 
Jews.  He  is  wise  to  use  them  as  instruments  of  cor- 
rection, but  he  is  too  pure  and  holy  to  be  partaker  ia 
their  sins. 

135 


48 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


From  hence  groweth  the  expostulation  following : 
Seeing  thou  art  so  pure  and  holy  that  thou  abhorrest 
evil,  and  hatest  all  the  workers  of  iniquity,  why  dost 
thou  look  upon  them  that  deal  treacherously  ?  Why 
dost  thou,  0  holy  and  just  God,  look  on  whilst  the 
Chaldean  betrayeth  thy  people  ?  Mr  Calvin  reads 
transgressores,  Montanus  pravaricatores,  Jun.  perjidos, 
whom  the  king's  Bible  folio weth. 

This  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  xxi.  2,  calleth  a 
grievous  vision :  •  The  treacherous  dealer  dealeth 
treacherously,  and  the  spoiler  spoileth.'  For  the 
Chaldean  did  invade  the  Jew,  both  cunningly  by 
treason,  and  violently  by  force. 

He  urgeth  God  further  :  '  Why  boldest  thou  thy 
tongue  when  the  wicked  man,'  that  is,  the  Chaldean, 
an  idolater  and  a  bloody  man,  *  devoureth  the  man 
that  is  more  righteous  than  he  ?'  that  is,  devoureth 
the  Jew,  who,  as  bad  as  he  is,  is  a  better  man  and 
more  righteous  than  the  Chaldean.  He  wondereth  at 
the  softness  and  forbearance  of  God,  that  can  see  and 
be  silent  to  behold  so  much  iniquity. 

He  proceedeth  in  his  complaint :  ver.  14,  '  Thou 
makest  man  as  the  fishes  in  the  sea,'  where  the  great 
ones  do  prey  upon  the  small  ones,  *  and  as  the  creeping 
things  that  have  no  ruler  over  them,'  and  therefore 
feed  upon  one  another,  who  have'no  law  to  awe  them ; 
but  quo  quis  est  valentior,  eo  violentior,  so  the  Jews  are 
to  the  Chaldeans  a  prey. 

But  the  words  following  do  shew  another  thing 
intended,  not  a  reference  of  these  creatures  one  to 
another,  but  all  of  them  to  the  fishermen  ;  so  the  sense 
is,  thou  seemest  to  esteem  the  Jew  no  more  than  thou 
dost  the  fishes  on  the  sea,  or  the  creeping  things  on  the 
earth  ;  for  it  foUoweth,  ver.  15,  '  They  take  up  all  of 
them  with  the  angle,  they  catch  them]|in  their  net,  and 
gather  them  in  their  drag.'  The  Chaldeans  are  the 
fishermen,  the  Jews  the  fishes;  and  for  these  they 
have, 

1.  The  angle,  whereby  is  meant  their  fishing  for  a 
single  person. 

2.  Their  net,  let  fall  to  catch  more. 

8.  Their  drag,  for  whole  shoals  of  fish.  So  that 
here  is  no  evasion.  He  that  escapeth  the  angle  shall 
fall  into  the  net ;  or  if  he  escape  the  net,  the  drag 
shall  sweep  him  away,  and  bring  him  to  the  shore. 

So  that  hereby  all  way  of  evasion  seemeth  stopped 

against  the  Jew ;  he  is  put  into  the  hand  and  power 

of  the  Chaldean,  as  a  draught  of  fish  into  the  hand 

of  the  fisherman  ;  and  all  this  while  the  fisherman 

136 


thinketh  he  doth  no  man  wrong,  as  the  poet  saith, 
Nee  patitur  Tyrrhenum  crescere  piscera. 

For  the  fish  of  the  sea  is  esteemed  his  that  can 
catch  him  ;•  so  shall  the  Chaldean  fish  Judea,  as  if  the 
Jews  were  fishes,  not  men,  and  as  if  there  were  no 
providence  to  take  care  of  them,  no  owner  to  call 
them  his. 

Therefore  they  rejoice  and  are  glad.  There  is  no 
compassion  in  them  of  Chaldea  toward  the  Jew ;  but  as 
the  fisherman  rejoiceth  in  his  draught  of  fishes,  and 
never  looketh  upon  them  with  any  pity  of  their  lives, 
but  is  glad  that  he  hath  gotten  them,  so  shall  the 
Chaldean  be  glad  when  the  Jews  are  in  his  net,  that 
they  may  carry  them  into  captivity. 

This  victory  doth  not  only  make  the  Chaldean  glad, 
but  he  is  proud  too,  and  boasteth  in  his  own  strength, 
and  attributeth  his  prevailings  to  his  own  power,  as  it 
followeth. 

Ver.  16,  Therefore  they  sacrifice  unto  their  net,  and 
hum  incense  unto  their  drag  ;  that  is,  they  do  thank 
their  own  arm  and  armies  for  their  victories  ;  and,  as 
Job  saith,  '  They  kiss  their  own  hands,  because  thereby 
they  come  to  have  a  fat  portion  and  plenty  of  meat ;' 
so  that  they  give  no  glory  to  God  ;  yea,  before  the 
prophet  saith  from  the  mouth  of  God,  that  they 
would  ascribe  the  prosperity  of  their  wars  to  their  god, 
i.  e.  to  their  idol,  now  they  will  grow  so  proud  that 
they  will  thank  their  own  wit  and  power  for  all. 

The  prophet  concludeth  with  a  passionate  expostu- 
lation :  ver.  17,  '  Shall  they  therefore  empty  their  net, 
and  not  spare  continually  to  slay  the  nations  ?*  Seeing 
they  are  a  people  so  lawless,  so  merciless,  so  proud, 
0  Lord,  wilt  thou  give  way  to  them  still  ?  and  shall  they 
possess  all  that  they  catch  ?  which  he  calleth  emptying 
their  net,  and  shall  they  not  spare  continually  to  slay 
the  nations  ?  Shall  they  pass  thus  from  nation  to 
nation,  and  shall  they  still  conquer  ?  Is  all  fish  that 
comes  into  their  net  ? — [De  verborum  interpntatione 
hactenus). 

In  the  further  handling  of  this  section  I  observe,  as 
in  the  former,  two  things  : 

1.  The  sum  and  contents  of  the  whole  section. 

2.  The  parts  thereof. 

1.  The  sum  hereof  is  this  :  whereas  the  prophet  at 
first  beholding  the 'sins  of  the  Jews,  was  moved  with 
an  holy  indignation  against  them,  and  with  zeal 
of  God's  glory,  which  turned  him  into  a  chiding  ex- 
postulation with  God  for  bearing  so  much  with  them, 


Ver  12-17.] 


MARBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


49 


and  therefore  did  stir  up  God  to  judgment,  to  chasten 
them  in  the  first  section  of  this  chapter. 

Now  that  God  hath  answered  him  in  the  second, 
with  declaration  of  his  purpose  to  punish  the  iniquities 
of  the  Jews  by  the  Chaldeans,  whom  God  would  stir 
up  to  fight  against  them,  and  to  prevail ;  now  in  this 
third  section,  the  prophet  is  as  much  troubled  and 
grieved  at  their  punishment  as  he  was  before  at  their 
sin.  Now  he  chides  as  fast,  and  disputes  as  hotly 
against  the  remissness  and  patience  of  God  towards 
the  Chaldeans,  as  he  did  before  towards  the  Jews. 
Before,  he  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  glory  of  God's 
justice,  in  punishing  the  iniquity  of  the  Jews ;  now  he 
pleads  the  glory  of  God's  mercy  in  sparing  them.  The 
first  part  was  imprecation.  And  herein  the  prophet 
doth  declare  his  mixed  afiection  to  the  Jews ;  for  out 
of  his  hatred  to  their  sins  he  desired  their  correction ; 
but  now  out  of  his  love  to  their  persons  he  prayeth 
against  their  punishment,  so  far  that  it  may  be 
moderate,  as  in  Jeremiah's  prayer,  '  Correct  us,  0 
Lord,  yet  in  thy  judgment,  not  in  thy  fury,  lest  we  be 
consumed  and  brought  to  nothing.'  Which  teacheth 
us  that, 

Doct.  Religion  hath  the  bowels  of  compassion. 
Truly  they  have  no  true  religion  that  have  no  mercy. 

Reason  1 ,  This  is  given  us  in  precept  with  a  siciit, 
'  Be  ye  merciful,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is  merciful,' 
Luke  vi.  36.  There  is  nothing  wherein  the  image  of 
our  God  doth  more  shine  in  man  than  his  mercy,  be- 
cause that  is  the  heavenly  nature ;  the  wisdom  of  God 
is  too  high  for  us,  the  power  of  God  too  great  for  us, 
the  justice  of  God  too  strict  for  us  :  all  these  virtues 
of  the  Godhead  be  out  of  reach  of  our  imitation. 

The  furthest  that  our  Saviour  goeth  in  the  pattern 
and  precedent  of  wisdom  is,  estate prudentes  ut  serpentes, 
'  Be  wise  as  serpents ;'  in  innocency,  innocentes  ut 
columb(F,  '  be  ye  innocent  as  doves ;'  it  is  not  estate 
prudentes  ut  Pater  tester,  '  be  ye  wise  as  your  heavenly 
Father.'  Concerning  fortitude,  the  mother  of  Samuel 
saith,  nan  est  fortis  sicut  Deus ;  sicut  leo,  Solomon 
hath  it ;  sicut  quercus,  Amos  hath  it.  Concerning 
justice,  let  us  take  the  righteous  men  at  their  best, 
and  then  justi  fulgebunt  ut  sol,  the  righteous  shall 
shine  as  the  sun,  but  be  misericardes  ut  Pater  tester. 
We  must  strive  to  imitate  him  in  mercy,  that  is,  the 
divine  nature,  because  it  is  super  omnia  opera  Dei, 
above  all  the  works  of  God ;  and  that  is  the  human 
nature  also,  because  it  is  called  humanity,  and  there- 
fore well  becometh  the  man  of  God. 


Reason  2.  There  is  nothing  that  every  one  of  us 
doth  more  stand  in  need  of  than  mercy,  without  which 
all  the  frame  of  nature  would  shake  and  dissolve.  It  is 
anima  mundi,  the  soul  of  the  world  ;  it  is  the  juncture 
of  every  limb  thereof;  it  is  the  garment  that  hideth  our 
nakedness ;  it  is  the  grave,  the  sea  that  burieth,  that 
swalloweth  all  our  reputed  sins  ;  it  is  the  tailor  to  our 
backs,  the  caterer  to  our  bellies,  the  soul  that  quicken- 
eth  us,  the  strength  that  supporteth  us,  the  grace  that 
saveth  us,  the  power  that  raiseth  us,  the  glory  that 
crowneth  us.  And  they  that  shew  no  mercy  shall 
have  none. 

Reason  3.  The  consideration  of  our  own  infirmities 
doth  plead  for  our  mercy  to  our  delinquent  brother,  not 
to  make  the  most  of  their  faults,  and  screw  their  punish- 
ment to  the  uttermost;  rather  to  save  our  brethren, 
and  to  pull  them  out  of  the  fire,  lest  we  also  be 
tempted.  Gal.  vi.  1.  For  we  have  many  suits  to  God 
for  pardon  of  our  ovrn  sins  ;  and  therefore  by  the  law 
of  justice,  let  us  do  as  we  would  be  done  to,  that  is, 
solicit  the  favour  of  God  for  our  brethren.  And 
although  the  zeal  of  God's  glory  do  put  us  to  it  to 
pray  for  their  correction,  that  they  may  be  amended, 
yet  considering  how  bitter  the  medicine  is  that  healeth 
sin,  let  us  entreat  the  physician  to  look  but  on  the 
corrupt  humours  in  the  body  of  the  church,  to  purge 
them,  to  take  no  more  blood  from  the  body  thereof 
than  may  stand  with  the  health  of  the  body. 

Reason  4.  It  is  a  more  easy  suit  to  obtain  the  mercy 
of  God  than  to  stir  up  his  anger ;  for  as  he  is  slow  to 
wrath,  and  longsuffering,  and  when  he  doth  begin  to 
chide  he  will  not  keep  his  anger  continually,  so  he 
is  rich  in  mercy,  abundant  in  goodness.  Oleum  super- 
natat  tino,  the  oil  swims  about  the  wine.  Christ  his 
Son,  the  character  of  his  Father's  glory,  of  his  mercy, 
the  true  copy  of  that  sicut  Pater  tester  qui  est  in  caiis, 
as  *  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven.' 

Of  whom  Saint  Augustine,*  sweetly  commenting 
upon  his  Pater  ignosce  eis,  '  Father,  forgive  them,'  saith 
he  left  them  not  quousque  ejus  jam  sanguinem  possent 
hihere  credentes  quern  fuderant  satientes,  [till]  they 
know  how  to  drink  believing,  the  blood  which  they 
shed  raging,  which  is  called  in  the  psalmist  multitude 
dulcedinis. 

Saint  Hilary  f  upon  the  parable  of  the  parable  in 
the  vineyard  saith,  Ad  spem  omne  tempus  est  liberum, 
et  mercedem  nan  operis  sed  misericordiee  undecima:  liora 
operarii  cansequuntur. 

*   De  utilit.  paen.  1.  i.  t  In  Ps.  cxxix. 

137 


60 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  T. 


God  loves  to  be  solicited  for  mercy. 

Reason  5.  Because  in  the  contrary  Jonah  had  a 
chiding  from  God  himself,  that  he  stood  more  upon 
the  credit  of  his  office  than  he  did  upon  the  honour 
of  his  God  that  sent  him,  being  so  angry  at  God's 
spai'ing  of  Nineveh.  Wherein  God  himself  pleaded 
the  cause  of  his  own  mercy,  and  justified  his  suspense 
of  the  threatened  judgment  against  Jonah,  &c. 

David  had  good  cause  to  choose  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  God,  rather  than  into  the  hands  of  men,  for 
'  with  God  there  is  mercy.'  And  had  Nineveh  been 
in  the  hand  of  Jonah,  their  fasting  with  sackcloth  and 
repenting  should  not  have  cleared  nor  calmed  the 
storm  threatened.  God  said,  in  Nineveh  there  were 
more  than  six  score  thousand  persons  that  knew  not 
the  right  hand  from  the  left ;  there  were  a  great  many 
more  in  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  many  also  that  served 
God  with  a  true  heart,  many  that  was  not  yet  come  to 
the  height  of  sinning,  of  whom  there  was  hope ; 
many  that  had  drunk  deep  already  of  the  cup  of 
affliction  by  the  sins  of  others,  who  had  thereby  pro- 
voked God.  Therefore  Habakkuk  could  do  no  less 
than  stand  in  the  gap  now,  and  keep  out  some  of  this 
wrath. 

Use.  To  make  use  of  this  doctrine,  and  of  the  holy 
example  of  this  prophet,  let  me  use  the  words  of  the 
apostle  to  you  :  Col.  iii.  12-14,  'Put  on  therefore,  as 
the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies, 
kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  longsuffer- 
ing ;  forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one  an- 
other, if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any  man  : 
even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye.  And  above 
all  things  put  on  charity,  with  the  bond  of  perfect- 
ness.' 

As  it  is  a  welcome  suit  to  God,  when,  out  of  a  zeal 
to  his  glory,  you  do  call  upon  him  for  his  judgments, 
to  chasten  the  overgrown  sins  of  the  time  in  which  ye 
live,  so  it  is  a  pleasing  intercession  which  soliciteth  for 
mercy  in  justice;  for  the  pure  justice  of  God  will  endure 
an  allay  of  mercy,  and  we  shall  have  the  better  interest 
in  his  favour  by  how  much  the  more  we  desire  more 
sharers  in  it. 

There  be  good  authors  of  opinion  that  the  prayer  of 
Stephen,  '  Father,  forgive  them,'  was  no  weak  means 
of  the  conversion  of  Saul,  who  was  one  of  his  perse- 
cutors. 

The  point  is  moderation,  that  neither  we  should  so 
favour  high-grown  sinners  as  not  to  complain  to  God 
of  them,  nor  yet  so  delight  in  their  punishment,  as  not 
138 


to  pray  against  the  whole  and  full  displeasure  of  God; 
that  neither  the  zeal  of  God's  glory  do  extinguish 
Christian  compassion,  nor  the  tenderness  of  pity 
quench  the  zeal  of  God's  glory,  but  that  at  once  we  do 
shew  our  obedience  to  the  whole  law,  that  he  that 
loveth  God  may  love  his  neighbour  also. 

God  himself  directed  Abimelech  to  Abraham  to  pray 
for  him,  and  the  friends  of  Job  to  use  Job's  interces- 
sion, because  he  loves  to  be  treated  to  shew  mercy. 
And  the  rich  man  in  hell  would  not  have  his  brethren 
come  to  that  place  of  torment. 

Complain,  then,  that  is  holy  passion  ;  but  beg  easy 
punishment,  that  is  charitable  compassion.  The 
children  of  God  have  as  many  tears  to  shed  for  the 
punishment  of  their  brethren  as  for  their  sins. 

2.  The  parts  are  two  : 

1.  The  prophet's  resolution  concerning  the  church 
and  commonwealth  of  the  Jews. 

2.  The  prophet's  dispute  with  God. 
The  first  containeth  an  argument. 

1.  The  antecedent:  'Thou  art  from  everlasting,  0 
Lord  my  God,  my  Holy  One,' 

2.  The  conclusion  :  '  Therefore  we  shall  not  die.  0 
Lord,  thou  hast  ordained  them  for  judgment ;  0 
mighty  God,  ihou  hast  established  them  for  con-ection.' 

The  proposition,  that  God  is  eternal  and  holy,  needs 
no  proof  to  such  as  know  God ;  both  are  clearly  main- 
tained through  the  whole  body  of  Scripture. 

1.  The  eternity  of  God. 

'  And  Abraham  planted  a  grove  in  Beersheba,  and 
called  there  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the  everlasting 
God,'  Gen.  xxi.  33. 

Moses  :  '  Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth, 
or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  thou  art  our  God,' 
Ps.  xc.  2. 

Saint  Paul,  speaking  of  the  mysterj-  of  the  gospel 
long  kept  secret :  '  But  now  is  made  manifest,  and  by 
the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all 
nations,'  Rom.  xvi.  2G. 

'  Hast  thou  not  known,  hast  thou  not  heard,  that 
the  everlasting  God,  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  the  end 
of  the  earth,  fainteth  not?'  &c.,  Isa.  xl.  28. 

Plato  defined  God  to  be,  ccterna  mens,  sibi  ad  omnem 
felicitatem  sufficlens,  summe  bona,  et  am  ids  boni  efficiens 
in  natura. 

Neither  can  we  rest  in  the  search  of  causes  till  we 


Veb.  1 2-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


51 


come  to  one  supreme  eternal  cause  of  all  things,  the 
Alpha  and  Omega  of  other  thmgs,  of  himself  without 
Alpha  or  Omega. 

2,  The  conclusion  from  hence  issuing  is,  '  There- 
fore we  shall  not  die,'  saith  Habakkuk. 

For  as  God  is  eternal  in  himself,  so  is  he  to  his 
church  ;  and  from  the  eternity  of  God  doth  the  eter- 
nity of  angels  and  men  derive  itself :  for  eternity  can- 
not flow  from  anything  that  is  not  itself  eternal ;  and 
we  know  that  the  nature  of  angels  and  men  is  eternal, 
both  of  them  being  by  the  eternal  God  created  to  abide 
for  ever  :  the  elect  angels  and  men  in  eternal  glory, 
the  reprobate  angels  and  men  in  eternal  shame  and 
pain. 

Yet  is  the  judgment  of  the  reprobate  in  Scripture 
called  by  the  names  of  death,  destruction,  perishing, 
because  these  be  titles  of  the  greatest  horror  and  dis- 
may that  the  heart  of  man  can  conceive. 

Now  we  have  two  hopes  built  upon  this  foundation 
of  God's  eternity,  non  moriemur. 

1.  Temporal.  That  God  wUl  still  reserve  a  rem- 
nant of  the  Jews  to  return  again  to  the  possession  of 
their  fathers,  and  to  build  again  the  city  and  the 
temple,  and  to  renew  the  face  of  a  church  and  common- 
wealth ;  so,  non  moriemur,  hoc  est,  omnes,  we  shall 
not  die,  that  is  not  all. 

2.  Eternal.  That  God  will  not  utterly  cast  off  his 
people  from  his  favour,  but  that,  although  he  scourge 
them  with  the  rods  of  men,  even  to  a  temporal  loss  of 
their  land,  their  liberty,  and  their  lives,  yet  non  morie- 
mur, we  shall  not  lose  our  interest  in  his  promise  of 
a  better  life. 

So  that  the  prophet  doth  teach  us  the  right  use  of 
the  doctrine  of  God's  eternity,  to  assure  us  against  all 
temporal  and  eternal  evils. 

And  this  doth  Moses  conclude  for  this  antecedent : 
Ps.  xc.  2,  '  Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth, 
or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  thou  art  our  God.' 
Yer.  3,  '  Thou  tumest  man  to  destruction  ;  again  thou 
sayest,  Return,  ye  sons  of  Adam.'  From  the  power 
of  God's  eternity  there  is  a  return  for  the  sons  of 
Adam  ;  as  David  saith,  '  Thou  renewest  the  face  of 
the  earth.'  Non  moriemur;  death,  our  last  enemy,  shall 
be  destroyed  and  perish,  we  shall  be  translated  from 
death  to  life  ;  this  is  clear,  because  God  hath  in  eter- 
nal wisdom  appointed  an  eternal  redemption  for  some 
to  an  eternal  inheritance  of  eternal  glory. 

This  etemitv  of  God  is  twofold  : 


1.  Eternitas  essentia,  eternity  of  essence  in  himself. 

2.  Eternitas  protidentia:,  eternity  of  providence  in 
respect  of  his  creatures. 

From  the  first  we  conclude  the  second  ;  for  if  God 
be  in  his  own  nature  eternal,  he  hath  also  an  eternal 
providence  by  which  he  govemeth  aU  things  ;  his  word 
by  which  he  govemeth  is  also  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

Saint  Augustine*  proveth  this  point  of  G^jd's  eter- 
nity thus.  Quod  incommutabile  cEternum  est. 

That  he  proveth,  Quod  semper  est  ejusdem  modi  est 
incommutabile.  % 

Such  is  our  God,  without  variableness  or  shadow  of 
change,  and  therefore  eternal. 

And  whereas  from  this  eternity  our  prophet  doth 
conclude  non  moriemur,  Saint  Augustine  doth  there- 
fore call  our  eternity  immortalitatem,  rather  than  ceter- 
nitatem. 

2.  Another  argument  is  here  enforced. 

Thou  art  holy.  Therefore  this  punishment  of  the 
Jews  by  the  Chaldeans  is  for  their  correction  only. 

Of  the  antecedent,  God  is  holy.  The  choristers  of 
heaven  do  attribute  it  to  God  three  times  ;  in  some 
Greek  copies  we  read  it  three  times  three,  nine  times 
ay  log,  holy. 

The  song  of  Moses  is  sung  in  heaven.  Rev.  xv.  4  ; 
and  that  saith,  '  Who  shall  not  fear  thee  0  Lord,  and 
glorify  thy  name  '?  for  thou  onh  art  holy.'  The 
seraphims  say  each  one  to  another,  Isa.  vi.  3,  *  Holy, 
holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  the  whole  earth  is 
full  of  his  glory.' 

It  was  his  law.  1.  For  his  Godhead,  that  none 
other  but  he  should  be  called  God,  or  esteemed. 

2.  For  his  worship,  not  to  be  given  to  creatures. 

8.  For  his  name,  not  to  be  taken  in  vain. 

4.  For  his  Sabbath,  to  be  kept  holy. 

And  it  is  our  first  petition,  sanctijicetur  nomen, 
'  hallowed  be  thy  name,'  and  for  our  conformity  with 
him  :  Levit.  si.  44,  '  For  I  am  the  Lord  your  God  : 
ye  shall  therefore  sanctify  yourselves,  and  ye  shall  be 
holy  :  for  I  am  holy.'  So  there  is,  1,  sanctitas  incre- 
ata,  an  increate  holiness  in  God. 

2.  Creata,  created,  in  man  as  a  beam  of  that  hea- 
venly light,  a  stream  of  that  fuU  fountain  in  our  God. 

This  uncreated  holiness,  which  is  the  attribute  of 
God,  is  the  absolute  perfection  of  God's  nature  and 
attributes,  his  full  goodness  ;  not  only  that  wherein 
he  is  good  in  himself,  but  in  his  operations  also. 

The  consequent.     From  hence   the  prophet  con- 
*  Quest.  Ixxxiii.  1.  c.  19. 

139 


52 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


cludeth,  that  God  cannot  do  more  to  his  church  than 
correct  it ;  he  cannot  utterly  destroy  it,  because  he  is 
holy,  BO  is  his  church  ;  his  correction  of  the  elect  is 
only  a  fire  to  purge  out  their  dross,  which  will  go  out 
of  itself  when  the  combustible  matter  is  spent.  Hear 
God  himself:  Isa.  xliii.  15,  '  I  am  the  Lord,  the  Holy 
One,  the  Creator  of  Israel,  your  King.'  Ver.  21, 
*  This  people  have  I  formed  for  myself ;  they  shall 
shew  forth  my  praise.' 

Ay !  but  our  sins  spoil  all.  He  addeth,  ver.  25, 
'  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  Uotteth  out  thy  transgressions 
for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins.' 
The  church  of  God  is  semen  sanctum,  an  holy  seed  ; 
God  cannot  forsake  it ;  he  is  sanctus  Creator,  an  holy 
Creator,  and  he  is  sanctus  Redemptor,  an  holy  Re- 
deemer of  it,  as  the  holy  text  styleth  him. 

Application.  You  see  here  that,  as  Christ  saith, 
'  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee.'  Let  us  study 
God  and  his  attributes,  for  from  thence  we  derive 
whatsoever  we  are  or  have  ;  they  are  our  light  of 
direction,  our  staff  of  supportation. 

From  the  w-isdom  of  God,  we  have  all  intellectual 
illumination. 

From  the  justice  of  God,  all  our  integrity. 

From  the  holiness  of  God,  all  our  sanctification. 

From  the  eternity  of  God,  our  immortality. 

From  the  omnipotency  of  God,  our  strength. 

And  as  by  our  faith  we  cleave  to  him,  so  we  are 
made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature. 

The  juice  of  this  text  is  the  prophet's  faith,  which, 
from  the  holiness  and  eternity  of  God,  doth  resolve, — 

Doct.  That  this  judgment  of  God,  threatened  against 
the  Jews,  is  no  more  than  a  temporal  chastisement, 
according  to  the  doctrine  taught  out  of  Obadiah. 
Though  God  afliicteth  his  church,  yet  he  loveth  her 
still. 

This  persuasion  of  deliverance  from  evils  is  found 
in  natural  men  ;  but  either  it  is  grounded  upon  an 
opinion  that  they  have  of  fortune, — such  make  chance 
their  god, — or  it  is  built  upon  the  consideration  of  the 
vicissitude  of  things  which  maketh  sundry  mutations. 

'  luformcs  hyemes  reducit 

Jupiter ;  idem 
Summovet.    Non,  si  male  nunc,  et  olim 
Sic  erit.'  * 

God  sendeth  foul  weather  and  fair  ;  if  it  be  ill  now 
with  us,  it  will  not  be  so  hereafter.     This  is  but  cold 


*   Hor.  Car.  ii.  Od.  10. 


140 


comfort,  to  hope  only  in  the  change  of  times,  and  so 
to  look  for  better  days. 

Some  acknowledge  a  deity,  and  ascribe  all  altera- 
tions to  that,  not  knowing  the  true  God,  as  .^neas 
comforted  his  company, 

Durate  et  vosmet  rebus  servate  secundis. 

Continue  and  reserve  yourselves  for  better  times. 
Dalit  Deus  his  quoque  fineyn,  God  will  put  an  end  to 
these  your  sufferings. 

But  that  which  comforteth  the  saints  of  God  in 
afflictions  is  their  faith  in  the  eternity  and  holiness  of 
God,  from  whence  they  gather  assurance  that  they 
shall  not  miscarry  under  the  rod  of  God.  He  is 
eternal,  therefore  they  shall  not  perish  ;  he  is  holy, 
therefore  he  will  but  correct,  not  destroy ;  and  hereof 
they  make  this  use  : 

1.  They  do  not  limit  God  to  a  set  time  when  he  shall 
deliver  them.  So  Daniel  waited  for  the  deliverance 
of  Israel  from  Babylon  seventy  years.  The  church 
waited  till  the  fulness  of  time  for  the  promised  Messiah. 

2.  They  do  not  limit  God  to  any  set  means  of  de- 
liverance. Mordecai  did  see  that  the  preferment  of 
Esther  was  a  likely  means  to  save  the  Jews  from  the 
fury  of  the  decree  which  Haman  had  procured  against 
them,  and  he  putteth  her  to  it,  to  use  her  mediation 
with  the  king  for  it,  but  he  builded  not  his  hopes  in 
that  means  ;  for  he  said  to  her,  Esth.  iv.  14,  *If  thou 
altogether  hold  thy  peace  at  this  time,  then  shall  there 
enlargement  and  deliverance  arise  to  the  Jews  from 
another  place.' 

The  promise  made  to  Abraham  concerning  his  seed 
was  in  nature  despaired  by  the  old  age  of  Abraham 
and  Sarah,  yet  was  not  Abraham  out  of  hope  ;  but 
when  Isaac,  the  son  of  promise,  was  come,  God  after- 
ward commanded  him  to  be  offered  in  sacrifice,  yet  did 
not  that  weaken  the^faith  of  Abraham  ;  for  he  built 
upon  the  word  of  the  promise,  and  not  upon  the  pos- 
sibility of  the  means.  For  he  that  promised  was 
faithful. 

3.  They  do  not  limit  God  to  the  measure  of  affile- 
tion  ;  for  they  know  that  whatsoever  the  judgment  be 
which  God  inflicteth  upon  his  church,  it  cannot  ex- 
ceed a  fatherly  correction.  So  Job,  chap.  xiii.  15, 
*  Though  he  kill  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him.' 

4.  They  are  not  discouraged  in  the  faith  of  God's 
mercy,  though  they  feel  the  contrary  ;  and  therefore, 
being  in  one  contrary,  they  do  believe  another.  Thus, 
even  when  they  feel  the  burden  of  their  sins,  they  be- 


7er.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


53 


lieve  their  justification  ;  for  the  heavy  laden  seek 
Christ  for  ease.  ^Tien  they  feel  misery,  they  believe 
blessedness  ;  for  they  know  '  Blessed  are  they  that 
mourn.'  When  they  feel  correction,  they  believe  ; 
for  he  chasteneth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth. 
"When  they  feel  themselves  forsaken  of  God,  they  be- 
lieve themselves  interested  in  his  favour ;  as  David 
and  Christ :  *  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?'  both  forsaken  in  respect  of  their  feeling, 
neither  in  respect  of  their  faith. 

5.  They  by  faith  are  ever  in  the  presence  of  God. 
So  David,  Ps.  xvi.  8,  '  I  have  set  God  always  before 
me,  for  he  is  at  my  right  hand  ;  therefore  I  shall  not 
be  moved.'  So  it  is  said  of  Moses  being  in  danger  in 
Egypt,  Heb.  xi.  27,  '  By  faith  he  forsook  Egypt,  not 
fearing  the  wrath  of  the  king  ;  for  he  endured  as  see- 
ing him  who  is  invisible.'  Thus  strongly  do  they 
build,  whose  foundation  is  not  laid  in  any  possibility 
of  their  own  merits  to  deserve  deliverance,  and  of  their 
own  wit  and  cunning  to  decline  evils,  or  of  their  own 
strength  and  power  to  resist  them,  or  evade  them,  or 
the  vicissitude  of  things  to  change  them,  but  trust  in 
the  living  God,  and  make  him  their  hiding-place. 

Doct.  2.  "VMiereas  the  prophet  saith  that  God  had 
ordained  the  Chaldeans  for  judgment,  that  is,  for  the 
execution  of  his  judgment,  and  hath  established  them 
for  correction  ;  Docemur,  we  are  taught  that  God  is 
the  author  of  punishment ;  God  himself  assumeth  it 
to  himself :  Amos  iii.  6,  '  Shall  there  be  evil  in  a  city, 
and  the  Lord  hath  not  done  it  ?'  Malum  pana:,  the 
evil  of  punishment.  So  Moses  :  Ps.  xe.  7,  '  For  we 
are  consumed  by  thine  anger,  and  by  thy  wrath  are  we 
troubled.'  So  David  :  Ps.  xxxix.  11,  '  When  thou 
with  rebuke  dost  correct  man  for  iniquity,  thou  makest 
his  beauty  to  consume  away  like  a  moth.' 

Reason  1.  Because  every  sin  is  a  trespass  against 
God  ;  as  David,  T'ihi,  tibi  soli  peccavi,  '  Against  thee 
only  have  I  sinned ;'  for  every  sin  is  a\o!i.ia,  a  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  and  therein  God  is  offended,  and 
he  is  'a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children.' 

The  trespasses  against  our  brethren,  in  the  breach 
of  the  second  table,  be  immediate  sins  against  God. 
For  as  when  the  plate  is  not  cut  for  the  mint,  to  clip 
it  is  no  breach  of  the  law ;  but  when  it  hath  the  stamp 
impressed,  and  is  coin,  then  to  clip  or  wash,  it  is 
treason,  not  for  the  matter,  but  because  of  the  stamp. 
So  the  matter  of  our  brethren  is  but  earth,  and  the 
violation  of  it  is  but  the  defacing  of  earth  ;  but  bear- 


ing the  image  of  God  in  it,  it  is  a  trespass  against  him 
whose  image  is  therein  insculped,  to  wrong  it. 

Reason  2.  Because  every  punishment,  as  it  is  ^^avia, 
a  punishment,  so  it  is  vindicta,  a  revenge,  and  God 
layeth  claim  to  that  by  prerogative,  vindicta  mea,  my 
revenge  ;  no  man  can  take  the  sword  out  of  his  hand : 
it  is  virga  tiia,  saith  David,  thy  rod. 

Reason  3.  Because  none  but  God  can  search  the 
heart,  where  sin  breedeth,  and  knoweth  how  to  pro- 
portion punishment  to  the  sin.  Punishment  is  the 
physic  of  the  church  :  as  Augustine,  Quod  pateris 
medicina  est,  non  poena,  that  thou  sufferest  is  thy  medi- 
cine, not  thy  punishment.  He  only  knoweth  how  to 
temper  the  medicine  for  the  health  of  the  patient,  for 
he  knoweth  whereof  we  be  made ;  he  only  can  work 
good  out  of  evil. 

Reason  4.  Because  there  is  none  but  God  that  doth 
whatsoever  he  will,  none  but  he  can  ordain  or  estab- 
lish judgment.  The  judgments  are  called  Judicia  Dei, 
the  judgments  of  God.  In  that  cruel  execution  done 
upon  Christ  in  our  flesh,  as  there  were  the  wicked 
hands  of  the  Jews  and  the  Romans,  so  there  was  the 
determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  Acts 
u.  23. 

Use  1.  Let  us  not  therefore  sin  against  God,  and 
make  an  idol  of  him,  by  making  bim  all  mercy ;  for 
though  we  call  him  Father,  doubtless  there  is  a  God 
that  judgeth  the  world,  who  upon  the  wicked  will  rain 
snares,  storms,  and  tempest :  this  shall  be  their  por- 
tion to  drink.  Bather  meet  a  temptation  with  Joseph, 
and  say,' '  How  then  shall  I  do  this  great  wickedness, 
and  so  sin  against  God  ?'  For  •  our  God  is  a  con- 
suming fire,'  and  '  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God.' 

Use  2.  Let  us  not  fret  at  the  means  ordained  by 
God  for  our  correction,  remembering  that  God  hath 
established  them  for  our  chastisement ;  but  let  us 
rather  say  with  David,  Ps.  xxxix.  9,  '  Obmutui  et  non 
aperii  as  meum,  quia  tu  domine  fecisti,  *  I  was  dumb, 
&c.,  because  thou.  Lord,  hast  done  it :'  let  us  know 
and  confess  who  it  is  that  smiteth  us,  and  say,  '  Thou 
hast  smitten  me,  and  thou  wilt  heal  me.' 

Use  3.  Let  us  remember,  when  God  taketh  off  his 
hand  and  restoreth  us  again  to  the  cheerful  light  of  his 
countenance,  to  acknowledge  his  mercy  to  us,  and,  as 
Christ  saith,  to  '  sin  no  more,  lest  some  more  heavy 
judgment  fall  upon  us.'  Let  us,  with  David,  remem- 
ber the  vows  which  we  made  to  God  in  our  affliction, 
and  spend  the  time  of  our  sojourning  here  in  fear. 

141 


u 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


Use  4.  Lastly,  seeing  God  hath  comforted  us,  let 
us  also  comfort  our  brethren,  as  the  apostle  saith,  2 
Cor.  i.  9,  '  for  God  comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribula- 
tions, that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  which  be 
in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God.'  So,  as  Christ  said  to  Peter,  when 
we  ourselves  are  converted,  we  shall  strengthen  the 
brethren,  and  the  God  of  peace  and  all  consolation 
shall  give  unto  us  the  blessing  of  his  peace. 

2.  The  prophet's  dispute  with  God. 

The  prophet  seemeth  amazed  at  the  course  of  God's 
proceeding  against  the  Jews  by  the  Chaldeans.  And 
the  remainder  of  this  chapter  doth  contain  his  expos- 
tulation with  God,  wherein, 

1 .  He  layeth  a  ground  of  this  ai-gument :  the  eyes 
of  God  are  pure. 

2.  He  questioneth  God  how  these  inconveniences 
following  are  borne  withal  by  him,  which  are  these  : 

Grievances. 

1.  How  God  should  look  on  whilst  men  deal 
treacherously,  ver.  13. 

2.  How  God  should  hold  his  tongue  whilst  the 
wicked  devoureth  the  man  that  is  more  righteous  than 
he,  ver.  13. 

8.  How  God  can  expose  the  Jews,  his  people,  as  a 
prey  to  the  Chaldeans:  ver.  14,  'And  thou  makest 
men  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  as  the  creeping 
things  that  have  no  ruler ;'  from  which  liberty  given 
to  them,  they  break  forth  into  all  extremes  of  cruelty : 
ver.  15,  '  They  take  up  all  with  their  angle  ;  they 
catch  them  in  their  net,  and  gather  them  in  their 
drag.' 

4.  They  insult  over  the  conquered  :  ver.  15,  *  they 
rejoice  and  are  glad.'  They  commit  self- idolatry  : 
ver.  16,  *  Therefore  they  sacrifice  to  their  net,  and 
burn  incense  to  their  drag,  because  by  them  their  por- 
tion is  made  fat,  and  their  meat  plenteous.' 

5.  How  God  can  so  long  dispense  with  the  enemies 
of  his  church,  and  whether  he  will  so  forsake  them  : 
ver.  17,  'Shall  they  therefore  empty' their  net,  and  not 
spare  continually  to  slay  the  nations  ?' 

1.  Of  the  ground  of  his  contestation,  '  Thou  art  of 
pure  eyes.'  This  phrase  is  according  to  the  capacity 
of  human  understanding,  and  it  is  doubly  figurative  : 

1.  In  that  eyes  are  attributed  to  God. 

2.  In  that  they  are  said  to  be  pure. 

1.  It  is  a  thing  frequent  in  Scripture,  to  give  the 
parts  of  a  man's  body  to  God :  the  eye,  the  ear,  the 
hand,  the  heart,  the  foot,  the  bowels,  the  arm,  the 
142 


face,  the  back-parts ;  whereupon  certain  heretics, 
literally  understanding  those  phrases,  have  believed 
and  taught  that  God  is  like  to  man  in  shape  of  body, 
and  that  the  image  wherein  God  made  man  was  cor- 
poreal. These  heretics  are  called  anthropomorphites, 
because  they  ascribed  to  God  the  image  and  corporeal 
likeness  of  man,  whom  some  ignorant  persons  have 
used  to  paint  in  the  representation  of  a  grave  old  man, 
against  the  clear  text  of  Scripture  and  warrant  of 
truth. 

Of  this  I  will  only  tell  you  what  St  Augustine,* 
writing  to  Fortunatianus,  a  bishop,  concerning  the 
judgment  of  another  bishop  who  maintained  this 
heresy,  saith,  The  text  of  Scripture  attributing  the 
parts  of  human  bodies  to  God  must  not  be  literally 
understood,  for  then  we  must  allow  God  also  to  have 
bodily  wings,  for  we  read  also  often  of  the  wings  and 
feathers  of  God.  But,  saith  he,  as  by  the  wings  of 
God  we  do  understand  divine  protection,  sic  cum 
(nidimus  manus  operationem ;  pedes  prasentiam  ;  oculos 
visionem ;  faciem  justitiam  ;  hrachium  potentiam  :  so 
by  hands,  divine  operation ;  by  feet,  presence ;  by 
eye,  vision  ;  by  face,  justice ;  by  hands,  divine  power. 
And  to  shew  that  neque  solus,  neither  alone,  nee  prior, 
nor  first  he  is  of  this  opinion,  he  citeth  St  Jerome, 
St  Gregory  Nazianzen,  St  Ambrose,  St  Athanasius, 
all  of  the  same  judgment. 

And  surely  because  this  error  is  yet  in  the  minds 
of  many  simple  and  ignorant  people  of  the  world,  it 
will  be  fit  that  you  do  learn  that  when  you  do  either 
give  thanks  to  God,  or  pray,  or  think  on  God,  you  do 
not  conceive  him  in  your  thoughts  in  any  such  manner, 
but  as  he  hath  revealed  himself  to  us  in  his  word. 
God  is  a  Spirit,  eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  infinite 
in  wisdom,  justice,  holiness,  power,  mercy,  goodness; 
seeing  and  foreseeing  all  things  ;  doing  whatsoever  ho 
will  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  in  all  deep  places ; 
governing  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power. 

Moses,  who  searched  as  deep  into  this  sacred  and 
secret  mystery  of  God,  found  that  the  face  of  God, 
that  is,  his  heavenly  nature,  could  not  be  seen,  only 
his  back  parts ;  that  is,  the  effects  of  his  attributes 
might  be  seen.  No  doubt  God  took  that  occasion  in 
Moses  to  teach  the  church  how  they  should  conceive 
him  in  their  thoughts  :  Exod.  xxxiii.  23,  '  Thou  shalt 
see  my  back  parts.' 

Gregor.  Nyssene,  We  must  follow  after  God ;  for 
he  goeth  before  us,  and  guideth  us ;  as  David,  '  He 
♦  Epl.  i.  11. 


Ver.  12-17.] 


MAFBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


teacheth  the  way  that  vre  should  choose.'  Qui  autem 
sequitur,  non  Jaciem  sed  tergum  aspicit  (Procopins). 
Invisibilia  Dei  videntur  ex  creatione.  For  we  must 
remember  how  tender  God  was  of  appearing  in  any 
form  which  might  have  been  represented  in  picture  or 
sculpture,  for  fear  of  idolatry  :  Deut.  iv.  15,  16,  'Take 
ye  therefore  good  heed  unto  yourselves  (for  ye  saw  no 
manner  of  similitude  on  the  day  that  the  Lord  spake 
unto  you  in  Horeb  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire),  lest 
ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make  you  a  graven  image, 
the  similitude  of  any  figure,'  &c. 

Neither  is  it  necessary  for  adoration,  that  we  do 
assign  any  set  figure  to  God  in  our  thoughts,  seeing 
every  one  of  us  doth  believe  that  he  hath  a  living  soul 
in  him,  whereby  all  the  parts  of  the  body  are  both 
directed  and  enabled  in  their  several  offices,  yet  no 
man  can  conceive  any  set  form  or  similitude  where- 
unto  it  may  be  resembled, 

2.  Another  figurative  speech  here  is,  where  the 
prophet  calleth  these  eyes  of  God  pure  eyes ;  for 
wickedness  and  evil  cannot  defile  the  sight.  It  is 
said  of  the  fair  eye  of  heaven,  that  it  shineth  upon 
the  just  and  unjust.  And  David  saith  that  God 
*  seeth  all  the  thoughts  of  man's  heart.'  Why,  he 
then  seeth  much  vanity  and  much  iniquity.  But 
those  are  called  pure  eyes  which  do  behold  nothing 
that  is  evil,  to  approve  it  in  itself,  to  abet  it  in  our 
brother,  to  imitate  it  in  ourselves ;  and  in  this  sense 
the  eyes  of  God  are  said  to  be  pure,  that  is,  abhorring 
sin.  Again,  the  purity  of  God's  eyes  doth  import  the 
clear  judgment  of  God,  which  is  of  such  penetration 
as  nothing  can  conceal  itself  from  him  :  in  which 
sense  David  saith,  Ps.  xi.  -4,  '  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy 
temple,  the  Lord's  throne  is  in  heaven ;  his  eyes  be- 
hold, his  eyelids  try,  the  children  of  men.'  Upon 
which  words  St  Augustine  saith,  that  there  is  apertio 
and  opertio  oculorum  Dei,  an  opening  and  a  covering 
of  God's  eyes. 

He  is  said  to  see  with  his  eyes  when  he  declareth 
himself  to  see  and  take  notice  of  anything;  but  he 
doth  try  with  his  eyelids,  when  he  maketh  as  though 
he  slept  and  considered  not,  winking  for  a  time  at  the 
iniquities  of  men. 

Our  lesson  from  this  double  figure  of  speech  is, 

Doct.  That  God  is  a  severe  searcher  and  punisher 
of  sin.  For  search,  he  'trieth  the  hearts  and  reins;' 
for  punishment,  'judgment  begins  at  his  own  house.* 
This  certain  rule  of  truth  we  must  lay  hold  and  be- 
lieve, that  the  justice  and  truth  of  God  cannot  fail. 


The  whole  course  of  Scripture,  the  experience  of  all 
times,  doth  make  this  good. 

The  sin  of  the  fingels  that  kept  not  their  first  estate 
was  soon  found  out  and  punished.  The  first  news 
we  hear  of  them  was  that  one  of  them  was  a  tempter, 
and  deceived  our  first  parents. 

There  was  a  light  shining  in  darkness,  which  the 
darkness  comprehended  not.  The  Manichees,  seeing 
the  devil  went  so  early  against  God,  thought  and 
taught  that  there  were  two  princtpia,  two  beginnings : 
one  good  god  the  author  of  all  good,  another  evil  god 
the  author  of  all  evil,  not  knowing  the  fall  of  the 
angels,  and  the  mischief  that  they  attempted  against 
God  after  their  fall.  But  they  were  the  first  example 
of  the  severe  vengeance  of  God,  of  whom  St  Jude 
saith,  ver.  6,  '  And  the  angels  which  kept  not  their 
first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath 
resei-ved  in  everlasting  chains,  under  darkness,  unto 
the  judgment  of  the  last  day.' 

And  for  our  first  parents,  the  pure  eyes  of  God  saw 
their  nakedness  after  their  fall,  and  came  himself  into 
the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  and  convinced  the 
delinquents,  and  examined  the  fault,  and  gave  judg- 
ment against  them  all,  and  presently  executed  that 
judgment. 

Then  Cain,  when  his  sin  was  yet  but  in  the  bud, 
at  the  first  putting  forth  thereof,  in  the  casting  down 
of  his  countenance,  was  called  to  account  for  it,  God 
disputing  the  matter  with  him ;  and  after,  when  he 
came  to  the  execution  of  his  abominable  wickedness, 
God  again  well  examined  the  evidence,  convicted  the 
prisoner,  and  brought  him  to  confession  of  his  fault, 
and  banished  him  from  his  presence. 

In  all  these  examples,  God  was  a  speedy  and  a 
severe  judge,  as  was  fit  for  terror  in  the  beginning ; 
bat  after  he  grew  more  remiss,  and,  as  the  apostle 
saith,  1  Peter  iii.  20,  'The  long-suflering  of  God 
waited  in  the  days  of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was  a-pre- 
paring.'  So  that  God  declared  himself  patient  and 
longsuffering,  who  had  before  shewed  and  revealed 
his  severe  justice,  that  the  terror  of  his'righteousness 
might  discourage  sin,  and  yet  his  gentle  forbearance 
might  invite  to  repentance. 

Therefore,  throughout  the  whole  course  of  holy 
Scripture,  we  have  examples  of  both  sorts,  both  of 
quick  vengeance  and  of  favourable^sufi'erance,  that 
God  may  be  known  both  to  be  just  and  merciful. 
The  reason  whereof  is, 

1.  That  the  danger  might itreed  terror;  for  who 

143 


56 


MARBUKY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


can  promise  liimself  mercy  wlien  our  just  God  may 
and  doth  take  such  quick  vengeance  ?  '  Remember 
Lot's  wife,'  that  she  was  Lot's  wife  whom  God 
favoured ;  that  the  angel  pulled  her  out  of  Sodom  to 
hasten  her  from  their  judgment;  that  her  offence  was 
no  more  than  looking  back,  whether  out  of  curiosity 
to  see  what  God  would  do  to  Sodom,  or  out  of  un- 
belief, doubting  the  truth  of  the  threatening,  or  out  of 
love  to  the  place,  or  to  some  persons  left  behind  to 
the  woe,  she  was  made  an  example  of  present  calamity, 
and  turned  into  a  pillar  of  salt.  Therefore  remember 
Lot's  wife  for  terror,  to  strike  fear  in  thee  that  thou 
sin  not,  lest  thou  be  smitten  so  soon  as  thou  hast 
offended  ;  this  to  prevent  sin. 

2.  That  such  as  sin  and  find  not  the  present  wrath 
of  God  avenging  sin,  may  make  use  of  that  patience 
of  God  to  repent,  lest  a  lingering  judgment  be  but  the 
whetting  of  a  sword  to  a  sharper  cutting  when  it 
Cometh.  For  the  remissness  of  God  doth  not  proceed 
from  any  respect  of  persons,  nor  from  a  liking  of  any 
kind  of  sin,  but  out  of  free  and  undeserved  favour,  and 
for  the  glory  of  his  own  mercy,  that  he  may  be  feared. 

Use.  Who  knowelh  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  or  who 
hath  been  of  his  counsel  ?  Who  can  tell  when  he  is 
tempted  to  any  sin,  and  embraceth  the  temptation, 
and  committeth  the  sin,  whether  God  will  make  him 
an  example  of  his  patience  and  mercy  and  long- 
suffering,  by  giving  him  both  the  time  and  grace  of 
repentance,  and  open  to  him  the  fountain  for  sin  and 
for  uncleanness,  to  wash  him  and  cleanse  himself  from 
his  sin  ;  or  whether  he  will  make  him  an  example  of 
his  severe  justice,  in  chastening  his  trespass  with  some 
speedy  vengeance,  as  he  did  the  rebellion  of  Korah,  or 
the  lying  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  ? 

Therefore  our  care  must  be  to  keep  our  heart  with 
all  diligence  from  conceiving  sin,  to  take  heed  to  our 
ways  that  we  offend  not  in  our  tongue  ;  to  take  heed 
to  our  foot,  to  our  hand,  that  they  act  not  sin,  ever 
remembering  that  God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  that 
loveth  not  iniquity,  and  that  he  hath  pure  eyes,  which 
cannot  behold  evil  to  allow  thereof. 

Herein  the  example  of  Christ  is  good,  Ps.  xvi.  8, 
♦  I  have  set  the  ^Lord  always  before  me  ; '  for  godly 
fear  doth  put  God  always  in  sight  of  us,  and  of  all  our 
ways.  Let  us  set  ourselves  always  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  answer  every  temptation  to  sin  with  this 
answer,  '  Thou,^  0  Lord,  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to 
behold  evil.' 

For  therefore  hath  God  so  clearly  revealed  his 
144 


majesty,  power,  and  justice  to  the  sons  of  men,  Exod. 
XX.  20,  *  That  his  fear  may  be  before  your  eyes,  that 
you  sin  not.' 

The  king  on  earth  chaseth  away  all  evil  with  his 
eye,  because  men  fear  the  wrath  of  a  king  as  the  roar- 
ing of  a  lion  ;  and  shall  the  pure  eyes  of  God,  seeing 
all  our  ways,  being  about  our  path,  and  about  our 
bed,  understanding  our  thoughts  long  before,  nothing 
awe  us  !  Christ  saith,  *  Fear  not  them  that  can  kill 
the  body,  and  can  do  nothing  more  ;  but  fear  him  that 
can  cast  both  body  and  soul  into  hell  fire.' 

This  God,  that  hath  this  power  over  the  work  of  his 
own  hands,  as  he  hath  pure  eyes,  from  whose  sight 
nothing  can  hide  or  conceal  itself,  so  he  hath  a  right 
hand,  inveniel  dextra  ejus  inimicos  ejus,  his  right  hand 
will  find  out  his  enemies  ;  yea,  strong  is  his  arm,  and 
the  sword  that  he  wieldeth  is  sharp ;  for  David  saith, 
'  he  hath  whetted  it  of  purpose,  to  cut  off  from  the 
earth  the  ungodly  thereof ; '  he  hath  also  a  bow,  and 
that  is  bent ;  he  hath  a  quiver,  and  that  is  full  of 
deadly  arrows  ;  and  howsoever  we  shall  slight  him,  our 
God  is  a  consuming  fire.  To  the  elect  he  is  ig^iis  in 
rubo,  a  fire  in  the  bush,  burning,  but  not  consuming ; 
but  to  the  ungodly,  that  make  no  conscience  of  sin,  he 
is  ignis  devorans,  a  fire  devouring;  as  David  saith, 
'  the  flame  shall  burn  up  the  ungodly.' 

The  crying  sins  of  our  times,  injustice  in  the  courts 
of  judgment,  contempt  of  religion,  oppression  of  the 
poor,  breach  of  the  Sabbath,  profane  swearing,  beastly 
drunkenness,  abominable  wantonness,  contentions, 
and  such  like,  do  give  evidence  against  us,  that  there 
is  no  fear  of  God  before  our  eyes,  that  we  fear  not  the 
presence  of  God,  we  regard  not  his  pure  eyes. 

We  would  have  cured  Babel  of  those  diseases,  and 
she  is  not  healed ;  the  word,  which  is  the  proper 
physic  for  these  maladies,  is  either  not  heard  with 
attention,  or  kept  with  retention ;  we  mingle  it  not 
with  faith  when  we  hear  it,  so  that  we  heap  up  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath.  My  brethren,  do  not  so 
wickedly ;  sin  not  against  God,  sin  not  against  your 
own  souls,  for  so  Moses  calls  Korah  and  his  company, 
Num.  xvi.  88  ;  he  calls  them  sinners  against  their  own 
souls,  and  that  are  en  samples  recorded  for  the  per- 
petual use  of  the  church,  even  for  them  upon  whom 
the  ends  of  the  world  shall  come.  When  the  judg- 
ment of  Korah  and  his  company  was  in  sight,  it  is 
said,  '  alljisrael  that  were  round  about  them  fled  at  the 
cry  of  them ; '  for  they  said,  '  Lest  the  earth  swallow 
us  up  also.' 


Ver.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


57 


These  records  of  former  times  are  kept  for  us,  that 
we  might  always  have  them  in  sight,  that  we  might 
make  it  our  own  case,  and  fear  before  the  Lord,  and 
fly  from  the  tents  of  such  wicked  persons,  who  make 
no  conscience  of  the  pure  eyes  of  God  beholding  all 
their  ways,  lest  we  perish  with  them. 

2.  Upon  this  ground  he  doth  dispute ;  for,  seeing 
he  resolveth  that  God  is  most  just,  and  there  can  be 
no  shadow  of  changing  in  him,  he  inquireth  of  him 
how  it  comes  to  pass  that  so  many  evils  be  suffered  in 
the  world,  in  the  eye  and  sight  of  God. 

Doct.  From  whence  we  are  taught  that  in  all  our 
considerations  of  the  carriage  of  things  under  the  go- 
vernment of  God's  providence,  howsoever  strange  the 
effects  may  seem  to  us,  yet  we  must  take  heed  that 
we  never  question  either  the  wisdom,  justice,  or 
goodness  of  God.  Let  us  resolve  on  that,  and  we  may 
safely  sit  down  and  wonder  at  the  effects  of  his  will ; 
for  David  saith,  Tu  fads  mirahilia  solus,  '  Thou  alone 
dost  wonders.'  And  Augustine  saith  that  God  doth 
manage  things  judicio  sape  arcano,  sed  semper  justo, 
often  by  secret,  but  always  by  just  judgment. 

And  upon  this  holy  resolution  of  the  prophet,  which 
giveth  God  his  due,  and  no  way  doth  tax  him,  but 
pronounceth  him  to  be  himself,  I  dare  not  receive  the 
judgment  of  Mr  Calvin  upon  this  passage,  because  I 
am  persuaded  that  he  is  too  harsh  in  his  censure  of 
this  prophet ;  and  yet  I  find  it  so  much  against  his 
will  to  find  fault,  that  he  doth  what  he  can  again 
when  he  hath  wounded  him  to  heal  him  again. 

I  honour  the  memory  of  Mr  Calvin,  as  of  a  clear 
light  set  up  in  the  church  of  God,  and  am  as  unwill- 
ing to  tax  him  as  I  find  him  unwilling  to  tax  the 
prophet,  and  therefore  I  wish  his  reader  to  read  him 
out  upon  this  place,  and  he  shall  find  that  it  is  not 
motus  violentus,  but  trepidationis,  not  a  violent,  but  a 
trembling  motion  that  carries  him.     For, 

1.  He  saith,  descendit  ad  humanos  affectits,  he  de- 
scendeth  to  human  affections ;  so  he  may  do  and  yet 
not  offend. 

2.  He  addeth,  ostendit  se  qtiodammodo  vaciUare,  he 
shews  himself  somewhat  wavering.  That  cannot  be 
defended  ;  for  the  motto  of  a  just  man  is  semper  idem, 
always  the  same ;  and  it  is  the  ungodly  ma  n  who  is 
unstable  in  all  his  ways  ;  his  heart  is  not  established. 

3.  But  he  smiteth  home  when  he  saith ,  verum  qui- 
dem  est,  secundam partem  versus  affinem  esse  Uasphemia, 
the  second  part  of  the  verse  to  be  near^akin  to  blas- 
phemy ;  quia  obmurmurat  et  insimulat  Deum    nimia 


tarditatis,  because  he  murmured,  and  accused  God  of 
too  much  slackness. 

Yet  Mr  Calvin  healeth  him  again.  Pardon  him 
in  this ;  for  he  was  in  angusto,  in  a  strait,  jealous  of 
having  the  honour  of  God  touched  by  the  prophet, 
and  yet  tender  of  any  touch  of  the  charity  that  he  did 
owe  to  the  prophet ;  and  therefore  having  declared  his 
holy  love  to  God,  he  doth  his  best  to  excuse  the  pro- 
phet, saying  oihixn.,  frcenum  sibi  injicit  et  occurrit  ma- 
ture. Se  temperat  ut  prccveniat  nimium  fervorem,  he 
tempers  himself  that  he  might  allay  this  too  great 
heat.  And  in  the  end  he  confesseth,  quia  non  potest 
se  expedire  rebus  tarn  con/usis,  disceptat  potius  secum 
quam  cum  Deo,  because  he  conld  not  get  out  of  this 
maze,  that  he  reasoned  with  himself  rather  than  God. 

For  my  opinion,  I  acquit  the  prophet  of  any  suspi- 
cion of  inordinate  affection  in  this  his  complaint,  so 
long  as  he  doth  do  God  the  right  to  acknowledge  him 
both  eternal  and  equal.  I  wonder  not  if  he,  and  all 
that  consider  him  aright  in  his  ways,  be  swallowed  up 
in  the  depth  of  admiration  of  them.  Let  any  man 
observe  that  which  foUoweth  in  the  prophet's  com- 
plaint, and  he  shall  see  great  cause  of  wonder ;  but 
whensoever  such  occasion  is  offered  to  us  to  behold 
the  like,  let  us  do  our  God  the  right  to  confess  him 
holy  and  just,  and  to  resolve  that,  which  way  soever 
things  go,  there  can  be  no  fault  in  him.  Therefore 
let  us  say  with  David,  Ps.  iii.  18,  Domine,  tu  Justus 
es,  et  jusia  sunt  judicia  tua,  '  thou  art  just,  and  thy 
judgments  are  just.' 

It  is  a  good  saying  of  old  Eli  the  priest,  when 
Samuel  told  him  of  the  judgments  of  God  upon  his 
house,  '  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him 
good.'  Yet  is  it  not  unlawful  for  the  children  of  God 
reverently  to  consider  the  ways  of  God ;  yea,  it  is  a 
work  for  the  Sabbath,  to  take  the  works  of  God  into 
regard :  Ps.  xcii.  5,  '  0  Lord,  how  great  are  thy 
works,  and  thy  thoughts  are  very  deep.  A  brutish 
man  knoweth  not,  neither  doth  a  fool  understand 
this.' 

It  argueth  a  great  defect  in  judgment  when  we  shall 
think  a  thought  which  may  derogate  anything  from  the 
glory  of  our  God.  For  it  is  true,  fecit  quicquid  voluit, 
he  hath  done  whatever  he  would ;  so  it  is  true  omnia 
bene  fecit,  he  hath  done  all  things  well.  And  we  say 
truly  of  him.  He  hath  done  all  things  for  the  best;  for 
so  he  doth  even  then  when  his  ways  do  cross  ours,  and 
when  those  things  that  he  doth  do  seem  to  us  and  to 
our  reason  as  most  opposite.     To  help  which  our  weak- 

145 
K 


68 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


ness  we  are  taught  to  pray,  fiat  voluntas  tua,  thy  will 
be  done. 

Let  us  come  then  to  a  view  of  the  particulars  which 
tte  prophet  recounteth,  which  God  doth  behold  and 
not  yet  punish.  And  herein  we  shall  find  the  prophet 
an  orator,  setting  forth  the  iniquity  of  the  times  and 
the  miseries  of  the  church  then,  so  as  we  may  say  his 
heart  hath  indited  a  good  matter,  and  his  tongue  is  the 
pen  of  a  ready  writer. 

Here  be  the  prophet's  grievances  : 

1.  The  first  is  treason:  'Wherefore  lookest  thou 
upon  them  that  deal  treacherously  ? '  Mr  Calvin  ren- 
ders it  quare  aspicis  transgressor es  ?  And  so  doth  the 
Geneva  translation  render  it,  '  "Why  lookest  thou  upon 
the  transgressors  ? '  But  that  is  somewhat  too  large, 
for  that  includeth  all  sorts  of  sinners* 

Jun.  Cur  intueris  perjidos?  So  the  Chaldeans,  of 
whom  the  prophet  complaineth  here,  are  set  forth,  as 
you  heard,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah. 

Dolus  an  virtus,  quis  in  hoste  requirit  ? 

Treason  is  not  wrought  by  a  professed  enemy  in 
times  of  open  war  and  proclaimed  defiance,  neither  do 
we  call  the  secret  practices  of  enemies  working  under- 
hand by  the  name  of  treason,  they  are  military  strata- 
gems ;  but  it  is  called  treason  when  by  corrupting  some 
of  the  opposite  side,  the  enemy  doth  take  advantage. 
And  this  is  commonly  one  of  the  mines  which  is 
carried  under  the  states  of  great  kingdoms,  to  destroy 
them  and  blow  them  up. 

And  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  salvation, 
though  he  was  assaulted  by  professed  war  of  the  chief 
priests,  scribes,  and  pharisees,  yet  he  was  put  into 
their  hand  at  last  by  treason ;  one  of  his  own  twelve 
betrayed  him. 

And  it  is  the  chief  use  of  the  new  order  of  Jesuits 
in  foreign  states  to  corrupt  the  afiections  of  subjects 
ut  prodant,  that  they  may  betray. 

This  is  a  great  grievance,  for  treasons  be  commonly 
carried  with  great  secresy ;  yet  the  prophet  saith  that 
God  looketh  on,  he  beholdcth  all  the  conveyances, 
both  of  projection  and  execution.  And  that  is  it  which 
amazeth  the  prophet,  that  God,  who  loveth  not  treason, 
should  look  on  and  behold  it  in  all  the  ingress  and  pro- 
gress of  it,  and  not  stop  it. 

Beloved,  we  have  a  lesson  from  hence. 

Doct.  The  Lord  seeth  treason. 

Not  only  the  great  treasons  wrought  against  states 
and  kingdoms,  but  the  particular  falsehoods  in  common 
146 


friendship ;  the  private  insidiations  for  the  goods,  the 
chastity,  the  good  name,  the  life  of  our  neighbours. 

It  is  not  any  negligence  in  God's  government  of  the 
world,  or  any  oversight,  or  any  forgetfulness,  or  any 
approbation  of  evil,  that  doth  keep  God  so  quiet  that 
he  sitteth  in  heaven ;  he  keepeth  Israel,  and  he  neither 
slumbereth  nor  sleepeth.  Yet  he  looketh  on  while 
thieves  come  in  the  night  and  break  open  a  way  into 
men's  houses,  gather  together  and  rifle,  and  carry  away 
their  goods.  He  seeth  while  the  secret  enemy  watcheth 
his  brother  upon  the  way,  or  goeth  forth  with  him,  as 
Abel  did  with  Cain.  God  knew  that  Abel  was  to  be 
killed  that  day.  When  Joab  and  Amasa  met,  God  saw 
it  a  death ;  he  knew  that  embracing  would  prove  a  stab. 
Sometimes  God  doth  detect  and  defeat  these  treasons 
betimes,  sometimes  he  letteth  them  go  on  to  the  very 
moment  of  execution,  yet  then  he  disappointeth  them ; 
but  sometimes  he  looketh  on  and  seeth  them  performed, 
and  hindereth  them  not. 

This  is  that  which  the  prophet  would  fain  know,  why 
God,  that  loveth  no  evil,  and  hath  power  at  hand  to 
prevent  it,  doth  look  on  and  see  it  done ;  for  amongst 
us  qui  non  vetat  peccare  cum  licet,  juhet,  he  that  when 
he  may  hindereth  not  a  fault,  commands  it.  And  for 
man  it  is  a  true  rule,  that  all  the  evil  which  we  might 
have  hindered  and  did  not,  shall  be  put  upon  our  ac- 
count. This  rule  holds  indeed  with  us,  but  God  is 
not  so  limited.  He  maketh  both  evil  creatures,  that 
is,  devils  and  wicked  men,  to  be  his  servants  to  do  his 
will,  and  he  maketh  the  very  sins  of  men  rods  to  scourge 
both  themselves  that  commit  them  and  others. 

2.  The  second  grievance  of  the  prophet :  '  The 
wicked  devoureth  the  man  that  is  more  righteous  than 
he,  and  God  holdeth  his  tongue.'  That  is,  the  Chal- 
dean, who  worshippeth  strange  gods,  devoureth  the 
Jews,  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  who,  though  they  bo 
much  to  blame,  yet  they  are  more  righteous  than  the 
Chaldeans ;  and  God  seeth  and  saith  nothing,  whilst 
the  Chaldeans  doth  spoil  Israel. 

This  indeed  is  a  great  grievance,  to  behold  the  afllic- 
tions  of  the  church,  and  the  power  of  the  wicked  against 
them.  It  was  that  which  put  David  into  an  extreme 
ecstasy  for  the  time  ;  and  till  he  went  to  the  house  of 
God,  and  was  there  taught  the  end  of  such  men  as  hurt 
their  betters,  his  foot  had  well  nigh  shpped.  Our  ex- 
perience sheweth  us  much  more ;  for  the  wicked  sons  of 
Belial,  the  moths  of  our  commonwealth,  the  rust  of 
our  peace,  how  have  they  fed  upon  the  fat  of  the  land, 
and  by  fair  pretexts  of  common  good,  even  devoured 


i 


Ver.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


5^ 


the  commonwealth,  and  made  more  righteous  men  than 
they  their  prey,  assaulting  their  goods,  their  liberty, 
and  peace  of  life,  disturbing  their  honest  callings 
•with  dishonest  encroachments,  to  the  great  prejudice 
of  the  state  !  And  God  held  his  tongue  many  years, 
although  he  saw  it ;  but  now  he  hath  set  open  the 
eyes  of  the  poUtic  body  to  detect  them,  and  he  hath 
opened  the  mouth  of  that  body  to  accuse  and  to  con- 
demn them. 

David  saith,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  13,  '  It  is  a  proverb  of 
the  ancients.  Wickedness  proceedeth  from  the  wicked.' 
This  is  wickedness  in  a  grown  degree,  for  the  godly 
be  the  holy  ones  of  God.  And  God  saith,  nolite  tan- 
gere,  touch  not.  They  do  not  only  tangere,  but  angere; 
yea,  devorare  justiores  se,  devout  juster  than  they. 

There  is  a  natural  antipathy  between  the  seed  of  the 
■woman  and  the  seed  of  the  serpent.  Sinners  cannot 
abide  them  that  carry  any  face  or  show  of  religion,  or 
the  worship  of  God ;  hating,  and  touching,  and  biting 
will  not  serve  nor  satisfy,  they  must  devour  and 
destroy. 

Solomon  saith,  Prov.  xii.  10,  '  The  tender  mercies 
of  the  wicked  are  cruel ;'  viscera  crudelia,  cruel  bowels. 
The  wicked  is  ever  the  devourer.  Observe  it  as  a  sure 
rule,  that  church  or  that  commonwealth  which  devour- 
eth  and  maintaineth  slaughter  and  effusion  of  blood,  is 
the  synagogue  of  the  wicked. 

The  true  church  is  no  smiter,  no  traitor,  no  plotter, 
no  abettor  of  invasions ;  it  was  ever  true,  arma  ecdesue 
preces  et  lachrymcB,  the  weapons  of  the  church  are 
prayers  and  tears. 

The  church  of  Eome,  the  mother  of  murders,  and 
the  nest  wherein  treasons  breed  ;  the  nurse  of  Jesuits, 
the  incendaries  of  Christendom;  the  mint  of  facinorous 
machinations;  the  cathedral  and  dogmatical  defenders 
of  the  lawfulness  of  anything  that  is  done  for  their 
own  good,  hath  discovered  herself  to  be  antlchristian 
by  this  infallible  mark  of  cruelty  ;  she  is  a  devourer. 
It  is  the  religion  of  Rome  that  armed  the  Spaniards 
against  Queen  Elizabeth  and  her  land  in  '88;  the 
blessing  of  the  pope  and  the  curse  of  God  was  upon 
that  enterprise.  For  they  came  to  devour  them  that 
were  then  more  righteous  than  they. 

It  is  the  religion  of  Rome  that  digged  the  vault, 
that  hired,  that  freighted  the  cellar  under  the  Parlia- 
ment House  to  blow  up  all ;  os  sepulchri,  the  mouth 
of  the  grave  ;  os  inferni,  the  mouth  of  hell ;  the 
mouth  of  Rome  shall  gape  and  swallow  with  the  best 
of  them.    Surely  this  is  a  great  grievance  and  vexation 


of  spirit  here  on  earth,  to  see  the  worst  sort  of  men 
prevailing,  and  better  than  they  swallowed  up.  This 
is  also  aggravated  in  the  manner  of  it,  which  is  fully 
and  rhetorically  amplified  by  the  prophet. 

3.  The  next  grievance  amplified  by  a  comparison^ 
which  is  double,  ver.  14. 

(1.)  They  are  compared  to  the  fish  of  the  sea. 

(2.)  To  creeping  things  which  have  no  governor:    \ 

In  the  first  resemblance  he  insisteth,  ver.  1.5.  The" 
Chaldeans  are  the  fishermen,  the  Jews  the  fish,  as 
you  have  heard;  and  these  fishermen  use,  1,  the 
angle  ;  2,  the  net ;  3,  the  drag,  which  sheweth  a  full 
devouring:  as  in  Isa.  xiv.  22,  '  I  will  sweep  it  with 
the  besom  of  destruction,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.' 

Compare  this  text  with  that  of  Joel,  chap.  i.  4, 
*  That  which  the  palmer-worm  hath  left  hath  the 
locust  eaten  ;  and  that  which  the  locust  hath  left  hath 
the  canker-worm  eaten ;  and  that  which  the  canker- 
worm  hath  left  hath  the  caterpillar  eaten.'  For  what 
the  angle  leaveth,  the  net  taketh ;  and  what  escapeth 
the  net,  the  drag  doth  sweep  it  up.  Observe  here  with 
me, 

1.  This  manner  of  teaching,  by  familiar  resem- 
blances, is  much  used  in  both  Testaments;  and  it  is'a 
smooth  and  easy  kind  of  teaching,  which  doth  bring 
things  to  the  understanding  by  some  sensible  demon- 
strations. 

And  may  we  not  justly  charge  the  church  of  Rome 
with  cruelty  to  her  children,  that  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  hath  so  laboured  in  both  the  Testaments  to  open 
himself  to  the  understanding  of  the  simple,  the  oracle 
of  Trent  shall  put  out  the  candle,  and  turn  men  to 
seek  the  way  of  life  darkling,  without  the  light  of  the 
word,  which  they  shall  not  be  suffered  to  read,  for 
fear  of  understanding  by  it  their  impostures.  It  can 
be  no  good  religion,  wherein  they  that  know  the  least,. 
and  believe  the  most,  are  made  to  believe  they  are  in 
the  best  case. 

2.  I  find  here  that  there  is  a  wisdom  of  God  to  be 
learned  out  of  the  natural  and  moral  ways  of  life  :; 
as  the  stork  for  natural  affection  ;  the  ant  for  provi- 
dence ;  the  spider  for  industry ;  the  bee  for  art,  in- 
dustry, and  providence.  When  we  see  dogs  pursuing 
an  hare  or  a  deer,  thus  do  the  projectors  of  our  time 
hunt  the  commonwealth.  TNTien  we  see  fishermea 
cast  in  their  nets,  thus  do  the  oppressors  of  their  breth- 
ren ;  all  is  fish  that  comes  into  their  net.  A  wise 
and  sober  judgment  may  make  good  use  of  all  that 
his  eye  seeth,  to  behold  therein  either  the  goodness  of 

147 


60 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


God  to  man,  or  the  good  or  evil  that  cometh  from  one 
man  to  another. 

8.  In  that  he  doth  use  two  comparisons  and  resem- 
blances, to  fishes  on  the  sea,  and  to  creeping  things 
on  earth,  we  see  that  both  sea  and  land  do  afford  ex- 
amples. And  the  prophet  is  very  near  touched  with 
the  calamities  of  his  brethren,  that  which  way  soever 
he  looketh,  he  beholdeth  some  representation  of 
their  woe.  It  is  the  manner  of  grief  to  take  all 
occasions  to  figure  and  represent  to  itself  its  own 
sorrow. 

4.  Where  he  resembleth  them  to  creeping  things 
which  have  no  ruler  over  them. 

Two  things  do  aggravate  the  calamity  represented 
thereby  : 

(1.)  That  which  God  brought  upon  Edom,  *  I  have 
made  thee  small ;'  for  these  creeping  things  of  the 
earth  arc  of  small  strength,  and  are  subject  to  the 
foot  of  man  and  beast  to  tread  on  them.  Thus  God 
hath  made  the  Jews  the  very  earth  for  their  enemies 
to  go  over  them  ;  and  this  is  the  punishment  of  their 
pride  ;  for  pride  must  have  a  fall,  and  these  towering 
fowls  of  the  air  must  be  turned  into  creeping  worms  of 
the  earth. 

(2.)  They  have  no  ruler  over  them.  This  is  here 
set  forth  as  a  point  of  especial  note,  to  express  the  un- 
happiness  of  a  people  to  be  without  a  ruler  ;  and  there- 
fore anabaptists  are  wise  politicians,  that  would  have 
no  magistrate ;  but  the  punishment  of  the  Jews  is  just, 
that  they  should  be  without  a  ruler. 

Because  they  did  so  much  abuse  authority  and 
rule,  that  the  very  seat  of  judgment  were  corrupted  ; 
the  wicked  is  plaintiff,  and  the  godly  defendant :  '  The 
wicked  compasseth  about  the  righteous,  therefore 
wrong  judgment  proceedeth.' 

Better  no  rulers  at  all,  than  such  as  David  describ- 
eth,  '  Thou  seest  a  thief,  and  thou  consentest  with 
him.'  A  companion  of  thieves,  whose  justice  is  like 
that  on  Salisbury  Plain,  Deliver  thy  purse.  Perchance 
on  both  sides. 

But  rule  and  magistracy  is  the  ordinance  of  God,  as 
St  Paul  teacheth  ;  and  God,  by  his  subordinate  rulers 
on  earth,  carrieth  a  sword,  and  not  in  vain.  Without 
this,  as  when  there  was  no  king  in  Israel,  every  man 
doth  what  seemeth  good  in  his  own  eyes ;  which  doth 
utterly  destroy  the  body,  not  only  disfigure  the  face  of 
a  commonwealth. 

5.  Observe  also  here,  the  outrage  of  the  ungodly 
•when^they  find  any  way  open  for  their  violence  ;  for 

'  148 


they  come  in  like  a  flood,  that  hath  made  itself  way 
through  the  weak  banks,  and  deluge  all. 

Here  is  angle,  and  net,  and  drag,  as  before  :  '  The 
wicked  compasseth  about  the  righteous.'  Which  way 
shall  the  righteous  escape  ?  *  As  if  a  man  did  fly  from 
a  lion,  and  a  bear  met  him  ;  or  went  into  an  house, 
and  leaned  his  hand  on  a  wall,  and  a  serpent  bit  him,' 
Amos  V.  19.  This  made  David  so  earnest  with  God 
not  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  man. 

There  is  nothing  more  cruel  than  a  multitude  of 
ungodly  men,  that  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes. 

Cerium  est  in  silvis  inter  spelcea  ferarum  malle  pati ; 
the  teeth  of  these  dogs,  the  horns  of  these  bulls  of 
Bashan,  the  horns  of  these  unicorns,  the  tusks  of  these 
wild  boars,  the  paws  of  these  lions  and  bears  are 
mentioned  in  Scripture  often,  to  express  the  fury  and 
outrage  of  the  wicked. 

As  Edom  cried  in  the  day  of  Jerusalem,  Raze  it. 
'  If  the  foundation  be  destroyed,  what  can  the  right- 
eous do  ?'  Ps.  xi,  3. 

Judge  now,  is  it  not  a  great  grievance  to  see  and 
feel  the  force  and  fury  of  the  wicked  carry  all  before 
them,  and  neither  their  own  conscience  nor  the  laws 
of  men  restain  them,  and  God  sit  still,  look  on,  and 
hold  his  peace  ?  This  is  that  which  grieves  the  pro- 
phet to  the  heart.  But  God  that  seeth  it  hath  pure 
eyes,  and  hath  a  right  hand  that  will  find  out  all  his 
enemies. 

Amos  will  tell  us  that  God  hath  his  angle  too,  and 
his  net,  and  his  drag  :  chap.  ix.  11,  'I  saw  the  Lord 
standing  upon  the  altar ;  and  he  said,  I  will  slay  the 
last  of  them  with  the  sword  :  he  that  fleeth  of  them 
shall  not  fly  away  ;  and  he  that  escapeth  of  them  shall 
not  be  delivered.  Though  they  dig  into  hell,  there 
shall  my  hand  take  them  ;  though  they  climb  up  into 
heaven,  thence  will  I  bring  them  down  :  and  though 
they  hide  themselves  in  the  top  of  Carmel,  I  will 
search  and  take  them  out  thence  ;  and  though  they 
be  hid  from  my  sight  in  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  thence 
will  I  command  the  serpent,  aud  he  shall  bite  them : 
and  though  they  go  into  captivity  before  their  ene- 
mies, thence  will  I  command  the  sword,  and  it  shall 
slay  them :  I  will  set  mine  eyes  upon  them  for  evil, 
and  not  for  good.' 

Let  us  not  be  discouraged,  for  the  wise  man  saith 
comfortably  to  us  :  Eccles.  v.  8,  '  If  thou  seest  the 
oppression  of  the  poor,  and  violent  perverting  of  judg- 
ment and  justice  in  a  province,  marvel  not  at  the 


1 

I 


Ver.  12-17.] 


MARBUKY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


61 


matter  :  for  he  that  is  higher  than  the  highest  regard- 
eth  ;  and  there  be  higher  than  they.' 

Oar  commonwealth  grew  fonl,  the  hand  of  the  op- 
pressor was  stretched  out,  and  they  that  pretended  to 
be  the  physicians  of  the  diseases  of  this  state  gave 
it  a  potion  of  deadly  wine,  that  it  grew  sick,  and  draw- 
ing on  even  to  death,  the  hearts  of  true  patriots  failed 
them.  The  poor  cried  out ;  the  rich  could  not  say  of 
that  which  he  possessed,  Hac  mea  sunt,  these  are  mine ; 
seats  of  justice,  instead  of  judgment,  yielded  worm- 
wood, et  ecce  clamor,  and  behold  a  cry,  even  the  loud 
voice  of  grievances.  But  God  awaked,  as  one  out  of 
sleep;  and  what  the  angle  of  the  magistrate  and  the  net 
of  the  king  could  not  take,  the  drag  of  the  parliament 
is  now  cast  out  to  fetch  it  in ;  and  we  have  gracious 
promises  that  we  shall  see  religion  better  established, 
and  justice  better  administered,  the  moths  that  fretted 
our  garments  destroyed,  the  caterpillar,  the  canker- 
worm,  and  the  palmer-worm,  the  projectors  of  our 
times  that  devoured  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  drew 
the  breasts  of  the  commonwealth  dry  into  their  own 
vessels,  both  detected  and  punished  ;  yea,  that  we  shall 
see  Jerusalem  in  prosperity  all  our  days.  It  is  the 
music  of  the  voices  of  both  houses  of  parliament,  and 
he  that  is  rector  chori,  the  master  of  the  choir,  doth 
set  for  them  both,  '  Let  peace  be  within  thy  walls, 
and  plenteousness  within  thy  palaces.' 

This  fills  our  mouths  with  laughter,  and  our  tongues 
with  singing.  The  keeper  of  Israel  is  awake,  and 
hath  not  been  an  idle  spectator  of  those  tragedies 
that  have  been  acted  here  amongst  us  ;  he  hath  but 
tarried  a  time,  till  the  abominable  wickedness  of  the 
sons  of  Belial  was  found  worthy  to  be  punished. 

6.  One  note  more  remaineth.  The  prophet  doth 
find  that  all  this  evil  doth  not  come  upon  the  Jews  by 
chance,  by  the  mahee  of  Satan,  or  the  proud  covet- 
ous cruelty  of  the  Chaldeans  ;  for  he  saith  to  God, 
'  Thou  makest  men  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea.'  Here 
is  the  hand  of  God,  and  the  counsel  of  God  in  all  this. 

And  God  taketh  it  upon  himself,  as  you  have  heard 
before  :  vers.  5,  6, '  Behold  ye  among  the  heathen, 
and  regard,  and  wonder  marvellously  ;  for  I  will  work 
a  work  in  your  days,  which  you  wUl  not  believe.  Lo, 
I  raise  up  the  Chaldeans,'  &c. 

For  though  sin  brought  in  punishment,  yet  God's 
justice  is  the  author  of  all  evils  of  this  kind,  and 
the  inflicter  of  punishment.  Tu  doinine  fedsti,  saith 
the  psalmist,  Thou,  Lord,  hast  done  it. 

And  I  have  taught  you  that  the  wisdom  and  good- 


ness of  God  can  make  use  of  evil  men  for  the  cor- 
rection of  his  church  ;  they  be  ingredients  in  the 
dose  that  God  giveth  to  his  diseased  people  to  purge 
them. 

Therefore  let  not  our  hearts  fret  at  those  rods, 
which  have  no  strength  to  use  themselves,  but  ra- 
ther stoop  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  manageth 
them  for  our  castigation.  We  have  no  fence  against 
these  judgments,  but  a  good  conscience  endeavour- 
ing to  serve  God  sincerely,  for  that  either  dlverteth 
the  judgment,  that  the  sun  shall  not  smite  us  by  day 
nor  the  moon  by  night,  or  it  maketh  us  able  to  bear 
it,  as  from  the  hand  of  a  father  that  cannot  find  in 
his  heart  to  hurt  us. 

You  heard  the  faith  of  this  prophet  concerning  this 
point,  '  We  shall  not  die  :  thou  hast  ordained  them 
for  judgment,  thou  hast  established  them  for  correc- 
tion ;  only  let  us  not  be  incorrigible,  nor  faint  when 
we  are  rebuked,  '  for  he  chasteneth  every  son  that  he 
receiveth.* 

4.  The  fourth  grievance  is  the  pride  and  vainglory 
of  the  proud  Chaldeans  ;  expressed  in  two  things  : 

1.  In  the  joy  of  their  victories,  '  They  rejoice  and 
are  glad.' 

2.  In  their  attribution  of  this  glory  to  themselves, 
which  is  self-idolatry. 

1.  They  rejoice  and  are  glad. 

The  enemies  of  the  church  have  their  time  to  laugh ; 
the  wise  man  calleth  it  the  candle  of  the  wicked ;  it 
lighteth  them  for  a  time  ;  it  is  uniiis  diei  hilaris  in- 
sania  ;  they  dance  to  the  pipe,  and  drink  their  wine 
in  bowls  ;  they  eat  of  the  fat,  and  they  remember  not 
the  aflliction  of  Joseph  to  pity  it :  they  remember  it 
to  result*  over  Joseph. 

The  king  and  Haman  sat  drinking  together  when 
the  edict  was  gone  forth  for  the  destruction  of  the  Jews, 
and  then  the  city  Shushan  was  perplexed,  Esther  iii.  15. 

The  grief  of  the  church  is  the  joy  of  the  ungodly ; 
it  is  David's  complaint,  Ps.  xxxv.  21,  '  Yea,  they 
opened  their  mouth  wide  against  me,  and  said,  Aha ! 
our  eye  hath  seen  it.'  They  have  David's  depreca- 
tion, ver.  2-5,  '  Let  them  not  say  in  their  hearts,  Ah, 
so  we  would  have  it :  let  them  not  say.  We  have 
swallowed  them  up.'  They  have  David's  imprecation, 
ver.  26,  '  Let  them  be  ashamed,  and  brought  to  con- 
fusion, that  rejoice  at  mine  hurt :  let  them  be  clothed 
with  shame  and  dishonour  that  magnify  themselves 
against  me.'  He  was  in  the  very  passion  of  this  pro- 
*  Qu.  '  insult '  ?  or  •  exult '?— Ed. 

149 


62 


MAKBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


phet  for  this  :  ver.  17,  'Lord,  how  long  wilt  thou  look 
on?' 

St  Augustine  upon  these  words  saith.  Quod  capiti, 
hoc  corpori,  what  was  to  the  head,  that  to  the  body, 
for  thus  did  the  Jews  rejoice  in  the  cross  of  Christ ; 
they  had  their  will  of  him ;  it  is  vox  capitis,  the  voice 
the  head  :  '  But  in  mine  adversity  they  rejoiced,  and 
gathered  themselves  together  against  me.' 

St  Augustine's  comfort  against  this  calamity  is, 
<Qtiicquid  faciunt,  Christus  in  ccelo  est :  Iwnoravit  ille 
fpcenam  suam,  jam  cruceni  suarn  in  omnium  frontihus 
Jiicit,  which  hath  reference  to  the  signing  with  the 
sign  of  the  cross  in  the  baptism  of  Christians,  then  in 
the  use  of  the  church. 

Reason  1.  The  reason  of  this  joy  in  the  wicked  at 
the  sorrows  of  the  church  is  because  the  wicked  do 
want  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  God  ;  they  do  not 
know  that  God  is  the  protector  of  the  church,  but 
because  they  see  them  in  outward  things  most  ne- 
glected, they  judge  them  given  over  of  God  and  for- 
saken. David's  complaint,  '  For  mine  enemies  speak 
against  me,  and  they  that  lay  wait  for  my  soul  take 
counsel  together,  saying,  God  hath  forsaken  him  : 
persecute  and  take  him,  for  there  is  none  to  deliver 
him.'  For  they  measure  the  light  of  God's  counte- 
nance according  to  the  scantling  of  outward  prosperity. 

Reason  2.  The  wicked  want  the  unity  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  the  bond  of  peace  ;  for  the  God  of  peace  is 
not  in  their  ways  ;  they  love  not,  they  call  not  upon 
God.  Charity  is  a  theological  virtue  ;  where  there  is 
not  true  religion,  there  can  be  no  true  love. 

I  am  sure  this  is  a  true  rule  in  divinity,  whatso- 
ever human  policy  have  to  say  against  it.  Christ 
foretold  his  disciples,  John  xv.  17-19,  '  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  affliction.  These  things  I  command  you, 
that  ye  love  one  another.  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye 
know  it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you.  If  ye  were  of 
the  world,  the  world  would  love  his  own.'  Charity 
is  the  bond  of  peace  only  to  the  children  of  peace  ; 
and  they  that  in  religion  do  stand  in  times  of  contra- 
diction, it  is  not  possible  to  fit  them  with  a  girdle. 

This  point  is  thus  made  profitable  to  us. 

Use  1.  For  ourselves.  Seeing  religion  is  the  best 
bond  of  brotherhood,  and  where  no  religion  is,  there 
can  be  no  sincere  love,  let  us  labour  to  grow  up  more 
and  more  in  the  knowledge  and  love  and  obedience  of 
the  truth,  that  we  may  be  fortified  throughout  both  in 
our  bodies  and  in  our  souls  and  spirits,  for  this  maketh 
ue  all  one  body ;  and  we  can  no  more  fall  out  tLan 
150 


the  members  of  our  natural  bodies  can  disagree  one 
with  another.  The  orator  spake  ignorantly  of  the 
union  of  affections  by  the  same  country :  P atria  omnes 
in  se  charitates  complexa  est,  the  love  of  country  com- 
prehends all-  love ;  for  we  know  that  we  have  had 
many  unnatural  fugitives  which  have  abandoned  their 
country  and  plotted  treasons  abroad  against  it,  and 
have  returned  full  of  foreign  venom  and  poison  to 
corrupt  the  afiections  of  the  natural  subjects  of  their 
sovereign,  with  hatred  of  religion  and  peace. 

That  is  only  true  of  religion,  for  that  so  sweeteneth 
the  afi'ections  of  men,  that,  as  they  are  content  to  do  any- 
thing they  can  one  for  another,  so  they  can  be  content 
to  endure  anything  one  for  another,  to  bear  for  one 
another's  sakes,  and  to  put  up  at  one  another's  hands 
many  things,  to  forgive  '  not  seven  times,  but  seventy 
times  seven  times.'  For  the  true  church,  as  Bernard 
saith,  doth  suspendere  verbera,  producere  libera,  hide 
the  rod  and  lay  forth  the  breasts. 

2.  For  our  children,  we  must  instruct  them  betimes 
in  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  God,  that  they  may  learn 
the  doctrines  of  piety  and  charity,  and  may  be  taught  to 
be  members  one  of  another. 

3.  This  setteth  a  mark  upon  the  enemies  of  God, 
because  where  there  is  strife  and  envying,  where  there 
is  hatred  and  malice,  are  not  they  carnal  ? 

If  it  be  our  duty  to  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice, 
and  to  weep  with  them  that  weep,  they  belong  not  to 
the  fold  of  Christ  that  rejoice  at  the  weeping,  or  weep 
at  the  rejoicing,  of  their  brethren. 

4.  This  declare th  the  vanity  of  the  joy  of  the  world, 
for  seeing  their  rejoicing  is  evil,  it  cannot  be  long 
lived ;  and  therefore  it  is  said,  that  '  the  candle  of  the 
wicked  shall  be  put  out,'  but  '  the  joy  of  the  elect  shall 
no  man  take  from  them.'  Therefore,  *  woe  to  them 
that  laugh  here,'  for  their  'harp  shall  be  turned  into 
mourning,  and  their  organs  into  the  voice  of  them 
that  weep ;'  but  '  blesssed  are  they  that  mourn,  for 
they  shall  be  comforted  ;'  and  the  time  shall  come 
when  they  shall  rejoice  over  them  who  have  joyed  at 
their  pains  ;  and  '  rejoice  over  her,  0  heaven,  and 
ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged 
you  on  her.' 

2.  They  attribute  the  glory  of  the  conquest  to  them- 
selves, they  understand  not  who  raised  them  up  against 
the  Jews,  who  gave  them  strength  to  fight,  and  who 
gave  them  victory ;  therefore  they  burn  incense  to 
their  own  nets,  and  kiss  their  own  hands,  and  thank 
themselves  for  all.     Here  is  the  growth  of  iniquity ; 


Yer.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


63 


for  first  they  exercise  all  cruel  inhumanity  against  the 
Jews,  then  they  rejoice  over  them,  and  then  doth  their 
sin  grow  out  of  measure  sinful,  for  they  forbear  not 
to  provoke  God  himself  by  their  pride  of  heart,  robbing 
him  of  the  glory  of  his  own  work,  and  ascribing  it  to 
themselves. 

This  even  the  light  of  nature  hath  detected  to  be 
most  injurious"^to  God,  and  most  dangerous  to  men, 
for  they  that  have  any  natural  notion  of  the  Deity, 
know  that  the  whole  glory  of  all  achievements  belongs 
to  that  supreme  Power  which  ruleth  all. 

In  the  great  consultation  wherein  Xerxes  *  made  a 
proposition  of  war  against  Greece,  having  a  special 
grudge  at  the  Athenians,  Mardonius  was  an  earnest 
persuader  to  the  attempt,  but  Artabanus,  son  of  His- 
taspes,  the  uncle  of  Xerxes  the  king,  a  grave,  aged 
man,  dissuaded  it.  His  great  argument  was  drawn 
from  a  consideration  of  the  danger  of  greatness  to 
which  the  king,  his  nephew,  aspired  to  be  lord  of  all, 
and  nrgeth  that  old  observation  which  Horace  the  poet 
since  used,  Feriuntque  swnmos  fulmina  morUes,  the 
lightm'ng  strikes  the  highest  tops.  His  rule  is,  Gaudet 
Deus  eminentissima  quaque  deprimere,  quia  Detts  nemi- 
nem  alium  quam  seipsum  sinit  magnijice  de  se  sentire. 
The  point  here  notable  is, 

Doct.  The  prosperity  of  this  world  doth  fill  the 
hearts  of  men  with  pride  and  vain  estimation  of  them- 
selves. 

At  the  first,  when  things  succeeded  well  with  the 
Chaldean,  he  gave  the  honour  thereof  to  his  idol  god, 
as  you  have  heard,  but  now  he  taketh  it  aU  upon 
himself ;  his  own  net,  that  is,  his  wit  and  strength, 
hath  done  all,  and  he  is  now  his  own  god.  The  wise 
man  saith,  Prov.  i.  42,  '  The  prosperity  of  fools  shall 
destroy  them.' 

They  that  worship  strange  gods,  and  do  ascribe  all 
their  fair  betidings  to  them,  do  commit  idolatry  and 
sin  grievously ;  yet  these  do  confess  a  Deity,  and 
acknowledge  the  power  though  not  the  person  of  God 
in  supreme  agency  ;  but  they  that  assume  aU  to  them- 
selves deny  a  Deity,  or  disable  it,  so  as  that  they  may 
work  without  any  borrowed  help  from  thence  ;  so  that 
the  greatest  idolatry  that  is  or  can  be  committed  is  that 
pride  of  heart  which  assumeth  to  itself  the  glory  of 
prosperous  success.  And  let  men  take  heed  of  this 
temptation,  for  it  is  flattering  and  fair  spoken,  and  our 
corrupt  nature  is  very  prone  to  give  it  entertainment. 
This  is  one  of  the  two  things  that  Agur,  the  son  of 
*  Herod.  1.  7.     Polyrrima. 


Jakeh,  did  pray  against :  Prov.  xxi.  8,  9,  '  Remove 
far  from  me  vanity  and  lies.'  This  opinion  of  our- 
selves is  well  termed  vanity,  for  nothing  can  be  more 
empty  and  void  than  it  is  ;  and  it  is  as  well  called  /ies, 
for  nothing  can  be  more  untrue  than  that  we  should 
be  able  as  of  ourselves  to  do  anything  for  ourselves. 

The  danger,  '  Lest  if  I  be  full  I  deny  thee,  and  say, 
who  is  the  Lord  ? 

Here  are  two  things  in  the  Chaldeans,  which  Job 
doth  protest  against,  and  imprecate  himself  if  he  be 
guilty  of  either  of  them. 

The  former  evil.  Job  xxxi.  29,  '  If  I  rejoiced  at  the 
destruction  of  them  that  hated  me  ;'  and  this,  ver.  27 
'  If  my  heart  hath  been  secretly  enticed,  or  my  mouth 
hath  kissed  my  hand,'  this  also  were  an  iniquity  to 
be  punished  by  the  judge,  for  I  should  have  denied 
that  God  that  is  above. 

It  is  saint  Gregory's  note  upon  that  text :  Per 
manum  oj)eratio, per  os  locutio  desijnatur ;  manum  ergo 
oscidalur  ore  sito,  qui  laudat  quod  facit  et  testimonio 
propria  locutionis  soli  virlutem  tribuit  operis. 

Let  us  remember  our  sicut  in  ccelo,  *  as  in  heaven.' 
For  in  heaven  the  twenty-four  elders  cast  their  crowns 
before  the  throne,  which,  as  St  Gregory  saith,  is,  Cer- 
taminum  suorum  victorias  non  sibi  tribuere,  sed  authori, 
ut  ad  illuin  referant  gloriam  laudis,  a  quo  se  sciunt  acee- 
pisse  vires  certaminis. 

To  arrogate  to  ourselves  God's  glory,  this  in  Job's 
judgment  is  iniquitas  maxima,  the  greatest  iniquity ; 
ioT  peccatum  ex  infirmitate  spem  non  perdit,  sin  of  in- 
firmity loseth  not  hope,  but  presumption  destroyeth 
hope  utterly,  and  so  faith  also,  *  for  faith  is  the  ground 
of  things  hoped  for.'  Against  this  let  us  hear  the 
apostle :  Gal.  v.  26,  '  Let  us  not  be  desirous  of  vain- 
glory ;'  this  is  that  dangerous  sin  of  pride,  which  doth 
put  ourselves  into  the  place  and  room  of  God,  and 
usurpeth  his  rights. 

Our  Saviour  hath  sufficiently  discouraged  this  sin 
in  a  few  words  to  such  as  do  rightly  understand  him ; 
for  when  the  disciples  returned  to  him,  Luke  x.  17, 
and  said,  '  Lord,  the  devUs  are  subject  to  us  through 
thy  name,'  Christ  answered,  ver.  18,  •  I  beheld  Satan  as 
lightning  fall  from  heaven.'  Greg.,  Ut  in  disciptdis  suis 
elationem  premeret ;  judicium  ruina  retulit,  quod  ipte 
magister  elationis  accepit. 

The  very  way  to  begin  the  true  worship  and  service 
of  God  in  us,  is  to  put  off  ourselves  by  an  humble  and 
true  confession,  that  of  ourselves  we  are  able  for  no 
good  work.     I  do  not  say  to  demerit  God,  but  not  to 

151 


64 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  I. 


do  ourselves  any  good.  The  wisdom  that  guideth  us 
is  from  above,  the  strength  that  enableth  us  is  dextra 
excelsi,  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High.  This  shews 
which  way  the  glory  and  praise  of  all  must  go. 

Considering  then  the  fault  of  these  Chaldeans  in 
this  vanity  of  boasting  themselves, 

1.  Let  us  come  to  decline  it  as  a  disease. 

2.  Let  us  embrace  the  remedies  thereof. 
Use.  1.  Decline  it. 

(1.)  Because  it  trespasseth  that  same  jjra»»w  et 
magnum  mandatum,  the  first  and  great  commandment; 
for  it  robbeth  God  of  his  glory,  and  assumeth  it  to 
ourselves  ;  and  God  hath  sworn  that  he  will  not  admit 
any  partner  or  sharer  with  him  in  glory. 

(2.)  It  con  numerate  th  us  with  the  children  of 
Satan,  for  he  is  the  father  of  all  the  sons  of  pride. 

(3.)  It  exterminates  charity  ;  for  it  maketh  a  man's 
own  will  the  rule  of  his  actions,  and  not  the  will  of 
God,  which  maketh  us  the  prevaricators  of  the  second 
like  commandment  to  the  first,  diliges  proxbnum  sicut 
teipsum,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  ^neighbour  as  thyself. 

(4.)  It  maketh  us  liable  to  the  severest  vengeance 
of  God,  for  God  resisteth  the  proud ;  and  if  they 
perish  whom  God  doth^^not  assist,  what  hope  can  they 
have  whom  God  doth  resist  ? 

(5.)  It  strippeth  us  out  of  all  those  graces  and 
common  favours  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  we  have ; 
for  when  God  seeth  that  we  employ  his  talent  to  our 
own  advantage,  he  will  surely  take  it  from  us,  seeing 
he  took  from  him  that  emploj'ed  not  his  talent  to  his 
advantage  ;  for  it  is  a  greater  sin  to  be  a  false  than  to 
be  an  idle  servant. 

(6.)  There  is  no  vice  that  becomes  a  man  worser 
than  self-opinion.  We  esteem  one  poor  and  proud  very 
odious ;  and  such  are  they  that  ascribe  anything  to 
themselves,  because  we  are  not  able  of  ourselves,  to 
think,  to  move,  to  live,  to  subsist,  without  our  God. 

(7.)  There  is  no  vice  that  pleaseth  Satan  better 
than  self-confidence,  for  that  quitteth  God's  part  in 
us,  and  separateth  us  from  God,  which  is  all  that 
Satan  seeks,  for  then  he  hath  sure  possession,  and  all 
that  he  holdeth  is  in  peace. 

(8.)  A  proud  man,  that  ascribeth  all  to  himself, 
must  needs  be  unthankful.  I  may  stir  up  all  the  in- 
conveniences of  self- opinion  with  this,  for  it  is  an  old 
truth,  Ingratum  si  dixeris,  omnia  dixeiis,  Say  he  is 
unthankful,  and  you  have  said  all.  This  is  a  full  im- 
putation ;  and  St  Bernard  saith,  Ingratitudo  est  ventus 
tirens,  siccans  sibi  rorem  misericordia;,  Jiiienta  graticc. 
152 


2.  The  remedies. 

These  we  may  reduce  to  these  few. 

(1.)  A  frequent  and  serious  consideration  of  our- 
selves, what  we  were  by  creation,  what  we  are  by  our 
fall ;  for  so  we  shall  find  how  poor  and  impotent  we 
are  in  ourselves,  how  we  have  no  strength  to  do  any  • 
thing,  but  we  are  debtors  to  God  for  all.  All  that  we 
have  is  borrowings ;  quid  habes  0  homo  quod  non  oc- 
cepisti  ?  We  have  lost  the  freedom  of  our  will  to  any- 
thing that  is  good ;  we  do  carry  about  us  legem  mem- 
hrorum,  corpus  peccati,  so  that  our  strength  is  weak- 
ness, our  wisdom  is  folly,  our  fiieudship  with  the 
world  enmity  with  God. 

(2.)  The  clearest  mirror  to  behold  ourselves  in,  is 
the  holy  word  of  God,  which  reporteth  to  us  the 
story  of  our  creation,  and  of  our  fall,  which  openeth 
and  revealeth  God  to  us  in  his  justice,  holiness  and 
wisdom,  and  power  and  mercy. 

(3.)  Let  us  set  God  always  before  us,  and  the 
nearer  we  approach  to  him ,  the  more  shall  we  perceive 
whereof  we  are  made,  and  we  shall  then  remember 
that  we  are  but  dust ;  we  shall  perceive  wherefore  we 
are  made,  namely,  to  live  in  the  obedience  and  service 
of  our  Maker  ;  to  bestow  all  our  time  constantly 
therein,  even  to  the  end,  to  glorify  God  in  cur  bodies 
and  in  our  souls. 

We  shall  see  how  unable  we  are  to  perform  any 
part  of  this  duty  without  God,  and  how  we  stand  ob- 
noxious to  the  curse  of  the  law,  for  either  omitting 
the  duties  which  we  should  perform,  or  committing 
anything  against  that  just  law.  What  have  we  then 
to  be  proud  of,  seeing  '  in  him,  and  for  him,  and  by 
him  are  all  things '  ? 

(4.)  Let  us  often  revolve  and  recount  the  good 
favours  of  God  to  us,  and  remember  all  his  benefits, 
and  consider  what  he  hath  done  for  us ;  and  we  shall 
find  that  there  is  a  full  stream  of  favour  coming 
towards  us,  whether  we  sleep  or  awake,  whether  we 
drink  of  that  brook  in  the  way  or  not. 

The  apostle  joineth  two  precepts  together,  which  do 
sweetly  serve  to  exercise  a  godly  and  Christian  Hfe: 
'  Pray  continually ;  in  all  things  give  thanks  ; '  which 
do  shew  that  all  good  gifts  come  from  above  to  us, 
and  therefore  all  our  holy  duties  must  direct  them- 
selves that  way ;  and  as  our  help  cometh  from  those 
hills,  so  our  eyes  must  be  ever  to  those  hills.  '  It  is 
not  bread  that  man  doth  live  by,  but  by  every  word 
that  proceedeth  from  the  mouth  of  God  ; '  it  is  not  the 
letter  of  the  word  that  quickeneth  us,  but  the  Spirit. 


Veb.  12-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


65 


Our  whole  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who 
hath  made  heaven  and  earth ;  '  hallowed  be  that  name,' 
'  we  are  his  people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture  ;  let 
us  go  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiviBg,  and  into  his 
courts  with  praise ;  let  us  be  thankful  to  him,  and 
speak  good  of  his  name.'  Let  us  do  this  faithfallv, 
and  we  shall  see  it  is  no  thank  to  our  own  net,  or 
drag,  that  our  portion  is  fat,  and  our  meat  plenteous  ; 
for  none  but  he  filleth  the  hungry  with  good  things. 
Peter  and  his  company,  though  they  had  their  nets, 
and  fished  all  night,  yet  they  caught  nothing,  when 
at  Christ's  word  they  let  fall  their  net  and  made  a 
great  draught,  they  knew  whom  to  thank  for  it.  A 
domino  fact tim  est  hoc,  this  is  the  Lord's  doing,  is  the 
voice  of  the  church  ;  therefore,  non  nobis,  nan  nobis, 
twice  he  putteth  it  from  ourselves,  sed  nomini  tuo  da 
gloiiam,   '  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give  the 

0.  Grievance.  Yer.  17,  '  Shall  they  therefore  empty 
their  net,  and  not  spare  continually  to  slay  the  nations  ?' 

He  continueth  his  former  figurative  manner  of 
speech,  and  presseth  his  grievance  ;  shall  those  fish- 
ing Chaldeans,  when  they  have  filled  their  net  with 
fish,  empty  it,  and  return  to  another  fishing  ?  will  it 
hold  out  that  they  shall  go  from  nation  to  nation,  and 
make  all  theirs  as  they  go  ? 

The  grievance  is,  that  the  prophet  doth  not  see  any 
end  of  their  cruel  persecutions  as  yet,  for  the  lingering 
afliictions,  which  gather  increase  of  strength  by  time, 
do  threaten  final  ruin,  whereas  violent  extremities 
spend  themselves  into  vanity  and  nothing. 

Two  things  are  here  feared. 

1.  The  hurt  that  they  may  do,  if  they  may  fill  and 
empty,  and  fill  again  their  net  as  often  as  they  will. 

2.  The  pride  of  heart,  that  they  may  gather  by  the 
vain-glory  of  their  conquests.  The  point  here  con- 
siderable is,  that, 

Doct.  The  ungodly  man  hath  no  bowels, 
Cain  must  kill  Abel  his  own"  natural  brother,  and 
Judas  must  betray  innocent  blood.  Thev  that  be 
once  fleshed  in  the  blood  of  men,  can  make  no  spare 
thereof;  there  is  oculus  in  sceptro,  but  not  oculits  in 
gladio,    an    eye  in  the  sceptre,  not   in   the   sword. 


Agag's  sword  made  many  women  childless.  The  grow- 
ing monarchies  ruined  all  before  them  as  they  went, 
and  overflowed  all  as  a  deluge ;  nations  and  kingdoms 
that  prevented  not  sacking  and  destruction  with  timely 
dedition,  perished  before  them.  But  it  is  a  sign  of 
an  unestablished  state,  when  the  foundation  thereof  is 
laid  in  blood  ;  and  such  as  must  be  watered  in  blood 
to  make  them  grow,  shall  have  an  informer  against 
them  ;  vox  sanguinis  fratris  tui  clamat  de  terra,  the 
voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  from  the  earth. 

This  makes  all  that  love  the  gates  of  Sion,  and  take 
pleasure  in  the  prosperity  of  our  Jerusalem,  to  give 
God  no  rest  in  their  earnest  devotions,  praying  him 
not  to  deliver  our  church  into  the  hands  of  papists, 
because  it  is  a  bloody  religion,  such  as  doth  hazard 
princes  more  than  common  men ;  which  doth  bear 
them  out  in  murders,  and  legitimateth  massacres  for 
the  safety  and  increase  of  their  church. 

2.  It  is  wisdom  out  of  the  present  state  of  things, 
to  forecast  what  may  come  hereafter,  as  the  prophet 
doth  ;  the  Chaldeans  must  come  and  invade  the  land, 
they  shall  fill  their  net  with  fish.  God  hath  spoken  it ; 
it  is  like  to  be  a  merry  time  with  them,  they  shall  re- 
joice and  be  glad.  They  are  like  to  grow  very  proud 
upon  it,  sacrificabiint  lagemv  sua,  &c.  They  shall 
sacrifice  to  their  net.  But  shall  this  conquest  so  flesh 
them,  that  they  shall  empty  their  nets,  and  fish  again 
amongst  the  nations,  and  not  cease  to  shed  blood  ? 

Hezekiah  hath  the  name  of  a  good  king  ;  he  prayed 
to  God,  *  Let  there  be  peace,'  or,  as  the  king's  Bible 
reads,  '  Is  it  not  good  that  there  be  peace  and  truth 
in  my  days  ? '  But  careful  princes  will  look  beyond 
their  own  days,  and  fit  their  designs  to  the  good 
of  posterity.  Present  evils,  being  in  their  growth, 
threaten  future  dangers ;  and  we  say  of  them  as  our 
Saviour  doth,  •  These  are  but  the  beginnings  of  sor- 
rows,' and  there  is  fear  that  there  will  be  semper 
deterior  posterior  dies,  the  latter  times  will  be  the 
worser.  The  best  remedy  is  to  awake  the  tender 
love  of  God  to  his  church,  with  an  expostulation, 
Shall  they  do  this,  0  Lord?  Tby  will  be  done. 
Shall  they  do  it  continually?  Wilt  thou  sufi"er  it? 
When  the  time  is  come,  he  will  have  mere  v. 


153 


66 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


CHAPTEE  11. 


VER.  1.  I  will  stand  upon  the  xcatcli,  and  set  me 
upon  the  tower,  and  will  watch  to  see  what  he 
will  say  unto  m.$,  and  what  I  shall  answer  when  I  am 
reproved. 

In  this  chapter  God  answereth  all  the  prophet's 
grievances,  and  it  containeth  two  parts. 

1.  The  prophet's  attendance  upon  God  for  his  an- 
swer, ver.  1. 

2.  The  Lord's  answer,  in  the  rest  of  the  chapter. 
In  the  first. 

The  prophet  having  disputed  with  God,  and  as  his 
name  importeth,  having  urestled  with  him,  doth  re- 
resolve, 

/  will  stand  njwn  the  watch,  and  set  me  upon  the 
tower,  alluding  to  the  military  practice  of  soldiers,  who 
appoint  some  in  some  eminent  place  to  observe  the 
enemy,  and  to  give  timely  warning  of  their  doings. 
And  seeing  God  hath  declared  himself  an  enemy  to 
the  Jews,  by  all  those  evils  which  he  hath  threatened 
to  bring  upon  them,  the  prophet  watcheth  him,  and 
attendeth  to  receive  further  advertisement  from  him- 
self concerning  his  purpose  toward  them. 

I  will  watch  to  see  ichat  he  will  say  unto  me ;  for  the 
secrets  of  the  Lord  are  revealed  unto  them  that  fear 
him.  *  And  God  spake  in  the  mouth  of  all  the  pro- 
phets, which  have  been  since  the  world  began.' 

Neither  doth  the  prophet  attend  God  out  of  a  curio- 
sity, scire  ut  sciat,  to  know  only,  as  Bernard  speaks ; 
but  that  he  may  know  what  to  answer  for  God  when 
he  is  reproved,  or  as  the  margin  saith  much  better, 
when  he  is  argued  with,  and  others  come  to  dispute 
with  him  upon  those  grievances,  as  he  hath  done  with 
God ;  for  you  must  understand,  that  in  all  the  former 
complaints  this  prophet  hath  not  argued  as  a  particu- 
lar man,  but  as  undertaking  the  cause  of  the  church, 
and  sustaining  the  persons  of  all  his  afflicted  brethren, 
for  whose  sakes,  that  he  may  satisfy  them,  and  for 
God's  sake,  whose  minister  he  is,  that  he  may  know 
how  to  maintain  to  them  the  cause  of  God's  wisdom 
and  justice,  he  doth  now  attend  God's  answer. 
154 


By  this  standing  upon  the  watch  and  upon  the 
tower,  in  this  place,  is  meant  the  prophet's  attending 
upon  a  further  revelation  of  the  will  of  God  concerning 
these  grievances,  because  in  those  times  God  did  speak 
to  his  prophets  by  visions,  and  dreams,  and  secret  in- 
spirations. And  holy  men  then  had  access  to  him 
immediately,  whereby  they  knew  the  mind  of  God,  and 
he  did  communicate  to  them  his  counsels.  Yet  so  as 
he  put  them  to  it  to  await  his  good  leisure,  and  to  ex- 
pect his  answer.  So  David,  in  his  own  case,  '  I  will 
hear  what  the  Lord  God  will  say  unto  me.' 

These  words  do  well  express  the  whole  duty  of  a 
faithful  prophet,  and  minister  of  the  word,  consisting 
of  two  parts. 

1.  His  information  of  himself,  implet  cisteniam,  he 
fills  the  cistern. 

2.  His  instruction  of  others,  for  then  he  will  turn 
the  cock. 

In  the  first  observe, 

1.  His  wisdom :  he  will  borrow  all  his  light  from 
the  sun.     '  What  will  he  say  unto  me  ?' 

2.  His  vigilancy  :  *  I  will  stand  upon  the  watch.' 

3.  His  patient  expectation  :  '  I  will  set  me  upon 
the  tower.' 

4.  His  holy  care,  to  see  what  will  be  said  to  him. 
1.  His  wisdom. 

He  will  take  his  information  from  the  mouth  of 
God ;  teaching  us, 

Doct.  That  the  faithful  minister  of  God  must  speak 
only  in  the  Lord's  message.  He  must  see  before  he 
say.  He  must  first  be  a  seer  and  then  a  speaker,  and 
he  must  not  go  from  the  instructions  which  God  shall 
give  him,  to  speak  more  or  less. 

This  is  our  wisdom  and  understanding,  to  take  our 
light  from  the  Father  of  lights,  to  gather  our  wisdom 
from  him  that  is  wisest  ;  '  Whose  foolishness  is  wiser 
than  man,'  as  the  apostle  telleth  us. 

Reason  1.  Because  of  our  nature  which  is  corrupt, 
so  our  reason  and  judgment ;  subject  to  errors  and 
mistakes,  as  we  see  in  Nathan,  who  encouraged  David 


Ver.  1.] 


JIABBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


G7 


in  his  purpose  of  building  a  temple,  vrhich  in  his  hu- 
man reason  seemed  a  good  intention,  and  David  a  fit 
person  to  undertake  it.  But  God  directed  him  to 
repeal  that  commission,  and  to  assign  that  work  to 
Solomon,  David's  son. 

Beason  2.  Because  we  are  ambassadors  from  God ; 
and  ambassadors  go  not  of  themselves,  but  are  sent ; 
and  they  must  remember  whose  persons  they  bear,  and 
be  careful  to  speak  according  to  their  instructions. 

Use  1.  This  as  it  is  a  direction  to  us  to  limit  our 
ministry,  that  we  may  not  do  more  or  less  than  our 
errand ; — 

Use  2.  So  it  is  a  rule  for  you  to  whom  we  are  sent, 
to  receive  or  refuse  our  ministry,  accordingly  as  you 
shall  justify  our  preachings  by  the  will  of  God,  re- 
vealed in  the  sacred  canon  of  Scripture  ;  searching  the 
Scriptures  as  the  men  of  Berea  did,  whether  those 
things  which  we  teach  be  so  or  not.  And  if  any  shall 
in  the  name  of  God  broach  or  vent  the  doctrines  of 
men,  you  may  say  to  him,  as  Xehemiah  said  to  San- 
ballat,  Neh.  vi.  8,  '  There  are  no  such  things  as  thou 
sayest,  but  thou  feignest  them  out  of  thine  own  heart.' 

But  take  heed  you  exceed  not  this  example  of  Ne- 
hemiah  ;  for  he  did  not  charge  Sanballat  thus,  till  he 
perceived  that  God  had  not  sent  him,  but  that  he  pro- 
nounced this  prophecy. 

For  many  hearers  are  so  seasoned  with  prejudice 
against  their  teachers,  that  if  any  thing  sound  not  to 
the  just  tune  of  their  own  fancies,  they  will  suddenly 
quarrel  it.  Yet,  as  Gamaliel  saith,  '  If  the  counsel 
be  of  God,  it  will  stand,  whosoever  oppose  it.' 

Use  3.  This  reproveth  those  forward  intruders  into 
the  Lord's  harvest,  who  come  unsent,  and  bring  not 
their  sickle  with  them ;  they  will  work  without  tools, 
and  they  wiU  teach  before  they  have  learned.     Like 
the  foolish  virgins,  they  would  spend  of  the  wise  vir- 
gins'  oil ;  they  do  sapere  ex  commentario ,   and  take 
their  sermons  upon  trust,  hearkening  what  God  hath 
said  to  others,  and  not  tarrying  till  God  speak  to    i 
them.     It  is  no  wonder  if  these  merchants  do  break   i 
who  set  up  without  a  stock  ;  they  be  but  broken  cis-    : 
terns ;  though  some  water  run  through  them,  they 
hold  none.  i 

The  faithful  minister  must  not  only  observe  quid  I 
dicit  Dominus,  what  the  Lord  saith,  but  quid  dicit  i 
mihi,  what  he  saith  to  me.  He  must  have  the  war-  | 
rant  of  his  own  mission  from  a  special  illumination  of 
his  own  understanding,  or  else  his  trumpet  will  never  i 
give  a  certain  sound. 


Use  4.  This  bindeth  the  hearer  to  aflfection.  For 
if  the  Spirit  speaketh  to  the  churches,  then  qui  habet 
aures  audiendi  audiat ;  '  He  that  hath  ears  let  him 
hear.'  Est  Dens  in  nobis,  God  is  in  us.  They  do  not 
flatter  us  as  they  did  Herod,  and  we  shall  never  die  of 
the  worms  for  receiving  that  testimony  of  our  ministry, 
if  we  deal  faithfully,  that  say  of  our  preaching,  *  The 
voice  of  God,  and  not  of  man  ;'  for  St  Paul  testifieth 
of  the  Thessalonians,  1  Thes.  ii.  13, '  For  this  cause  also 
thank  we  God,  because,  when  ye  received  the  word  of 
God  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the 
word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God, 
which  effectually  worketh  also  on  you  that  believe.' 

Beloved,  it  is  true  that  we  that  are  now  ihe  wit- 
nesses of  God,  have  not  that  open  access  to  him  that 
the  prophet  had,  to  receive  immediate  instructions  from 
his  own  mouth.  But  Christ  saith,  Sicut  misit  me 
Pater,  ita  et  ego  mitto  vos,  '  As  the  Father  sent  me, 
so  send  I  you.'  And  he  telleth  his  Father  how  he 
hath  provided  for  his  church  till  his  second  coming : 
John  xvii.  8,  '  I  have  given  them  the  word  which  thou 
gavest  me,  and  they  have  received  them ;'  and  having 
so  done,  he  said  unto  them,  Ite  et  docete,  '  Go  and 
teach.' 

When  thou  comest  then  to  church,  and  hearest 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  the  psalms,  which  was 
the  manna  wherewith  God  fed  the  fathers  before  the 
incarnation  of  Christ,  when  the  veil  of  the  temple 
was  up,  remember  what  Abraham  said  to  the  rich 
man,  Habent  Mosen  et  prophetas,  audiant  eos,  '  They 
have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let  them  hear  them.' 
That  is  the  way  to  keep  out  of  hell.  "SMien  thou 
heai'est  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  gospel, 
the  veil  of  the  temple  being  torn  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom,  Christ  now  revealed  to  thee  with  open  face, 
take  heed  thou  despise  not  him  that  speaketh  to  thee 
in  the  ministry  of  a  mortal  man.  This  is  a  treasure 
which  is  brought  unto  you  in  earthen  vessels  ;  value 
the  vessels  at  their  own  worth  in  themselves,  but  yet 
regard  them  above  their  worth  for  their  use,  for  they 
bring  you  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge, 
enough  to  make  you  wise  unto  salvation,  sufficient  to 
beget  faith  in  you,  by  which  you  may  overcome  the 
world:  enough  to  make  you  perfect,  throughly  per- 
fect, to  all  good  works.  This  is  done  by  our  minis- 
try, if  you  will  hear  God  in  us  ;  and  what  would 
you  desire  more  than  to  be  taught  how  to  become 
wise  and  honest  ?  for  such  are  not  afraid  of  the  par- 
liament, and  say  with  St  Paul,  1  Cor.  iv.  8,  '  With 

155 


68 


MARBURY  ON  UABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II . 


me  it  is  a  very  small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged  of 
you,  or  of  man's  judgment.' 

2.  The  vigikncy  of  the  prophet,  'I  will  stand  upon 
the  watch.' 

Amongst  the  great  titles  of  honour  and  service  that 
are  given  to  the  ministers  of  the  word  in  Scripture, 
this  is  one ;  they  are  called  ivatchmen.  It  is  God's 
word  to  Ezeliiel,  chap.  iii.  17,  '  Son  of  man,  I  have 
made  thee  a  watchman  unto  the  house  of  Israel : 
therefore  hear  the  word  at  my  mouth,  and  give  them 
warning  from  me,'  which  is  repeated  in  the  same 
words,  chap,  xxxiii.  7,  as  the  margin  of  the  king's 
Bible  directeth  you.  This  correspondence  must  be 
between  God  and  his  minister ;  for  if  God  do  make 
us  watchmen  over  the  house  of  Israel,  then,  with 
Habakkuk,  we  must  stand  upon  the  watch. 

Let  not  us  plead  the  trust  of  God  committed  to  us, 
except  we  can  plead  our  faithfulness  in  the  discharge 
of  that  trust. 

This  is  indeed  an  honour  done  to  the  prophets  and 
ministers  of  the  church,  to  commit  the  church  of 
God  to  our  care ;  but  the  burden  of  this  care,  to  keep 
watch,  is  exceeding  great.  '  A  necessity  is  laid  upon 
me,  and  woe  be  to  me  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel.' 

Here  be  two  things  in  this  office : 

1,  To  watch  ;  2,  To  give  warning. 

1.  Some  can  watch,  but  they  can  give  no  warning, 
ministers  of  good  and  preaching  lives,  but  not  apt  to 
teach,  which  St  Paul  requires  in  his  ministers,  of 
whom  St  Jerome  saith,  Innocens  sine  sennone  conver- 
satio,  quantum  prodest  exenqilo,  tantum  nocet  silentio. 

2.  Some  will  sometimes  give  warning,  but  they 
cannot  always  watch  ;  preach  learnedly  when  they 
preach,  but  they  have  not  learnt  out  all  their  lesson 
of  the  apostle  :  Cave  tibi  et  doctrince,  in  his  persta, 
im'fisvi.  Continue  in  all  things ;  it  requires  incum- 
bency, as  the  law  calleth  it. 

3.  But  if  we  will  do  our  duties,  we  must  do  both. 
Some  would  fain  do  both,  and  cannot  get  a  watch- 
man's place  :  there  is  none  void ;  for,  be  the  people 
never  so  empty,  yet  ecclesia  est  j)hna,  the  church  is 
full.  All  is  not  well  that  way:  the  church  complains, 
and  they  that  have  laboured  abundantly  to  enable 
themselves  for  this  watch  are  too  much  searched  and 
examined  too  narrowly  for  their  gifts. 

Others  have  a  watch,  but  they  do  not  with  the  pro- 
phet stand  upon  it :  either  they  sit  at  ease,  or  they 
sleep  it  out  soundly.     This  prophet  promiseth  to  stand 
in  readiness  for  action  and  execution  of  his  charge. 
156 


Beloved,  many  will  not  believe  it,  but  we  feel  it:  if 
we  make  conscience  of  our  duties  in  our  calling,  that 
our  vocation  is  laborious,  this  watching  in  all  wea- 
thers, and  this  robbing  of  our  temples  of  their  timely 
rest,  to  attend  the  watch  over  your  souls,  as  those 
that  must  give  an  account  to  God  for  ourselves  and 
for  you,  is  an  honourable  burden.  Tig  ixavog,  who  is 
sufficient  ? 

1.  Vigilat  hostis,  the  enemy  watcheth ;  he  com- 
passeth  the  earth  to  and  again ;  he  goeth  about  like 
a  roaring  lion  ;  he  is  ever  either  reaching  out  an 
apple  of  temptation,  as  to  Eve,  or  stretching  out  an 
arm  of  provocation,  as  to  the  blessed  virgin ;  gladius 
pertransibit  animam  tuam. 

We  must  keep  you  waking,  that  he  bring  not  upon 
you  the  spirit  of  slumber ;  we  must  awake  you  if  you 
sleep  in  sin,  that  he  surprise  you  not.  Custos  Israelis 
non  dormit,  '  the  keeper  of  Israel  slumbereth  not ;' 
Alexander  lies  down  to  sleep  without  fear,  because 
he  leaves  Parmenio,  his  faithful  counsellor,  waking ; 
David  will  lay  him  down  in  peace,  and  take  his  rest, 
seeing  God  doth  make  him  dwell  in  safety:  Dominus 
dat  dilectis  suis  sornnum. 

Yet  let  us  observe  two  things  concerning  our  sleep, 
for  the  apostle  saith,  1  Thes.  v.  6,  '  Therefore  let  us 
not  sleep  as  do  others,'  wg  o'l  Xoivoi,  as  unbelievers  ; 
Lyranus,  qui  sunt  increduli,  Xo/to/,  such  as  are  left 
out  of  the  church,  and  out  of  God's  fold  to  the  world, 
let  us  not  sleep  so.     How  then  ? 

1.  Before  our  sleep  let  us  take  David's  example  for 
our  donee,  until :  '  I  will  not  give  sleep  to  mine  eyes, 
nor  slumber  to  mine  eyelids,  until  I  find  out  a  place 
for  the  Lord,'  Ps.  cxxxii.  4,  5 ;  that  is,  saith  Augus- 
tine, Donee  inveniam  locum  Deo  meo  in  me,  till  I  find 
a  place  for  God  in  me  ;  for  God  doth  delight  to  dwell 
with  the  humble,  and  such  as  are  of  a  contrite  heart, 
Isa.  Ixvi.  And  Christ  saith,  *  Behold,  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock  ;  if  any  man  open  to  me,  I  will  come 
in  to  him.'  In  the  letter,  David  sweareth  to  take  no 
rest  till  he  have  found  out  a  place  for  the  building  of 
the  temple ;  that  was  David's  care. 

This  is  our  donee,  until,  till  we  have  done  our  espe- 
cial service  to  God,  which  concerns  us  in  our  calling ; 
let  us  not  think  of  sleep  till  we  have  consecrated  our- 
selves as  temples  for  the  Holy  Ghost  to  dwell  in. 

2.  Let  us  in  sleep  take  the  example  of  the  church, 
Cant.  V.  2,  *  I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh  ;  it  is  the 
voice  of  my  beloved,  saying.  Open  to  me  ;'  that  is,  let 
our  sleep  be  moderate,  so  sanctified  by  our  prayer 


Ver.  l.j 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


69 


that  we  may  say  with  the  church,  Cant.  iii.  1,  'By 
night  on  my  bed  I  sought  him  whom  my  soul  loveth.' 

Thns  doth  the  faithful  watchman  of  Israel  take  heed 
to  himself  and  to  his  doctrine,  to  himself  and  to  his 
flock,  as  the  shepherds  to  whom  the  angels  appeared, 
giving  them  notice  of  the  birth  of  Christ,  '  They  kept 
watch  by  night  because  of  their  flock ;'  '  Blessed  is 
that  servant  whom  the  master,  when  he  cometh,  shall 
find  so  doing.' 

3.  His  patient  expectation,  *I  will  set  me  upon  the 
tower,  and  will  watch  to  see.' 

God  doth  not  always  reveal  himself  and  his  will  to 
his  minister  :  he  must  tarry  God's  leisure  and  wait 
his  times. 

Sometimes  God  doth  withdraw  his  light  from  the 
minister  for  the  punishment  of  {he  people,  and  will 
not  let  him  see  a  danger  that  is  coming,  that  he  may 
chasten  the  sins  of  his  people  with  the  rods  of  men. 
Sometime  he  doth  shut  up  the  door  of  utterance,  and 
will  not  let  them  give  warning  of  the  wrath  to  come 
to  punish  their  sin.  Therefore  Saint  Paul  willeth  the 
Ephesians,  chap.  vi.  18,  19,  '  Praying  always  with  all 
manner  of  supplication  for  all  men,  and  for  me,  that 
utterance  may  be  given  me.' 

Beloved,  we  watch  for  yon,  we  pray  for  you,  we 
preach  to  you ;  whilst  we  stand  upon  these  towers  to 
give  you  warning,  pray  you  for  us  that  God  would  be 
pleased  to  make  us  sufficient  for  this  holy  service. 
When  Paul  and  SUas  went  to  preach.  Acts  xv.  40, 
they  were  '  commended  of  the  brethren  to  the  grace 
of  God ;'  '  pray  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  tU  miltai 
operarios,  that  he  would  send  forth  labourers.' 

We  do  not  stand  upon  these  towers  to  keep  watch 
for  ourselves  only,  but  for  you  ;  and  whensoever  we 
come  into  a  pulpit,  your  thoughts  must  be  ready  to 
say  to  us,  as  Cornelias  did  to  Pet^r,  Acts  x.  33,  'Now 
therefore  we  are  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear 
all  things  that  are  commanded  thee  of  God.' 

The  care  imposed  on  us  is  greater  than  the  care  of 
the  king  and  the  magistrate.  To  which  of  them  hath 
he  said  at  any  time.  Feed  my  sheep,  feed  my  lambs  ? 
♦  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  submit 
yourselves,  for  they  watch  for  your  souls  as  those 
that  must  give  an  account,'  Heb.  xiii,  17. 

Wonder  not  at  our  infirmities,  and  do  not  make 
the  worst  of  our  weakness,  for  we  stand  upon  the 
tower,  and  suffer  many  a  blast  which  cometh  not  near 
you.  No  sort  of  men  he  so  open  to  Satan's  force  and 
fury  as  we  do  ;  he  veieth  us  with  all  his  storms. 


When  Joshua  stood  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord  to 
receive  his  commission,  Satan  stood  at  his  right  hand 
to  resist  him,  Zech.  iii.  1.  He  desired  to  winnow 
Peter.  God  sent  the  angel  of  Satan  to  buffet  Paul. 
When  Christ  lived  a  private  life,  Uttle  is  said  of  him  ; 
but  so  soon  as  he  was  baptized,  and  entered  into  the 
execution  ef  his  ministry,  he  was  tempted  of  Satan  in 
the  wilderness  forty  days  together.  It  was  the  policy 
of  the  king  of  Aram  to  bend  all  his  forces  against  the 
captains  of  the  Lord's  army,  1  Kings  xxii.  31.  '  We 
are  not  able  of  ourselves  to  think  anything  as  of  our- 
selves ;  all  our  sufficiency  is  of  God,  who  hath  made 
us  able  ministers,'  2  Cor.  iii.  5,  6. 

Therefore  whilst  we  attend  the  opening  to  us  of  the 
whole  counsel  of  God,  we  have  great  need  of  your 
prayers,  that  we  faint  not  in  our  expectation,  that  we 
shrink  not  in  the  execution  of  our  duty  ;  for  throuorh 
God  only  we  are  mighty,  2  Cor.  x.  4. 

I  conclude  this  point  in  the  apostle's  words  of  ex- 
hortation, seeing  we  stand  upon  the  tower  and  keep 
watch  till  God  will  put  a  word  into  our  mouths  :  '  You 
also  helping  together  by  prayer  for  us,  that,  for  the 
gift  bestowed  upon  us  by  the  means  of  many  persons, 
thanks  may  be  given  by  many  on  our  behalf,'  2  Cor. 
i.  11.  The  apostle  doth  confess  that  our  gifts  are 
bestowed  on  us  by  the  means  of  many  persons,  by  the 
prayers  and  supplications  of  many  of  God's  good 
servants.  Therefore,  that  we  may  stand  it  out  in  all 
weathers,  that  we  be  not  idle  and  drowsy  in  our  watch, 
that  we  may  be  full  of  the  strength  of  God  to  do  the 
work  of  evangelists ;  pray  you  to  God  without  ceasing 
for  us. 

For  we  have  many  discouragements,  and  standing 
so  high  upon  the  tower,  we  have  many  eyes  upon  us ; 
and  Satan  on  our  right  hand  to  resist  us,  and  the 
world  on  the  left  hand  to  tempt  us ;  and  the  great 
difficulty  of  our  service  and  employment  in  the  church 
to  dishearten  us  ;  yet,  audiam  quid  loquatur  Deus,  yet 
I  will  hear  what  God  will  say  to  me. 

4.  His  holy  care  in  his  office. 

It  is  not  to  study  what  his  own  brains  will  suggest, 
but  to  hear  what  God  will  say  to  him  ;  for  this  is 
dignus  vindice  nodus,  a  knot  worth  the  loosing.  Many 
observing  the  state  of  the  church,  and  seeing  the  best 
men  on  earth  suffer  most,  and  possess  least ;  and  be- 
holding the  wicked  and  ungodly  gather  all,  live  in 
peace  of  the  world,  in  fulness,  heaping  up  riches, 
rising  to  honours,  and  having  the  monopoly  of  this 
life  present,  have  staggered  in  the  faith  of  God's  pro- 

157 


70 


MARBURY  ON  IIABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


vidence.  David's  feet  upon  this  slippery  ground  had 
well  nigh  slipped,  and  there  were  some  that  professed 
it :  Mai.  iii.  14,  15,  'It  is  in  vain  to  serve  God ;  and 
what  profit  is  it  that  we  have  kept  his  ordinance  ? 
And  now  we  call  the  proud  happy  ;  yea,  they  that 
work  wickedness  are  set  up ;  yea,  they  that  tempt 
God  are  delivered.'  Therefore  it  is  high  time  for  the 
prophet  to  seek  his  information  and  light  from  God 
himself. 

The  light  of  human  reason  cannot  penetrate  this 
thick  cloud ;  David  confesseth  so  much,  the  sweet 
singer  of  Israel  could  not  hit  upon  this  tune,  for  he 
saw  how  prosperously  everything  succeeded  with  the 
ungodly  of  the  earth  :  Ps.  Ixxiii.  16,  17,  '  When  I 
thought  to  know  this,  it  was  too  painful  for  me,  until 
I  went  to  the  sanctuary  of  God  ;  then  understood  I 
their  end.'  Which  teacheth  us  in  these  great  deeps 
of  the  wisdom  of  God,  not  to  resolve  anything  out  of 
human  reason,  but  to  consult  God  himself,  and  to 
hearken  what  he  will  say  to  the  matter,  to  speak 
after  him  and  follow  him. 

Our  experience  telleth  us  that  there  hath  been  much 
opposition,  much  injustice  here  in  our  land,  that  the 
commonwealth  groaned  under  the  burden  thereof. 
The  ways  of  God  are  not  like  our  ways  ;  did  not  God 
see  this  ?  Did  not  the  cry  of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed 
go  up  to  him,  even  to  his  ears  ?  Is  he  not  come  down 
to  visit  the  transgressors,  and  to  take  the  matter  into 
his  own  audience  ;  even  now,  in  the  cool  of  the  day 
he  is  come  at  last  to  keep  a  sessions,  and  to  search 
Jerusalem  with  a  candle  and  lantern ;  now  his  eyelids 
do  begin  to  try  the  sons  of  men,  and  the  joyful  church 
and  commonwealth  cry  to  him  saying,  Ps.  xlv.  8,  4, 
*  Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  0  most  Mighty,  with 
thy  glory  and  thy  majesty.  And  in  thy  majesty  ride 
prosperously,  because  of  truth,  and  meekness,  and 
righteousness ;  and  thy  right  hand  shall  teach  thee 
terrible  things.' 

2.  His  instruction  of  others. 

He  will  not  only  hearken  to  satisfy  himself,  but  he 
■will  furnish  himself  from  the  mouth  of  God  with 
answers  to  satisfy  them  that  shall  dispute  and  argue 
with  him  against  the  providence  of  Go*^. 

That  is  the  use  of  our  study  and  labour  in  our 
ministry : 

1.  To  teach  the  truth. 

2.  To  convince  contradicters. 

This  second  part  of  our  duty  the  prophet  had  now 
special  use  of,  for  the  church  foreseeing  the  fearful 
15S 


judgments  of  God  upon  the  Jews,  did  argue  the  matter 
with  the  prophet,  and  all  those  former  grievances  they 
objected  as  arguments  against  God's  government  of 
his  church.  The  prophet  holdeth  the  foundation,  and 
seeketh  to  inform  himself  how  he  may  be  able  to 
maintain  the  same  against  opposition  and  strife  of 
tongues. 

Docemur,  We  are  taught. 

Doct.  In  the  church  of  God  there  will  be  ever  some 
that  will  argue  and  dispute  against  God. 

Reaso7i  1.  Because  men  are  first  taught  by  the 
wisdom  of  the  world,  and  that  is  enmity  with  God. 
This  proceeds  from  our  original  pravity  of  nature, 
con'upt  in  the  first  derivance  from  our  parents,  which 
albeit  it  hath  the  seasoning  of  the  law  of  God  written  in 
the  heart,  yet  the  law  of  the  members,  which  is  contrary 
to  the  law  of  God,  doth  prevail  against  that  law,  and 
leadeth  us  captive  unto  sin. 

Reason  2.  Because,  as  the  apostle  saith,  for  *  who 
hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord?'  Rom.  xi.  34. 
Ignorance  of  the  ways  of  God  doth  breed  in  us  many 
sinister  opinions,  as  we  find  in  Da-\ad  in  this  very  case ; 
for  he  confesseth  that  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked 
troubled  him,  till  he  went  into  the  house  of  God :  there 
he  learned  the  mind  of  God,  and  then  he  was  well 
satisfied. 

Even  this  prophet  knew  not  how  to  answer  them 
that  would  argue  with  him  against  God,  till  he  had 
called  to  account  and  disputed  the  matter  with  him. 

Reason  3.  Because  the  apostle  saith  of  the  elect, 
2  Cor.  V.  7,  *  For  we  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight.' 
Now  in  many  of  God's  chosen,  the  sight  and  sense  is 
full,  the  faith  is  weak  and  imperfect ;  and  when  we 
come  to  hear  of  the  equal  justice  of  God  in  punishing 
sinners,  and  feel  the  smart  of  his  rod  upon  the  church, 
it  is  an  hard  matter  to  assure  the  heart  by  believing 
against  that  which  is  sufiered  in  feeling. 

Reason  4.  Because  Solomon  saith,  Eccles.  vii.  29, 
'  God  hath  made  man  upright ;  but  they  have  sought 
many  inventions  ;'  for  surely  the  equal  and  constant 
ways  of  God  are  suspected  by  the  unequal  and  incon- 
stant inventions  of  men,  who,  in  favour  of  themselves, 
spare  not  to  cast  the  afflictions  of  the  church  rather 
upon  the  will  of  God,  of  which  they  are  not  able  to 
give  the  reason,  than  upon  the  evil  deservings  of  their 
own  sins. 

Use  1.  The  minister  must  learn  of  the  prophet,  to 
apply  himself  to  the  remedy  of  this  inconvenience,  to 
maintain  the  cause  of  God  against  all  contradiction 


Yer.  2,  3.] 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


71 


and  strife  of  tongues  ;  for  as  we  are  the  people's 
orators,  to  plead  their  cause  with  God,  so  are  we  God's 
orators,  to  defend  him  against  the  corrupt  and  perverse 
censures  of  men,  bj  proclaiming  his  constant  justice, 
and  wisdom,  and  truth,  and  by  teaching  them,  as  the 
psalmist  saith,  '  He  wiU  not  suffer  his  truth  to  fail.' 
We  need  not  strain  ourselves  much  for  this,  for 
wisdom  will  be  justified  of  her  children,  and  he  whom 
we  defend  against  the  calumniations  of  profane,  or 
against  the  distrustfulness  of  the  ignorant  and  weak, 
will  fill  our  mouths  with  arguments  in  his  own  de- 
fence. 

Job  saith  to  his  firiends :  Job  xiii.  7,  '  Will  ye  speak 
wickedly  of  God  ?  and  talk  deceitfully  for  him  ?'  The 
cause  of  God  is  an  upright  cause,  we  shall  not  need  to 
be  put  to  our  shifts  to  defend  him  against  the  dispute 
and  arguing  of  men.  It  is  enough  that  we  rest  in  this 
principle  of  undeniable  truth  :  '  Surely  God  is  just,  and 
there  is  no  unrighteousness  with  him,'  as  Abraham : 
Gen.  xviii.  25,  '  That  be  far  from  thee,  to  do  after  this 
manner,  to  slay  the  righteous  with  the  wicked  :  and 
that  the  righteous  should  be  as  the  wicked,  that  be 
far  from  thee.  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
do  right  ■?' 

Use  2.  The  people  that  are  our  hearers  are  taught 
to  hearken  to  the  voice  of  our  message,  and  to  learn 
this  lesson  of  the  justice,  wisdom,  and  truth  of  God, 
that  they  may  rightly  know  God,  and  sincerely  love 
him  ;  that  if  any  thoughts  of  distaste  of  God's  govern- 
ment, or  distrust  of  his  justice,  shall  arise  in  their 
hearts,  they  may  presently  call  to  remembrance  our 
pleadings  for  him,  and  confess  that,  how  admirable 
soever  the  ways  of  God  are  in  our  judgments,  yet 
they  are  always  equal ;  how  secret  soever  they  be, 
yet  they  are  always  just. 

It  is  a  malicious  suggestion,  when  Satan  shall  belie 
us  to  God,  as  he  did  Job,  when  he  said  Job  served 
not  God  for  nothing.  Job  ii.  25  ;  but  there  is  no  great 
danger  in  it,  for  he  knows  Satan  to  be  a  har  and  a 
murderer,  and  '  he  needeth  not  that  any  should  tes- 
tify of  man  ;  for  he  knoweth  what  is  in  man.' 

It  is  a  dangerous  suggestion,  when  he  shall  belie 
God  to  us.  First,  Either  flattering  us  with  an  over- 
weening of  his  mercy,  to  encourage  sin  ;  as  when  he 
told  Eve,  '  You  shall  not  die  at  all.'  Secondly,  Or 
shall  affright  us  with  the  terror  of  his  justice,  as  if 
there  were  no  hope  of  favour,  as  he  did  to  David, 
setting  some  a-work  to  tell  him,  iYo«  est  tibi  sahis  in 
Deo  tuo,  there  is  no  help  for  thee  in  thy  God.    Thirdly, 


Or  shall  tax  to  us  the  government  of  God,  as  if  he 
were  either  negligent  of  the  affairs  of  the  sons  of  men, 
or  ignorant  altogether  of  the  sufferings  of  his  church, 
or  partial  in  administration  of  justice,  or  directly  un- 
just in  suffering  his  own  servants  to  be  oppressed  with 
the  injuries  of  men. 

The  minister  must  diligently  preach,  the  hearer 
must  reverently  hear,  and  faithfully  believe  the  truth 
concerning  the  providence  of  God,  or  else  all  religion 
will  sink,  and  want  foundation. 


Ver.  2,  3.  And  the  Lord  answered  me,  and  said. 
Write  the  vision,  and  make  it  plain  upon  tables,  that  he 
may  run  that  readeth  it.  For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an 
appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not 
lie :  though  it  tarry,  irait  for  it ;  because  it  icill  surely 
come,  it  will  not  tarry. 

Here  begins  the  second  part  of  the  chapter,  which 
contains  the  Lord's  answer  to  the  prophet's  expostula- 
tion.    Containing, 

1.  A  direction  to  the  prophet,  vers.  2,  3. 

2.  A  declaration  of  -his  holy  will  in  the  general 
administration  of  justice. 

1.  Concerning  the  direction  given  to  the  prophet. 

And  the  Lord  answered  me,  and  said.  For  the 
manner  how  God  maintained  intelligence  with  his  holy 
prophets,  we  are  not  very  particularly  informed  ;  we 
find  inspiration,  and  revelation,  and  vision,  mentioned  ; 
he  that  made  the  light  that  is  in  us,  and  gave  us  our 
understanding,  can  best  maka  his  ways  known  to  his 
holy  ones  ;  and  as  I  do  not  think  that  Habakkuk's 
contestation  with  God  was  verbal  and  vocal,  but  rather 
a  wrestling  and  striving  of  his  spirit  and  inward  man, 
neither  do  [  think  this  answer  of  God  was  audible, 
presented  to  the  ear,  but  by  some  secret  divine  illu- 
mination suggested. 

And  where  he  saith,  '  The  Lord  answered,  and  said,' 
these  phrases  do  express  so  plain  an  answer,  as  is 
made  in  conference  between  man  and  man. 

Write  the  vision.  That  is,  set  down  in  writing  my 
answer.  It  is  our  manner,  for  the  better  preservation 
of  such  things  as  we  would  not  forget,  to  set  them 
down  in  writing. 

But  because  this  request  of  the  prophet's  doth  con- 
cern others  that  he  may  inform  them,  God  addeth, 
'  make  it  plain  upon  tables,  that  he  may  run  that 
readeth  it.'  That  is,  write  my  answer  in  a  table  in 
great  characters,  that  though  a  man  be  in  haste,  and 

159 


72 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


run  by,  yet  he  may  read  as  he  runneth  ;  shewing  that 
he  was  desirous  to  satisfy  all  such  as  the  prophet 
spake  of  before,  who  should  argue  against  him.  As 
our  manner  is  to  fix  public  proclamations  and  edicts 
on  walls,  or  on  posts,  in  ways  of  common  passage, 
that  any  passenger  may  take  notice  thereof,  seeing  it 
concemeth  every  one ;  to  that  the  Lord  alludeth  in 
this  place,  giving  the  prophet  great  charge  for  the 
declaration  of  his  holy  will  in  this  great  matter,  so  to 
express  it  that  every  one  of  his  people  may  receive 
information  thereof.  Vult  aperta  esse  verba  et  aperte 
scribi,  saith  St  Jerome. 

For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time.  The 
time  is  not  yet  fulfilled  for  the  execution  of  the  will  of 
God  ;  but  it  is  in  the  holy  wisdom  and  purpose  of 
God  determined  when  it  shall  be  fulfilled. 

At  the  end  it  shall  speaks  anil  not  lie.  That  is,  in 
the  time  prefixed  by  almighty  God  it  shall  take  effect, 
and  the  counsel  and  decree  of  God  shall  be  executed  ; 
for  God  that  hath  promised  cannot  lie. 

The  answer  of  God  is  full,  as  it  after  will  appear, 
and  doth  not  only  clear  the  justice  of  God  in  the 
present  cause  of  the  oppressed  Jews  against  the  Chal- 
deans, but  it  maketh  a  further  and  more  general  over- 
ture of  God's  decree  against  all  unrighteousness  and 
ungodliness  of  men ;  so  that  this  prophecy  shall  not  only 
comfort  that  church  and  those  times,  but  it  is  directed 
to  the  perpetual  use  of  the  church  in  all  the  ages 
thereof.  He  therefore  addeth,  '  Though  it  tarry,  wait 
for  it ;'  do  not  think,  by  any  importunity,  to  draw 
down  the  judgments  of  God  upon  the  ungodly,  or  to 
hasten  the  deliverance  of  the  church.  God  doth  all 
things  tempore  suo,  in  his  time,  and  the  servants  of 
God  must  tarry  his  leisure. 

Because  it  will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry.  He 
giveth  assurance  of  the  complement  of  his  will  in  the 
proper  and  prestitute  season  thereof,  which  nothing 
shall  then  hinder. 

The  parts  of  this  text,  containing  God's  direction 
given  to  his  holy  prophet,  are  three  : 

1.  The  care  that  God  takes  for  the  publishing  of 
his  will  to  the  church,  ver.  2. 

2.  The  assurance  that  he  gives  of  the  performance 
thereof  in  the  time  by  him  appointed. 

3.  The  patient  expectation  which  he  commands  for 
the  performance  thereof. 

1.  The  law*  that  he  takes  for  publishing  it. 
The  prophet  must  not  only  hear  God  speak,  the 
♦   Qn.  '  care'? — Ed. 
160 


seer  must  not  only  behold  the  vision,  but  he  must 
write  the  same  ;  litera  scripta  vianet,  the  written  letter 
abideth. 

I  will  not  stand  to  search  how  ancient  writing  is, 
wherein  some  have  lost  time  and  labour.  I  know  that 
many  do  make  God  the  first  immediate  author  of  it, 
and  do  affirm  that  the  first  scripture  that  ever  was, 
was  God's  writing  of  the  law  in  two  tables,  Exod.  xxxii. 
But  because  I  find,  in  Exod.  xxiv.,  that  Moses  wrote 
all  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  Josephus  doth  report  a 
tradition  of  the  Hebrews  for  writing  and  graving  before 
the  flood,  I  hold  it  probable  that  both  scripture  and 
sculpture  are  as  ancient  as  the  old  world.  I  will  not 
question  Josephus  his  record  of  the  two  pillars  erected 
before  the  flood,  engraven  for  the  use  of  posterity,  with 
some  memorable  things  to  continue  in  succeeding 
ages,  whereof  one  remained  in  Syria  in  his  own  time. 

It  is  frequent  in  Scripture  to  express  a  perpetuity 
of  record  by  writing.  In  the  case  of  Amalek,  Exod. 
xvii.  14,  '  Write  this  for  a  memorial  in  a  book  ;'  Job, 
chap.  xix.  23,  24,  '  Oh  that  my  words  were  now 
written  !  that  they  were  printed  in  a  book  !  graven 
with  an  iron  pen,  in  lead,  and  in  the  ink*  for  ever  !' 
Isaiah  the  prophet,  *  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven, 
saying  to  me,  Write,  all  flesh  is  grass';  John,  Atidivi 
voccm  dicentem,  Beati  mortui,  '  I  heard  a  voice  from 
heaven  saying.  Blessed  are  the  dead.' 

Beloved,  thus  have  we  the  light  that  shineth  upon 
the  church,  and  guideth  our  feet  in  the  ways  of  peace 
by  writing  ;  for  all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  ; 
holy  men  wrote  as  they  were  inspired.  It  was  given 
to  them  by  inspiration  to  know  the  will  of  God  ;  they 
impart  it  to  the  church  of  God  by  writing,  and  that 
boundeth  and  limiteth  us,  rb  firj  hrn^  to  yiy^a'Trrai 
f^bviTv,  1  Cor.  iv.  6.  Thus  hath  God  revealed  himself 
to  his  church,  both  sufficiently,  that  we  need  no  more 
knowledge  for  eternal  life  than  what  is  contained  in 
Scripture,  and  so  clearly,  that  the  word  giveth  under- 
standing to  the  simple. 

And  as  this  word  from  the  immediate  mouth  of  God 
doth  warrant  this  particular  prophecy,  so  doth  the 
apostle  say  of  all  the  body  of  canonical  Scripture,  that 
all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  ;  and  God's  care 
is  double : 

1.  That  it  be  written  to  continue. 

2.  That  it  be  written  plain  to  be  read. 

1 .  It  must  be  written  that  it  may  remain ;  for  in 
the  old  world,  because  of  the  long  life  of  the  fathers, 
*  Qn.  'rock'?- Ed. 


Ver.  2,  3.] 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


73 


the  oracles  of  God  were  committed  to  them  without 
any  mention  of  writing,  because  they  were  both  wise 
and  faithful  in  the  custody  and  transmission  of  them  ; 
for  Adam  himself  living  nine  hundred  and  thirty  years 
to  teach  his  children,  had  under  his  teaching  Seth, 
Enoch,  Kenan,  Mahalaleel,  Jared,  Henoch,  Methu- 
selah, and  Lamech,  the  father  of  Noah.  And  Noah 
lived  wi  h  Abraham  fifty-seven  years  ;  but  after  the 
flood,  when  the  church,  in  the  posterity  of  Jacob, 
increased,  and  no  doubt  had  many  corruptions  by 
dwelling  in  Egypt,  then  was  Moses  appointed  both  to 
be  the  deliverer  of  the  people  of  Israel  from  Egypt, 
and  to  be  the  penman  of  God,  to  write  those  things 
which  God  would  have  to  remain  in  the  church  for  all 
succeeding  times  ;  and  after  him  successively  holy  men 
wrote  as  they  were  inspired. 

And  a  better  argument  we  cannot  give  for  the 
danger  of  unwritten  traditions,  which  the  church  of 
Rome  doth  so  much  commend,  even  above  Scripture, 
than  this. 

God  saw  that  men  had  corrupted  their  ways,  and 
he  found  the  imaginations  of  men's  hearts  only  evil 
continually,  and  that  the  church  was  a  very  few ; 
therefore  he  stirred  up  Noah  to  be  a  preacher  of 
righteousness,  in  whom  the  light  of  truth  was  pre- 
served :  he  destroyed  the  old  sinful  world,  and  by 
Noah  and  Shem,  he  began  a  new  church  to  the  re- 
stored world.  Yet,  after  Noah's  death,  the  worship 
of  strange  gods  were  brought  in,  so  that  to  heal  this 
grief,  and  to  prevent  the  danger  of  traditions,  God 
caused  the  word  to  be  written  by  holy  men  for  the  per- 
petual use  of  his  church,  whose  books  were  faithfully 
preserved  in  all  ages  thereof.  Then  came  the  Son  of 
God,  and  he  left  his  Spirit  in  the  church,  to  lead  the 
church  into  all  truth,  by  which  Spirit  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  indited  and  written.  So  that  now  all 
things  necessary  to  salvation  are  so  clearly  revealed, 
that  traditions  of  men  have  no  necessary  use  in  the 
church  in  the  substance  of  true  religion,  for  that  which 
is  written  is  sufficient. 

The  church  of  Rome  denieth  the  sufficiency  of 
Scripture.  Many  of  their  great  learned  men  write 
both  basely  and  blasphemously  thereof.  But  they 
are  not  agreed  upon  the  point ;  for  Scotus,  Gerson, 
Occam,  Cameracensis,  Waldensis,  Yincentius  Leri- 
nensis,  do  all  confess  what  we  teach  of  the  sufficiency 
of  Scripture,  as  the  learned  Dean  of  Gloucester,  Dr 
Field,  1.  iii.  de  Eccles.,  c.  7,  hath  fairly  cited  them. 

And  Dr  White,  in  his  Way  of  the  Church,  addeth 


Tho.  Aquinas  ;  Antoninus,  archbishop  of  Florence; 
Durandus  Alliaco,  a  cardinal ;  Conradus  Clingius ; 
Peresius,  divinity  reader  at  Barcelona,  in  Spain  ;  and 
Cardinal  Bellarmine,  of  whom  Possevinus  writeth,  that 
he  is  one  of  the  two  that  have  won  the  garland  :  De 
verbo  Dei,  1.  i.  c.  2.  Sacra  Scriptura  regula  credendi 
certissima  et  tittissima  est :  per  corporales  literas  quas 
cerneremus  et  legeremiis,  erudire  nos  voluit  Deus.  Writ- 
ing against  Swenckfield  and  the  Libertines,  this  is  a 
legal  witness  :  Pro  orthodoxo  heretici  testimonium 
raleat.  I  know  to  whom  I  speak,  and  therefore  I 
forbear  the  polemical  bands  of  arguments  to  and  fro 
upon  this  question,  which  in  print  and  in  English  is 
so  fully  and  learnedly  debated. 

Our  lesson  is,  seeing  God's  care  of  his  church,  for 
the  instruction  thereof,  is  here  expressed,  in  command- 
ing his  revealed  will  to  be  written,  that 

Doct.  God  would  have  his  church  to  be  taught  his 
ways  in  all  the  ages  thereof. 

Reason  1.  Because  the  ways  of  God,  and  the  sav- 
ing health  of  God,  cannot  be  parted.  None  can  have 
the  saving  health  of  God  without  the  knowledge  of 
his  ways  ;  no  ignorant  man  can  be  saved.  It  is  said 
of  Christ,  Isa.  liii.  11,  'By  his  knowledge  shall  my 
righteous  servant  justify  many  ;'  per  scientiam,  qua 
scitur.  Therefore  David's  prayer  is,  '  that  thy  way 
may  be  known  upon  earth,  thy  saving  health  among 
all  nations.' 

Reason  2.  Because  the  promise  of  God  doth  run  in 
semine,  in  the  seed  :  '  I  will  be  thy  God,  and  the  God 
of  thy  seed.'  Our  children  are  the  Lord's  inheritance, 
his  care  extendeth  so  far.  Deut.  v.  33,  '  That  ye 
may  live,  and  that  it  may  be  well  with  you,  and  that 
you  may  prolong  your  days.'  But  that  is  not  all : 
ver.  29,  '  That  it  may  be  well  with  them  and  their 
children  for  ever.' 

Reason  3.  For  his  own  sake,  that  his  wisdom, 
power,  and  justice  may  be  known  to  men,  that  they 
may  be  able  to  plead  the  cause  of  God  against  such  as 
either  ignorantly,  through  unbelief,  or  maliciously  and 
blasphemously,  shall  dispute  and  argue  against  God, 
for  therefore  God  doth  condescend  to  this  apology  of 
himself,  that  he  may  instruct  his  church  how  to  plead 
the  cause  of  his  justice  against  all  strife  of  tongues, 
that  the  name  of  God  be  not  evil  spoken  of. 

To  make  profit  of  this  point. 

Use  1.  Herein  let  us  consider  what  the  Lord  hath 
done  for  our  souls ;  for  he  hath  given  us  two  means 
to  communicate  to  us  his  holy  will,  hearing  and  read- 

161 
L 


74 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


ing  ;  and  he  hath  used  to  this  purpose  both  the  voice 
and  the  pen  of  holy  men,  for  he  spake  by  the  mouth 
of  all  the  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began,  and 
holy  men  wrote  as  his  Spirit  directed  them.  '  Let 
him  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  hear,  quid  Spiritus,'  '  and 
seek  ye  out  the  book  of  the  Lord  and  read  :'  but  then 
add  this  caution,  *  Whoso  readeth,  let  him  understand.' 
It  was  Philip's  question,  Sed  intelligis  quod  legis  ? 

Use  2.  Seeing  God  hath  written  to  us,  and  the 
whole  body  of  holy  Scripture  may  well  be  called 
•God's  epistle  or  letter  to  his  church,  let  us  bestow 
ihe  reading  of  God's  letter.  St  Augustine  saith,  * 
iQucB  de  ilia  civitate  iinde  j)eregrinamur  venerunt  nobis 
lltercB,  ipsa;  smit  ScripturcE.  It  was  St  Gregory's  com- 
plaint of  Theodoras,!  ^^^^  ^^  ^'8;S  so  over-busied  with 
secular  cares :  Et  quotidie  legere  negligit  verba  redemp- 
toris  sui  ;  quid  est  autem  Scriptura  sacra,  nisi  qucedam 
epistola  omnipotentis  Dei,  ad  venturam  suam. 

It  is  a  question  in  our  times  whether  printing  has 
done  more  hurt  or  good ;  for  Satan,  finding  this  a 
means  to  keep  things  alive  in  the  world,  hath  employed 
the  press  in  all  sorts  of  heresies,  in  all  sorts  of  idle  and 
lascivious,  false  and  dicterious,  slanderous  and  blas- 
phemous books.  The  remedy  is  to  refrain  such 
readings,  and,  as  Dr  Eainold  tells  Hart,  his  adversary, 
that  he  hath  no  book  allowed  him  to  read  but  the 
Bible,  it'  is  likely  then  that  he  is  perfect  in  that 
book,  and  that  physicians  do  well  when  they  find  their 
patient  surfeited  with  too  much  variety  of  meat,  to 
confine  him  to  some  one  wholesome  diet.  So  shall  we 
do  well  to  limit  ourselves  to  the  reading  of  God's  letter, 
and  know  his  mind  ;  for  he  is  wisest,  and  the  wisdom 
that  we  shall  gather  from  thence  is  wisdom  from  above  ; 
it  is  *  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,'  as  the 
apostle  saith. 

Use  3.  Seeing  God  teacheth  us  by  Scripture,  we 
must  learn  to  carry  a  reverent  opinion  of  God's  written 
word,  and  to  esteem  it  as  God's  great  love  to  his 
church,  and  as  a  means  ordained  by  him  to  bring  us 
all  to  him.  Therefore  David  saith  in  one  psalm,  Ps. 
Ivi.  4,  '  In  God  will  I  praise  his  word,'  ver.  10,  twice. 
He  hath  reason  for  it,  Ps.  cxix.  50,  '  For  thy  word 
bath  quickened  me.' 

This  word  is  now  written,  and  'whatsoever  things 
are  written,  they  are  written  for  our  learning,  that  we, 
through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might 
have  hope,'  Eom.  xv.  4. 

It  was  Christ's  shield  by  which  he  bore  ofi"  the  fiery 
*  In  Ps.  xc,  2.  t  Regist.  iv.  841. 

162 


darts  of  Satan,  discharged  against  him  in  the  wilder- 
ness, Scriptum  est,  '  It  is  written.'  They  that  know 
not  the  Scriptures,  know  not  the  power  of  God  ;  this 
is  a  sure  word,  because  it  is  upon  record  from  the 
Spirit  of  God,  the  charter  of  our  heavenly  inheritance. 
2.  It  must  be  written  plain,  so  that  not  only  he 
that  comes  of  purpose  may  read  it,  but  even  he  that 
comes  along  by  it  may  read  it  as  he  goes.  When  we 
come  to  examine  this  writing,  we  shall  find  it  to  con- 
tain the  sum  and  abridgment  of  the  whole  Bible,  and 
all  that  is  written  may  be  referred  to  it. 

From  this  no  man  may  be  excluded,  none  forbidden 
to  read  it ;  it  must  be  set  forth  to  public  view,  and 
put  into  the  common  eye. 

Duct.  This  sheweth  us,  that  are  the  ministers  of 
the  word,  what  our  work  is,  to  write  the  word  of  God 
in  a  fair  and  legible  hand,  in  great  characters  ;  that  is, 
to  open  to  the  church  of  God  the  whole  counsel  of 
God. 

Reason  1.  Because  this  is  the  lantern  to  men's  feet, 
and  faith  cometh  by  hearing  and  understanding  this. 
And  this  is  the  office  of  our  ministry ;  none  can  be 
saved  but  by  our  ministry  ;  for  this  we  have  the  great 
title  of  saviours  given  us  in  holy  Scripture.  And 
seeing  the  apostle  saith,  '  God  would  have  all  men  to 
be  saved,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  his  truth;' 
that  is,  saved  by  coming  to  that  knowlege  ;  we  must  • 
be  faithful,  we  must  hide  none  of  this  light  from  men. 
Christ  gave  a  full  commission  to  his  apostles,  Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  preach  ye  to  every  creature.  St 
Paul  saith,  '  Woe  is  me,  if  I  preach  not.' 

Reason  2.  Because  there  is  a  natural  blindness  in 
man,  and  the  god  of  this  world,  by  outward  tempta- 
tions and  our  own  inward  corruptions,  do  cast  so  thick 
a  mist  of  darkness  before  our  understandings,  that  the 
natural  man  doth  not  well  discern  those  things  which 
are  of  God.  Therefore,  as  decayed  sight  is  helped  by 
a  fair  and  great  letter,  so  by  our  easy  and  familiar 
handling  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  we  must  labour  to 
help  the  weak  understandings  of  the  ignorant. 

Reason  8.  We  must  consider  the  true  end  why  God 
gave  his  word,  both  spoken  and  written  in  Scriptures. 
'  The  word  was  given  to  profit  withal ; '  for  so  saith 
God:  Is.  Iv.  10,  '  As  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the 
snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but 
watereth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth,  and 
bud,  &c.,  so  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth  forth  from 
my  mouth;  it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void.'  It 
doth  no  good  on  stony  ground,  where  it  is  not  received 


Ver.  2,  3.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


75 


in,  nor  where  it  is  kept  off  from  falliBg  upon  any 
ground.  It  must  be  our  care  to  see  that  the  seed  be 
good,  and  fit  for  the  ground  where  it  is  sown,  that  it 
may  come  up  again  in  fruit.  And  because^some  have 
weak  eyes,  we  must  write  very  plain  characters  ;  and 
because  some  have  running  and  gadding  wits,  we  must 
write  so  as  they  that  run  may  read. 

Use  1.  This  teacheth  the  minister  to  have  a  special 
regard  of  his  audience,  that  they  may  profit  by  his 
ministry ;  for  we  are  ambassadors  from'God  to  man  : 
let  us  deliver  our  message  so  as  man  may  know  what 
the  good  and  perfect  will  of  God  is. 

Five  words  thus  spoken  do  more  good,  as  the 
apostle  saith,  in  the  church  than  a  hundred  spoken 
in  strange  tongues.  Saint  Bernard  saith  that  it  is 
better  apta  quayn  alta  sapere.  Christ  our  Master,  that 
set  us  a-work,  and  whose  cwi^yol  we  are,  told  his  dis-. 
ciples,  John  xvi.  12,  Miilta  habeo  vnbis  dicere,  sed  nunc 
non  potestis  portare,  '  I  have  many  things  to  say,  but 
you  cannot  bear  them  now.'  It  must  be  our  discre- 
tion to  let  onr  preachings  run  like  the  waters  in 
Ezekiel,  xlvii.  3,  4,  &c.,  which  were  at  first  going  into 
them  up  to  the  ankles,  then  to  the  knees,  then  they 
rose  up  to  the  loins,  then  they  grew  fit  only  for  good 
swimmers. 

And  it  must  be  your  discretion  that  are  hearers  of 
our  preachings,  to  remember  your  own  measure  and 
Christ's  rule,  qui  potest  capere  capiat ;  let  no  man  i/CEs- 
psov?/v,  be  over-wise,  nor  exercise  himself  in  things  too 
high  for  him.  Let  not  such  as  be  mere  waders  ad- 
venture to  swim  in  deeps,  but  content  themselves  in 
those  shoals  where  they  may  have  sure  footing,  till 
God,  the  giver  of  wisdom,  reveal  more  to  them.  They 
preach  most  profitably  to  a  mixed  auditory,  consisting 
of  several  scantlings  of  understanding,  who  serve  them 
all  as  Joseph's  brethren  were  served  in  Pharaoh's 
house,  Gen.  xliii.  33,  '  the  eldest  according  to  his  age, 
and  the  youngest  according  to  his  youth,'  that  the 
weakest  understanding  may  gain  some  light,  the  weak 
understanding  may  gain  more  light,  the  good  under- 
standing may  better  itself,  and  the  best  may  not  think 
the  time  lost ;  to  make  rough  things  plain,  and  to 
write  in  a  full  hand  and  a  legible  character. 

This  is  God's  own  manner  of  teaching,  as  he  saith  : 
Isa.  xlviii.  17,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which 
teacheth  thee  to  profit,  which  leadeth  thee  by  the  way 
that  thou  shouldest  go.'  And  Saint  Paul  saith,  1  Cor. 
vii.  85,  *  This  I  speak  unto  you  for  your  own  profit.' 
Use  2.  Seeing  God  would  have  his  word  so  fair 


written  that  he  that  runneth  might  read,  we  are  taught 
the  power  and  eflBcacy  of  the  word  plainly  delivered. 
They  that  run,  and  have  something  else  to  do  and 
think  on,  yet  cannot  escape  the  power  of  this  word, 
they  shall  read  this  writing  although  it  be  in  transitu, 
in  passing  by. 

Belshazzar  was  a  runner,  for  being  amongst  his 
cups,  and  diinking  in  the  vessels  of  God's  house 
amongst  his  princes  and  concubines,  and  praising  his 
own  idol  gods,  he  saw  an  handwriting  upon  the  wall ; 
it  was  so  fairly  written,  that  he  could  not  but  read  it ; 
and  it  was  so  full  of  terror,  that  though  he  had  all  the 
means  to  move  delight  before  him,  Dan.  v.  6,  yet '  The 
king's  countenance  was  changed,  and  his  thoughts 
troubled  him,  so  that  the  joints  of  his  loins  were 
loosed,  and  his  knees  smote  one  against  another.' 

The  messengers  whom  the  chief  priests]  sent  to 
entangle  Christ  in  his  words  were  runners  ;  they  came 
with  purpose  to  do  Christ  wrong,  but^his  preaching 
was  like  a  table  so  fairly  written,  that  they.could^not 
but  read ;  and  they  returned,  saying,  '  Never  ^man 
spake  like  that  man.' 

If  they  that  run  from  the  word  may  be  taken  thus 
with  a  glance  upon  it,  you  may  soon  conceive  what 
effect  it  may  work  in  those  that  run  to  it,  that  are  swiil 
to  hear,  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness. 
If  they  that  hear  or  read  the  word  immediately,  aliud 
agentes,  may  perceive  the  mind  of  the  Lord  by  the 
plain  opening  thereof,  much  more  they  that  come  of 
purpose  and_[run  to  it,  that  come  with  appetite  and 
desire  after  it,  with  delight  in  it,  with  purpose  to  profit 
by  it,  and  with  due  preparation  of  the  heart  by  earnest 
prayer,  for  the  holy  blessing  of  God  upon  the  ministry, 
and  hearing  of  it ;  therefore.  Quid  Scriptum  est  ?  Quo- 
modo  legis  1  "What  is  written  ?  How  readest  thou  ? 
2.  The  assurance  that  he  gives  of  the  performance 
of  his  purpose  in  due  time.  '  The  vision  is  yet  for  an 
appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak  and  not 
lie.'  Next  verse,  'It  will  surely  come,  it  will  not 
tarry.' 

This  is  rhetorically  set  down  ;  for, 

1.  Here  is  Veritas  decreti,  the  truth  of  the  decree: 
*  The  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time.' 

2.  Here  is  Veritas  verhi,  the  truth  of  the  word  :  '  It 
shall  speak,  it  shall  not  lie.' 

3.  Here  is  Veritas  facti,  the  truth  of  the  deed  :  '  It 
will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry.' 

1.   Vecretwn,  the  decree.  The  vision  is  here  put  for 
the  thing  seen,  as  you  have  heard,  and  that  is  the 

163 


76 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IL 


declaration  of  God's  just  judgment  in  the  cause  of  his 
church  against  the  Chaldeans  ;  for  he  saith  the  time 
is  appointed,  meaning  in  his  own  holy  and  fixed  decree, 
which  is  unchangeable. 

2.  Verhim,  the  word.  God  will  speak  his  mind  by 
this  vision,  and  declare  what  he  intendeth  against  the 
Chaldeans,  and  therein  he  will  deal  truly  and  faith- 
fully ;  for  he  is  truth,  he  cannot  lie.  For  these  be 
two  premises  or  antecedents  to  one  conclusion,  for  we 
naay  conclude  both  ways. 

1.  The  decree  of  God  is  passed.  Ergo  venict,  non 
tardabit,  he  shall  come,  he  will  not  tarry. 

2.  The  word  of  God  is  passed  :  Ergo,  dc. 
From  thence  we  are  taught, 

Doct.  That  whatsoever  God  hath  decreed  or  spoken 
shall  certainly  take  effect  in  the  appointed  time. 

The  holy  word  of  Scripture  confirmeth  this.  Indeed, 
who  should  alter  God's  decrees  ?  for  he  himself  will 
not,  I  may  say  truly  he  cannot,  change  them,  for  the 
apostle  saith,  Eph.  i.  11,  *  he  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  will.'  And  the  will  of  God  is  him- 
self;  and  '  he  cannot  deny  himself,'  2  Tim.  ii.  13. 
Neither  can  he  repent,  as  Samuel  told  Saul :  1  Sam. 
XV.  29,  '  The  strength  of  Israel  will  not  lie  nor  repent, 
for  he  is  not  a  man  that  he  should  repent.' 

And  if  God  himself  be  without  variableness  and 
shadow  of  change,  his  will  being  established  by  his 
counsel  and  wisdom,  we  may  be  sure  that  there  is  no 
power  beneath  him  that  can  swerve  him  from  his  own 
ways ;  for  the  wise  man  saith,  Prov.  xxi.  30,  *  There 
is  no  wisdom,  nor  understanding,  nor  counsel  against 
the  Lord.' 

One  reason  may  serve  of  this  doctrine. 

God  is  equal,  infinite  in  his  wisdom,  justice,  and 
mercy.  To  conceive  him  infinite  in  power  to  do  what- 
soever he  will,  and  not  infinite  in  wisdom  to  decree 
whatsoever  he  will  do,  were  to  make  him  a  tyrant,  not 
a  king ;  but  David  saith,  *  The  Lord  is  King,'  and 
we  do  ascribe  it  to  him,  Tuum  est  regnum  et  potentia, 
*  thine  is  the  kingdom  and  power ; '  for  power  without 
equal  proportion  of  wisdom  must  needs  degenerate 
into  cruelty.  This  wisdom  forseeth  all  things  that 
shall  be ;  this  wisdom  decreeth  all  things  that  he  will 
do,  which  his  power  after  in  the  times  appointed  doth 
perform  and  bring  to  act. 

Obj.  Against  this  doctrine  is  objected, 

1.  Why  then  do  so  many  texts  of  Scripture  tell  us 
that  God  repenteth  ? 

Sometimes  he  repenteth  of  the  good  that  he  hath 
164 


done';  for  to  make  man  upon  the  earth  was  a  gool 
work ;  yet  it  is  said.  Gen.  vi.  6,  '  And  it  repented  the 
Lord  that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it 
grieved  him  at  his  heart.'  So  to  make  Saul  king 
over  Israel  was  a  good  work,  for  it  was  his  own 
choice ;  yet  himself  saith,  1  Sam.  xv.  11,  'It  repent- 
eth me  that  I  have  set  up  Saul  to  be  king.' 

Sometime  God  is  said  to  repent  of  the  evil  that  he 
hath  done ;  malum  jift'yi^?,  the  evil  of  punishment  is 
there  to  be  understood.  So  after  the  great  plague, 
when  David  had  made  a  fault  in  numbering  the 
people  :  2  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  '  When  the  angel  stretched 
out  his  hand  upon  Jerusalem  to  destroy  it,  the  Lord 
repented  him  of  the  evil,  and  said  to  the  angel,  It  is 
enough,  stay  Ihy  hand.' 

And  concerning  his  word,  we  have  frequent  examples 
in  Scripture  of  events  contrary  to  the  letter  of  his 
word.  For  example,  his  word  was  to  Hezekiah  by 
Isaiah,  '  Set  thy  house  in  order,  for  thou  shalt  die,'. 
non  vives.  Yet  Hezekiah  did  live  fifteen  years  after 
that.  His  word  was  to  Nineveh  by  Jonah,  *  Forty 
days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be  destroyed; '  yet  it  fell  not 
out  so ;  and  the  story  saith,  Jonah  iii.  10,  '  God 
repented  of  the  evil  that  he  had  said  that  he  would  do 
to  them.' 

Sol.  To  all  we  answer : 

1.  That  the  will  of  God,  that  is,  his  counsel 
decreeing  what  he  will  do,  is  constantly  the  same, 
and  unchangeable,  as  we  have  taught. 

2.  Where  it  is  in  Scripture  charged  upon  God  that 
he  doth  repent,  we  say  with  Chrysostom,*  it  is  verbum 
parvitati  Jiostra;  accornmodatum,  a  word  accommodated 
to  our  weakness,  for  we  are  said  to  repent  when  we 
change  our  minds.  Now  the  God  of  wisdom  and 
power  never  changeth  his  mind,  but  sometimes  he  doth 
change  his  operations.  There  is  not  mutatio  inentis, 
but  mutatio  dexircc  Excelsi,  as  Augustine,  panitiido 
Del  est  mutandorum  immiitahilis  ratio,  by  which  he, 
without  changing  of  his  own  decree,  maketh  altera- 
tions in  the  disposition  of  things  mutable. 

This,  for  want  of  understanding  in  us  to  compre- 
hend the  ways  of  God,  is  called  repentance  and  grief 
in  God;  but,  as  Augustine  saith,  Kon  est  jwrturbatio, 
sed  judicium  quo  irrogatur  pa-na  ;  as  St  Paul,  'I  speak 
after  the  manner  of  men,  because  of  the  infirmity  of 
your  flesh.' 

3.  I  approve  that  received  distinction  of  the  will  of 
God;— 

*  Horn.  22  in  Gea. 


Ver.  2,  3.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


77 


(1.)   Voluntas  signt,  of  the  sign. 

(2.)  Voluntijs  heneplaciti,  of  his  good  pleasure. 

(1.)  God  doth  reveal  his  ways  to  the  sons  of  men, 
and  sheweth  them  what  he  would  have  them  do, 
and  openeth  to  them  the  knowledge,  and  tendereth  to 
them  the  use  of  fit  means  to  perform  that  which  he 
would  have  them  ;  and  so  it  is  said  he  would  have  all 
men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  his 
truth.  According  to  this  revealed  will  of  God,  he 
doth  offer  mercy  to  all,  and  he  doth  withal  threaten 
judgment  to  such  as  forsake  their  own  mercy,  as 
Jonah  saith.  And  when  he  seeth  cause  to  call  in 
either  his  mercy  from  them  that  abuse  it,  or  to  stop 
the  course  of  his  justice  to  them  whom  correction 
doth  amend,  then  we  say  he  repenteth  him  of  that 
which  he  hath  either  promised  or  threatened.  For 
clearing  whereof,  understand. 

That  God  never  changeth  in  promise  or  in  threat- 
ening, but  only  in  things  concerning  this  life  ;  as  in 
all  the  examples  repeated,  all  those  promises  and 
threatenings  be  used  as  motives  to  induce  obedience ; 
and  therefore  they  are  not  absolute,  but  conditional. 
For  it  is  no  good  argument  to  persuade  a  man  to  be 
religious,  and  to  fear  God,  abstaining  from  all  the 
pleasing  delights  of  the  world,  to  promise  him  his 
heart's  desire,  if  he  know  that  that  promise  doth 
bind  God,  that  whatsoever  he  do,  he  shall  be  par- 
taker of  the  promise.  And  it  is  no  inducement  to 
dissuade  sin  by  the  commination  of  judgment,  if  the 
judgment  must  of  necessity  be  inflicted.  Therefore 
this  revealed  will  of  God  is  conditional,  and  hath 
reference  to  our  obedience,  and  faith,  and  good  life, 
and  use  of  the  means  ordained  by  God,  and  tendered 
to  us.  This  is  the  rule  of  life,  and  by  this  will  is  the 
church  of  God  governed  ;  for  by  this  he  doth  reveal 
himself,  both  in  his  word,  and  in  his  permissions,  and 
in  his  operations. 

[1.^  God  signifieth  his  will  by  his  word  ;  for  that 
doth  declare  in  precepts,  prohibitions,  and  examples, 
what  God  would  have  to  be  done,  what  not  to  be 
done ;  it  revealeth  both  rewards  and  punishments, 
and  it  useth  both  promises  and  threatenings. 

[2.]  God  signifieth  his  will  by  permissions,  because 
he  declareth  thereby,  that  what  he  suffereth  to  be 
done,  that  he  willeth  to  be  effected. 

[3.]  By  operations  ;  for  what  God  doth  he  doth 
according  to  his  will. 

(2.)  Voluntas  heneplaciti  is  the  secret  will  of  God 
reserved  in  himself,  in  which, 


[1.]  There  is  consilium,  the  wisdom  of  God,  fore- 
seeing what  is  to  be  done. 

[2. J  There  is  decretum,  determining  it ;  and  herein 
the  counsel  of  God  is  not  the  rule  of  his  will,  for 
there  is  nothing  in  God  above  his  will ;  but  willing 
all  things  to  be  thus  as  he  hath  decreed,  he  foreseeth 
in  wisdom  what  he  willeth,  and  therefore  the  rule  is 
not  with  God,  This  is  good,  therefore  1  decree  it ;  but 
This  I  decree,  therefore  it  is  good. 

Now  sometimes  there  seems  to  be  an  opposition 
between  these  two  wills  of  God,  which  is  thus  recon- 
ciled. 

The  will  of  God  is  revealed  to  man, 

1.  Either  for  necessary  and  absolute  obedience,  as 
in  the  whole  moral  law  of  God. 

2.  For  probation  and  trial ;  as  in  the  command- 
ments given  to  Abraham  to  offer  up  Isaac,  wherein 
God  concealed  his  secret  will,  which  was  to  preserve 
Isaac  ;  and  concealed  the  purpose  of  his  command- 
ment, which  was  to  try  the  faith  of  Abraham.  So  on 
the  contrary,  he  sent  to  Pharaoh  commanding  him  to 
let  Israel  go,  yet  it  was  not  his  secret  will  that  Israel 
should  go  yet ;  but  the  commandment  was  given  to 
convince  Pharaoh  of  hardness  of  heart.  And  as  in 
Abraham  the  commandment  did  cause  him  to  declare 
his  faith,  so  in  Pharaoh  did  it  convince  him  of  re- 
bellion to  the  win  of  God. 

So  all  our  preaching,  wherein  we  persuade  repent- 
ance, and  promise  life  eternal,  it  serveth  to  direct  all 
that  look  for  salvation  in  the  way  of  Life,  and  it  serv- 
eth to  convince  the  world  of  unrighteousness  if  they 
obey  not. 

The  answer  then  is,  that  whatsoever  God  willeth 
and  decreeth  voluntate  heneplaciti,  by  the  will  of  good 
pleasure,  doth  take  effect.     What  God  willeth  volun 
tate  signi,  by  the  will  signified,  not  always. 

Reply.  How  then  shall  I  know  what  to  do,  seein 
the  signifying  will  of  God  is  my  rule,  and  that  seem- 
eth  uncertain,  and  not  agreeable  to  the  secret  will  of 
God's  good  pleasure  ? 

Sol.  Do  as  Abraham  did,  prepare  to  offer  thy  son. 
Do  as  thou  art  commanded,  leave  the  event  and  the 
disposition  of  thy  obedience  to  God,  who  will  further 
reveal  himself  unto  thee.  Do  as  Hezekiah  did,  set 
thine  house  in  order,  yet  use  the  means  by  repentance 
and  prayers  to  prolong  thy  life.  Do  as  the  Ninevites 
did,  fast  and  repent,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  '  try  him,'  as  the  prophet  saith,  '  whether 
he  will  shew  thee  mercy  or  not.' 

165 


78 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


But  to  bring  this  home  to  my  text,  when  God  pro- 
nounceth  the  decree  of  judgment  against  the  enemies 
of  the  church,  and  promiseth  mercy  to  his  church, 
believe  him  in  both  ;  for  neither  can  God's  enemies 
repent  to  change  the  course  of  his  justice,  neither  can 
his  church  sin  unto  death,  that  he  should  take  his 
mercy  utterly  from  it. 

So  then,  the  argument  holdeth  strong  ;  God  hath 
said  and  decreed  what  he  will  do  against  these 
Chaldeans,  what  for  his  church,  therefore  it  shall 
eome  to  pass. 

Quest,  But  if  this  be  true,  what  need  then  is  there 
of  prayer  ?  Doth  it  not  argue  in  us  a  kind  of  dis- 
trust in  the  favour  of  God  when  we  do  not  take  his 
word,  but  are  still  importunate  to  solicit  his  favour  ? 
To  this  our  answer  is,  that  this  cannot  discourage 
prayer,  because  the  decree  is  past  and  unchangeable  ; 
this  is  the  proper  foundation  of  prayer  ;  for  the 
apostle  saith,  1  John  v.  14,  '  And  this  is  the  confi- 
dence that  we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  ask  anything 
according  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us.'  So  that  it  is  a 
necessary  knowledge  before  we  undertake  to  pray,  to 
know  what  is  that  good,  that  acceptable  and  perfect 
will  of  God.  For  we  not  only  lose  our  labour,  but 
we  do  also  offend  God,  if  we  ask  anything  against  or 
beside  his  will ;  therefore,  that  we  might  not  run  into 
the  error  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  nescitis  quid  petatis, 
you  know  not  what  you  should  ask,  our  Saviour 
hath  set  down  a  form  of  prayer  so  absolute,  as  that 
we  cannot  justify  the  asking  of  anything  according  to 
the  will  of  God  that  hath  not  reference  to  one  of  those 
petitions. 

Obj.  If  then  we  prevail  in  our  prayers,  why  do  we 
commend  prayer,  seeing  all  events  do  follow  God's 
will  and  decree,  and  not  our  prayers  ? 

Ans.  Our  answer  is,  that  though  the  supreme  agent 
in  all  operations  be  the  will  of  God,  yet  the  hand 
of  operation,  in  many  things,  is  prayer,  which  God 
hath  ordained  and  commanded  as  a  means  to  draw 
forth  his  will  to  execution.  So  God  giveth  every  good 
gift :  yet  we  are,  without  any  wrong  to  God,  thankful 
to  men,  by  whose  means  any  good  cometh  to  us.  So 
that  the  doctrine  doth  remain  firm  ;  whatsoever  God 
hath  promised  to  his  church,  or  threatened  the  per- 
verse enemies  thereof,  that  he  will  surely  perform  ;  for 
the  decrees  and  the  word  of  God  are  unchangeable. 

Quest.  But  when  God  threateneth  me  punishment, 
and  denounceth  judgment  against  me,  how  shall  I 
know  whether   it  be   voluntas  signi,  or    heneplaciti  ? 
166 


Is  there  not^an  hope  left  me,  that  God  may  repent 
him  of  the  evil  that  he  threatened  ? 

It  is  a  note  of  |the  evil  conscience  to  fear  where  no 
fear  is,  i.  e.  where  there  is  no  cause  of  fear.  An  elect 
man  fearing  judgment  threatened,  which  shall  not 
come  near  him,  feareth  where  no  cause  is  of  fear. 

Sol.  To  this  I  answer,  let  not  us  dispute  the  will 
of  God,  or  search  beyond  that  which  is  revealed  ;  if 
God  have  revealed  his  will  to  us,  that  must  be  our 
guide.  That  revealed  will  hath  threatened  nothing  in 
us  but'sin,  and^sin  carrieth  two  rods  about  it,  shame 
and  fear. 

There  be  two  things  in  a  regenerate  elect  man  : 

1.  A  conscience  of  his  sin. 

2.  Faith  in  the  promises  of  God  through  Christ. 
So  long  as  we  do  live,  we  do  carry  about  us  corjjus 

peccati,  the  body  of  sin  ;  and  as  that  doth  shake 
and  weaken  faith,  so  doth  it  confirm  and  strengthen 
fear. 

Use  1.  We  are  taught  from  hence  to  believe  the 
word  of  God  ;  the  apostle  saith,  *  He  is  faithful  that 
hath  promised.'  The  faithful  servants  of  God  have 
this  promise,  '  I  will  not  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.' 
David  believes  him,  in  convalle  umbra;  mortis  nan 
tlmeho :  '  In  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  I  will 
not  fear.'  Job  believes  him :  '  Though  he  kill  me,  I 
will  trust  in  him.'  David  believes  verily  when  he 
smarts :  '  I  shall  see  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  land 
of  the  living.' 

It  is  a  sweet  content  of  the  inward  man,  when  the 
conscience  pleads  not  guilty  to  the  love  of  sin,  though 
our  infirmities  miscarry  us  often,  that  we  may  say  with 
Nehemiah,  chap.  xiii.  14,  'Remember  me,  0  my  Lord, 
concerning  this,  and  blot  not  out  the  loving-kindness  that 
I  shewed  to  thy  house,  and  to  the  officers  thereof.' 
And  with  Hezekiah,  '  Remember,  Lord,  now,  I  be- 
seech thee,  how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth, 
and  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  have  done  that  which  is 
good  in  thy  sight :'  but  it  foUoweth,  '  And  Hezekiah 
wept  sore.'  If  he  were  so  good  a  man,  why  did  he 
weep  ?     If  not  so  good,  why  did  he  boast  ? 

Surely  we  carry  all  our  good  amongst  a  multitude 
of  infirmities,  and  therefore  we  cannot  rejoice  in  our 
own  integrity  with  a  perfect  and  full  joy  ;  yet  is  it  a 
sweet  repose  to  the  heart,  when  God  giveth  us  a  peace 
of  conscience  from  the  dominion  of  sin. 

So  on  the  other  side,  believe  God  threatening 
impenitent  sinners  with  his  judgments  ;  for  he  is  wise 
to  see  the  sins  of  the  ungodly,  he  is  holy  to  hate  thorn, 


Ver.  2,  3.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


79 


he  is  just  to  judge  them,  and  he  is  omnipotent  to 
punish  them. 

Let  me  give  one  instance. 

The  third  commandment  in  the  first  table  of  the 
law  saith,  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  vain.'     What  needs  any  more  ? 

1.  Put  these  two  one  against  another,  Thou,  the 
Lord  thy  God. 

2.  Consider  what  the  law  concerns,  God's  name; 
wherein  standeth  his  glory,  our  help. 

3.  What  is  forbidden,  taking  it  in  vain,  and  we 
pray,  Sanciificetur,  let  it  be  hallowed. 

But  where  all  this  will  not  serve,  yet  this  is  mums 
aheneus,  a  brazen  wall,  one  would  think ;  God  doth 
make  yet  another  fence  about  his  name,  an  hedge  of 
thorns  :  '  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that 
taketh  his  name  in  vain.' 

The  laws  of  God  be  unreversible  decrees  ;  heaven 
and  earth  shall  pass,  ere  one  of  these  words  shall 
sink  or  lose  strength.  Yet  the  blasphemer  feareth 
nothing ;  that  is  a  crying  sin  in  this  land  ;  not  the 
houses  only,  the  streets  and  highways  resound  the 
dishonour  of  God's  name  ;  this  sin  is  growing  incor- 
rigible.    '  The  land  moumeth  because  of  oaths.' 

Hoc  dicunt  omnes  ante  Alpha  et  Beta  puellae. 

And  believe  God,  who  cannot  lie,  '  He  willnot  hold 
him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain.' 

Thus  we  make  use  of  this  doctrine,  to  restrain,  if 
not  overcome,  and  to  destroy  the  dominion,  if  not  the 
being,  of  sin  in  us. 

Use  2.  For  the  better  rectifying  of  our  judgments, 
and  reformation  of  our  lives,  let  us  observe  the  con- 
sonancy  of  God's  practice  in  the  world  with  the  truth 
of  his  word.  He  hath  declared  himself  an  hater  of 
evil ;  and  do  we  not  see  daily  examples  of  his  judg- 
ments upon  wicked  men,  how  ill  they  prosper  in  their 
estates,  what  shame,  and  disgrace,  and  loss  of  all  that 
they  have  unrighteously  gotten  cometh  upon  them  ; 
how  their  posterity  .  smarteth,  according  to  that 
threatening  in  the  second  commandment,  God  bring- 
ing the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  and 
visiting  it  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them 
that  hate  him  ;  that  we  may  say,  '  Let  him  that  think- 
eth  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall.'  Wlience 
Cometh  all  this,  but  from  the  constant  truth  of  God's 
unreversible  decrees,  because  the  word  is  gone  out  of 
his  mouth  ?  And  though  the  ungodly  do  not  believe 
it,  though  it  be  told  them,  *  Yerily  there  is  a  reward 


for  the  righteous;   doubtless   there   is   a  God   that 
judge th  in  the  world.' 

We  may  say  of  our  times,  as  Hecuba  did  of  hers, 
Non  unquam  tuUt  documenta  fors  majora  qudm  fragili 
loco  starent  superhi ;  for  we  live  in  the  school  of  dis- 
cipline, and  the  rod  of  correction  is  not  only  shewed, 
but  used  with  a  strong  hand,  that  all  men  may  fear  to 
be  unrighteous.  We  have  not  only  vigorem  verborumy 
the  vigour  of  words,  chiding  sin  in  our  ministry  of 
the  word;  but  riyorem  verberum,  the  rigour  of  stripes, 
in  the  administration  of  justice.  Never  did  any  age 
bring  both  fuller  examples  of  terror  than  we  have  heard 
with  our  ears,  and  seen  with  our  eyes  ;  for  the  wisdom 
of  God's  decrees  and  the  word  of  God's  truth  is  justi- 
fied in  our  sight.  Therefore,  seeing  sentence  executed 
upon  evil  works,  let  -=  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  men  be 
wholly  set  in  them  to  do  evil. 

Use  3.  Let  us  consider  the  vain  confidence  of  the 
ungodly,  and  compare  it  with  the  constant  truth  of 
the  decrees  and  word  of  God.  Isaiah  expresseth  it 
fully:  chap,  xxviii.  15,  *  Ye  have  said,  We  have  made 
a  covenant  with  death,  and  with  hell  are  we  at  agree- 
ment ;  when  the  overflowing  scourge  shall  pass  through, 
it  shall  not  come  to  us  :  for  we  have  made  lies  our 
refuge,  and  under  falsehood  have  we  hid  ourselves.' 
They  are  answered  and  confounded  :  ver.  20,  '  The 
bed  is  shorter  than  a  man  can  stretch  himself  on  it; 
and  the  covering  narrower  than  he  can  wrap  himself 
in  it.'  He  that  is  to  lodge  so  uneasily,  cannot  say, 
•  I  will  lay  me  down  in  peace  and  take  my  rest.' 

The  Chaldeans  invade  the  church ;  they  kill,  and  take 
possession,  and  divide  the  prey  ;  they  oppose  better 
and  more  righteous  men  than  themselves ;  their  trust 
is  in  their  ^strength,  and  riches,  and  power,  nee  leves 
metuunt  Decs.  What  care  they  who  weeps,  so  they 
laugh  ;  or  who  bleeds,  so  they  sleep  in  a  whole  skin ; 
who  dies,  so  they  live.     '  They  trust  in  lying  vanities.' 

Solomonsaith,  Eccles.viii.  12,  13,  'Though  a  sinner 
do  evil  an  hundred  times,  and  his  days  be  prolonged, 
yet  surely  I  know  it  shall  be  weU  with  them  that  fear 
God,  which  fear  before  him  :  but  it  shall  not  be  well 
with  the  wicked,  neither  shall  he  prolong  his  days,  which 
are  a  shadow  ;  because  he  feareth  not  before  God.' 

God  hath  made  an  act  against  them;  their  judgment 
is  sealed,  they  have  nothing  but  vanity  and  lies  to 
support  their  staggering  and  reeling  estate  of  temporal 
felicity.  God  is  not  in  all  their  ways,  nor  the  direction 
of  God  to  manage  them,  and  therefore  not  the  pro- 
*  Qu. '  yet  •  ?— Ed. 

167 


80 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


tection  of  G-od  to  defend  them.  He  leads  them  into 
temptation,  but  he  doth  not  deliver  them  from  evil. 
But  God  is  a  rock  for  foandation,  and  a  castle  for 
defence,  to  all  such  as  put  their  trust  in  him. 

3.  The  patient  expectation  which  he  requireth  in 
the  prophet  for  the  performance  of  this  promise : 
'  Though  it  tan-y,  wait  for  it.' 

Doct.  We  must  not  think  long  to  tarry  the  Lord's 
leisure.  It  is  the  prophet's  rule,  Isa.  xxviii.  16,  '  He 
that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste  ;'  and  it  is  David's 
precept,  Ps.  xxxvii.  34,  '  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep 
his  ways.'  And  we  have  Job's  example,  '  All  the 
days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait.' 

The  promise  of  the  Messiah  was  made  in  paradise : 
*  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  head  of  the 
serpent.'  This  was  the  gospel  that  God  himself 
preached  to  the  serpent ;  and  all  the  sacrifices  of  the 
old  law,  and  all  the  prophecies  of  former  ages,  and  all 
the  types  in  the  Old  Testament,  were  commentaries 
upon  this  text.  The  fathers  in  all  ages  of  the  church 
before  Christ,  rested  on  this ;  the  apostle  saith  of  them, 
Heb.  xi.  13,  '  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  re- 
ceived the  promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off, 
and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them.' 

Reason  1.  Because  this  doth  best  fit  the  constant 
decree  of  God,  that  we  do  rest  in  it ;  for  it  were  in 
vain  for  us  to  serve  a  God  whom  we  might  not  trust, 
and  upon  whose  word  we  could  not  build  assurance. 
It  is  the  apostle's  rest,  scio  cui  credidi,  I  know  whom 
I  have  believed. 

Reason  2.  Because  this  doth  best  declare  our  faith ;  for 
faith  being  of  things  not  seen  in  themselves,  the  apostle 
saith,  here  we  see  in  a  glass.  Faith  is  a  Christian  man's 
prospective,  through  which  he  beholdeth  all  things  far 
off  as  if  they  were  near  at  hand. 

Reason  3.  Because  this  is  an  exercise  of  our  patience : 
Heb.  X.  86,  37,  *  For  ye  have  need  of  patience,  that, 
after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive 
the  promise.  For  yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall 
come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.' 

Reason  4.  This  also  doth  exercise  our  hope,  for 
hope  is  nourished  and  fed  with  future  objects,  as  sense 
is  with  present ;  and  hope  hath  that  wise  forecast, 
that  as  soon  as  the  seed  is  cast  into  the  ground,  hope 
is  at  work  to  gather  in  the  harvest :  '  Rejoice  in  hope.' 

Use.  Saint  Bernard  doth  teach  us  to  make  use  of 
this  doctrine,  of  awaiting  God's  leisure  ;  for,  first,  he 
layeth  a  good  foundation  ;  tua  considero  in  quibus  tola 
spes  mea  consistit : 
168 


1.  Charitatem  adoptionis. 

2.  Veritatem  promissionis. 

3.  Potestatem  redditionis.     Upon  this  he  buildeth. 
Dicit  fides  parata  sunt  magna   inexcogitahilia  bona 

a  Deo  Jidelibus  suis.  Dicit  spes,  niihi  ilia  servantur. 
Dicit  charitas,  curro  ego  ad  ilia. 

We  must  be  very  tender  how  we  do  invade  the 
royalties  of  God.  Christ  saith  that  his  Father  hath 
kept  the  times  and  seasons  in  his  own  power,  he  will 
have  the  alone  managing  of  them. 

They  that  cannot  tarry  the  Lord's  leisure  do  com- 
monly fall  into  one  of  these  two  evils  : 

1.  Either  they  murmur  impatiently  at  God,  and 
quarrel  his  delay,  as  Israel  did  when  they  came  out 
of  Egypt ; 

2.  Or  else  they  seek  unlawful  means  to  accomplish 
their  desires.    So  the  woman  of  Endor  gets  customers. 

Against  these  :  *  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work, 
that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing,' 
James  i.  4.     This  work  is  thus  perfected. 

1.  Let  us  not  be  too  busy  to  search  into  the  ways 
of  God,  to  know  things  to  come.  It  pleased  God,  be- 
fore the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  to  reveal  much 
of  his  purpose  concerning  the  time  to  come,  by  the 
ministry  of  his  prophets ;  and  the  devil  finding  men 
taken  with  this  desire  of  the  knowledge  of  future 
events,  did  erect  his  oracles,  whose  giddy  and  dubious 
predictions  did  so  infatuate  the  world,  that  few  did 
undertake  any  matter  of  moment  without  consulting 
the  oracle.  The  devil  grew  rich  by  the  offerings  and 
presents  that  were  given  him  for  divination,  when  the 
success  sorted ;  and  he  lost  nothing  of  reputation  or 
belief  when  it  failed,  because  all  his  oracles  were  of 
ambiguous  sense,  for  to  carry,  if  need  were,  contrary 
constructions. 

And  it  is  a  thing  admirable,  which  the  wisdom  of 
observation  hath  recorded  to  the  honour  of  Christ, 
that  at  his  coming  into  the  world  all  oracles  grew 
speechless,  to  shew  that  he  that  should  dissolve  the 
works  of  the  devil  was  come.  The  head  of  this  serpent 
being  now  by  his  coming  bruised,  the  way  to  establish 
our  hearts  is  to  rest  in  the  Lord,  and  not  to  be  too 
busy  with  the  key  of  his  closet,  and  to  content  our- 
selves with  so  much  knowledge  of  things  to  come,  as 
either, 

1.  The  wisdom  of  foresight  may  read  in  the  volume 
of  reasonable  discourse. 

2.  Or  the  faith  of  God's  holy  ones  may  read  in  the 
written  word  of  holy  Scripture. 


Ver.  %  3.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


81 


3.  Or  the  judgment  of  those  scholars  of  nature  may 
find  by  searching  the  great  book  of  the  creatures ;  for 
these  open  things  are  for  us,  and  here,  qui  potest 
capere  capiat,  he  that  can  let  him  receive  it. 

It  hath  been  the  fault  of  many,  that  they  have  so 
anxiously  discrutiated  themselves  with  the  solicitous 
inquisition  of  the  future,  that  they  have  too  much 
neglected  the  present ;  and  desiring  to  know  what  God 
would  do  for  them  hereafter,  both  themselves  lose  the 
sense,  and  God  the  thanks  of  that  good  that  he  was 
then  doing.  God  hath  his  ways  and  his  paths  where 
his  footsteps  are  not  seen. 

2.  Let  us  take  the  word  of  God  for  his'promise  and 
threatenings,  whatsoever  appearances  do  put  in  to 
countersuade. 

In  the  case  of  my  text,  the  oppressed  church  must 
taiTy,  they  have  two  promises  :  one  of  their  own 
deliverance  and  restoration  ;  another  of  their  enemies' 
confusion  and  ruin.  God  hath  promised  both ;  yet 
against  this  promise,  the  church  which  hears  of  com- 
fort feels  smart,  and  their  threatened  enemies  rejoice 
and  divide  their  spoil.  The  assurance  is,  God  cannot 
lie,  and  repentance  is  hid  from  his  eyes. 

Why  should  man  desire  better  assurance  than  the 
word  of  God  to  fix  and  establish  his  heart ;  seeing 
all  things  had  their  being  from  the  word,  and  no  man 
now  in  being  '  doth  not  live  *  by  bread  only,  but  by 
every  word  that  proceedeth  from  the  mouth  of  God.' 

3.  To  perfect  our  patience.  That  we  may  wait  the 
Lord's  leisure,  we  must  beforehand  consider  that  the 
vision  may  tarry ;  the  promises  of  God,  which  shall  be 
fulfilled  in  their  fulness  of  time,  may  be  foretold  long 
before.  Christ  was  promised  in  paradise,  some  do 
think  the  first  day  of  the  world,  to  man,  /.  e.  in  the  day 
of  man's  creation,  the  eve  of  the  first  Sabbath  ;  but  he 
was  not  bom  till  almost  four  thousand  years  after, 
yet  the  faithful  in  those  times  waited  for  the  coming 
of  Christ,  and  tarried  with  patience  till  he  came. 

4.  God  himself  waited  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years  for  the  repentance  of  the  old  world,  all  the  while 
the  ark  was  preparing.  It  is  the  apostle's  phrase, 
1  Peter  iii.  20,  '  The  longsufi'ering  of  God  waited.'  If 
God  have  the  patience  to  wait  on  us  for  our  good,  this 
may  perfect  our  patience  in  our  waiting  on  him  for  our 
own  good. 

Saint  Paul,  Rom.  ii.  4,  calleth  this  '  the  riches  of 
his  goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  longsnffering ;'  and 

*  Qu.  'doth  live'?— Ed. 


saith  that  '  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  to  repentance.' 
If  we  consider  his  provocation,  and  how  our  daily  sins 
tempt  him  to  repent  that  he  either  did  make  us  or  do 
anything  for  us,  all  which  are  in  his  sight,  and  all 
which  his  soul  abhorreth  ;  and  if  we  compare  this  his 
patience  with  our  passionate  bitterness  upon  the  least 
provocation,  and  consider  how  ready  we  are  to  call  for 
fire  from  heaven  to  consume  them  that  anger  us  :  we 
shall  see  that  God  doth  wait  for  our  repentance  with 
much  patience.  And  who  would  not  wait  upon  such  a 
Lord? 

5.  Let  us  consider  how  willingly  we  do  attend  and 
observe  those  that  can  do  us  any  good ;  how  early  we 
rise,  to  be  sure  to  prevent  their  hours ;  how  well  our 
hopes  do  support  us  and  stay  our  stomachs,  though 
many  delays  interpose  their  stop  and  threaten  failing ; 
yet  the  success  of  expectation  in  things  temporal 
depending  on  men  is  always  uncertain,  for  there  are 
no  bounds  that  can  oblige  human  favour,  not  merits, 
not  rewards,  not  promises,  not  oaths  ;  but  '  the  pro- 
mises of  God  are  yea  and  amen,'  as  he  saith  :  '  The 
vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time ;  at  the  end  it  shall 
speak,  and  not  lie:'  it  will  surely  come. 

This  assurance  that  we  have  from  the  word  doth 
make  expectation  easy ;  it  is  no  pain  to  tarry  for  that 
which  shall  not  fail  us.  Jacob  thought  the  seven 
years  a  short  time  bestowed  for  Rachel,  because  he 
loved  her,  though  he  served  and  was  not  his  own  man 
till  he  had  fulfilled  the  time.  Neither  doth  that  of 
Solomon  discourage  our  tarrying  the  Lord's  leisure, 
because  he  saith,  Prov.  xiii.  12,  '  Hope  deferred 
maketh  the  heart  sick.' 

1.  Because,  if  that  hope  be  of  some  things  temporal, 
depending  upon  the  favour  of  the  times,  or  persons  of 
men,  there  may  be  a  failing;  therefore  delay  is  a 
disease  in  such  cases,  and  maketh  the  heart  sick. 

2.  But  hope  in  the  promises  of  God,  determined  to 
their  certain  time,  cannot  be  said  to  be  delayed ;  for 
his  hope  is  in  vain  who  hopeth  anything  before  the 
time. 

3.  And  again,  where  hope  resteth  in  the  word  and 
promise  of  God,  neither  the  alterations  of  persons, 
nor  the  vicissitude  of  times,  nor  the  int^rcurrence  of 
impediments  can  any  way  cross  the  purpose,  disable 
the  means,  or  defeat  the  end  of  God's  decree. 

Further,  if  we  understand  Solomon,  of  hope  rightly 
grounded  on  the  promise,  and  construe  the  deferring 
it,  not  to  any  protraction  beyond  the  time,  but  to  the 
long  expectation  of  it  in  tempore  suo,  which  desire  of 

169 


82 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IL 


fruition  doth  make  long,  that  that  hope  maketh  the 
heart  sick,  we  must  not  understand  this  sickness  as  a 
disease  of  the  heart;  for  when  the  church  saith, 
Cant.  ii.  5,  *  Stay  me  with  flagons,  and  comfort  me 
with  apples,  for  I  am  sick  of  love,'  let  no  man  think 
that  this  sickness  was  any  disease  in  the  church ;  we 
may  say  of  it  as  our  Lord  did  of  Lazarus's  sickness, 

*  This  sickness  is  not  to  death.'  This  is  but  fervour 
of  the  spirit,  and  earnestness  of  desire ;  as  Bernard 
saith,  it  is  tcedium  quoddam  impatientis  desiderli  he 
means,  and  holy  impatience,  quo  necessc  est  affici 
mentem  amatoris  ahsente  eo  quod  amat,  dum  totus  in 
expectatione  quantamUhet  festinationem  reputat  tardi- 
tatem. 

This  is  an  wholesome  sickness  ;  it  is  the  disease  of 
the  whole  creation,  and  of  all  the  elect :  Rom.  viii. 
22,  23,  '  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth 
and  travailetb  in  pain  until  now ;  and  not  only  they, 
but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first-fruits  of  the 
Spirit ;  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves, 
waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our 
body.'  This,  verse  19,  is  called  the  earnest  expecta- 
tion of  the  creature,  waiting  for  the  manifestation  of 
the  sons  of  God ;  this  is  not  weakness  of  the  flesh  in 
the  elect,  but  fervour  and  strength  of  the  spirit. 

So  David  longed ;  as  he  professeth,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  2, 

*  My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of 
the  Lord ;  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the 
living  God.' 

And  this  desire  goeth  with  us  to  heaven  ;  for  even 
there  the  souls  must  wait ;  and  they  are  full  of  this 
holy  desire,  which  proves  that  their  happiness  is  not 
consummate  till  the  resurrection.  For  the  souls  under 
the  altar  cry  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Rev.  vi.  10, 
'  How  long,  0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth?' 

This  desire  is  cos  orationis,  the  whetstone  of  prayer; 
for  the  more  our  hearts  are  established  in  the  assur- 
ance of  the  truth  of  God's  promises,  the  more  is  the 
fire  of  this  desire  kindled  and  inflamed  in  us,  and  then 
it  breaketh  forth  into  prayer,  and  the  prayers  that  are 
fired  at  the  altar  of  zeal  ascend  the  next  way  to  the 
throne  of  grace. 

Christ  himself  kindled  this  heat  in  us  when  he 
taught  us  to  pray  to  our  Father,  fiat  voluntas  tua,  thy 
will  be  done  :  for  we  may  tarry  the  leisure  of  the  fiat 
in  faith,  and  yet  desire  it  with  fervency  ;  for  in  nothing 
do  we  more  declare  our  concurrence  with  the  will  of 
170 


God,  thanin  our  earnestness  in  prayer  to  him  to  fulfil 
his  will. 

For  application  of  this  point,  let  us  look  back  to 
the  vision.     It  is  double ;  for  God  revealeth, 

1.  The  purpose  of  his  fierce  wrath  against  the  ene- 
mies of  his  church,  whom  he  threateneth  to  consume. 

2.  His  promise  of  mercy  to  his  church,  that  he 
will  restore  it  to  the  joy  of  his  countenance,  and  give 
it  rest  from  all  her  enemies. 

This  promise  of  God  holdeth  to  the  world's  end ; 
even  the  whole  vision  is  for  appointed  times. 

Therefore  the  distresses  of  the  church  must  ever  be 
comforted  with  those  comforts  ;  for  these  the  apostle 
doth  call  '  the  comforts  wherewith  we  are  comforted 
of  God.'  All  other  comforts  spend  themselves  into 
breath,  and  vanish  and  leave  the  heart  oppressed  as 
it  was ;  the  vision  of  God's  revealed  comfort  ostab- 
lisheth  the  heart,  for  this  telleth  us  where  we  may 
have  rest  for  our  souls,  namely,  in  the  decree  and 
promise  of  God. 

And  needful  is  this  comfort  now ;  for  though  our 
church,  by  the  good  ftivour  of  God,  do  enjoy  the  liberty 
of  the  word  in  peace,  under  the  gracious  government 
of  our  king,  whom  God  hath  anointed  defender  of  the 
faith,  the  protestant  and  reformed  churches  in  other 
parts  of  the  world  do  at  this  present  smart  for  it.  Long 
have  they  lived  under  the  rod  of  the  Spanish  inquisi- 
tion; long  subject  to  the  sugillations  of  the  Jesuits, 
their  mortal  enemies.  But  now  the  sword  of  mas- 
sacre is  drawn  against  them ;  before  there  were  some 
attempts  made  upon  the  persons  of  some  few  of  the 
religion,  or  some  encroachment  made  upon  their  goods. 
They  thought  it  gain  to  lose  all  for  Christ,  so  that 
they  might  win  him,  and  be  found  in  him ;  but  now 
the  poor,  distressed  church  heareth  the  voice  of  the 
daughter  of  Babel  crying  out  against  her,  Nudate, 
Nudate ;  first  discerning  them,  and  then,  but  who  can 
tell  what  then  ?  The  true  church,  lying  at  the  mercy 
of  Rome,  shall  find  her  mercies  cruel. 

We  cannot  but  take  notice  of  it,  that  the  church  of 
Rome  is  both  a  strong  and  a  bloody  enemy ;  she  is  not 
yet  stupannated,  nor  past  teeming ;  she  aboundeth  in 
continual  succrescence  of  new  seed.  Cardinal  Bellar- 
mine,  under  the  name  of  Tortus,  doth  wonder  why  our 
king  should  fear  the  cruel  dominion  of  the  pope,  under 
whom  all  his  tributaries  do  so  well. 

And  the  humble  supplicants  to  his  Majesty  for  the 
liberty  of  conscience,  as  they  call  it,  and  for  toleration 
of  the  Romish  religion,  have  urged  the  peaceable  state 


Vek.  2,  3.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


83 


of  our  neighbours  in  France,  where  the  papist  and 
protestant  do  exercise  their  religion  in  peace. 

We  now  see  that  they  feel  and  smart  for  it ;  that 
there  can  be  no  peace  with  Jezebel  of  Rome,  so  long 
as  her  whoredoms  and  her  witchcrafts  are  so  many, 
2  Kings  ix.  22.  She  lieth  lurking  in  the  secret 
places,  to  murder  the  innocent ;  her  patience  is  Umited 
with  no  other  bounds  but  donee  adsint  vires,  till  they 
have  strength.  Xunc  proximus  ardet  Ucalegon,  they 
have  declared  themselves  here  what  they  would  have 
done.  Our  comfort  is  in  this  vision,  and  we  must 
tarry  and  wait  the  Lord's  leisure. 

Haman,  the  Jesuit,  hath  got  a  decree  against  the 
reformed  church  in  France  to  root  it  out,  and  the 
sword  is  now  drawn  against  them  ;  the  Protestants  in 
Bohemia  have  felt  the  edge  of  the  Romish  sword ;  she 
that  calls  herself  mother  of  the  Christians,  ostendit 
ubera,  verhera  pruducit,  she  pretendeth  love.  Scevus 
amor  docuit  natorum  sanguine  matrem  commacidare 
mamis.  And  the  church  makes  pitiful  moan,  saying, 
Hab  i.  17,  *  Shall  they,  therefore,  empty  their  net, 
and  not  spare  continually  to  slay  the  nations  ? '  But 
we  know  that  God  is  good  to  Israel,  to  such  as  be 
true  of  heart.  God  hath  a  sword  too,  and  he  is  whet- 
ting of  it ;  he  hath  a  quiver,  and  it  is  full  of  arrows ; 
he  is  bending  of  his  bow,  and  preparing  his  instru- 
ments of  death,  and  he  hath  a  right  hand,  and  that 
shall  find  out  all  his  enemies. 

How  shall  we  wear  out  the  weary  hours  of  time,  till 
God  come  and  have  mercy  upon  Zion  ?  We  have 
many  ways  to  deceive  the  time. 

1.  The  idle  think  the  time  long.  Whilst  we  have, 
therefore,  time,  let  us  do  good.  We  have  work 
enough,  to  '  work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,'  to  •  make  our  calling  and  election  sure,'  to 
*  seek  the  Lord  whilst  he  may  be  found,'  to  '  wash  us 
and  make  us  clean,  to  put  away  the  evil  of  our  works,' 
to  '  cease  to  do  evil,  to  learn  to  do  well,'  to  get  and 
keep  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  to  walk  with  our 
God. 

They  that  well  consider  what  they  have  to  do,  bor- 
row time  from  their  natural  rest,  from  their  meats, 
from  their  recreations,  to  bestow  it  on  the  service  of 
God. 

There  be  that  overcharge  themselves  with  the  busi- 
nesses of  the  world,  with  the  care  of  gathering  riches, 
with  ambitious  thoughts  of  rising  higher,  with  wanton 
desires  of  the  flesh,  with  sensual  surfeits  in  gluttony 
and  drunkenness,  and  the  day  is  not  long  enough  for 


these  children  of  this  world,  to  whom  I  say  with  the 
shepherd,* 

Quin  tu  aliquid  saltern  potius  quorum  indiget  usus. 

Are  these  the  things  you  look  upon  ?  Non  relinque- 
tur  lapis  super  lapidem,  There  shall  not  be  left  a  stone 
upon  a  stone  ;  '  Walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but 
as  wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are 
evil.'  Remember  your  creation  to  good  works,  that 
you  should  walk  in  them,  and,  whilst  you  have  the 
hght ;  walk  in  the  light,  Ambulate  in  luce,  ambulate 
digni  luce. 

2.  To  sweeten  the  delay  of  the  vision,  and  to  shorten 
the  time  of  our  expectation,  let  us  hear  our  Saviour 
saying,  '  Search  the  Scriptures.'     There, 

(1.)  We  shall  find  the  promises  of  God  made  to  his 
church  in  all  ages  thereof,  beginning  in  paradise  at 
semen  mulieris,  the  seed  of  the  woman,  and  so  conti- 
nuing to  the  fall  of  the  great  strumpet,  the  ruin  of 
Babylon  in  the  Revelation ;  wherein  we  shall  find 
God  to  be  '  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  the  same  for 
ever.' 

(2.)  We  shall  read  the  examples  of  God's  mercy  to 
his  church,  and  judgment  of  the  enemies  thereof,  all 
the  Bible  through. 

It  is  a  work  for  the  Sabbath,  as  appeareth  in  the 
proper  psalm  for  the  day  (Ps.  xcii.)  ;  to  praise  God 
for  this,  to  sing  unto  the  name  of  the  Most  High.  The 
church  professeth  it:  ver.4,  *Thou,  Lord,  hast  made  me 
glad  through  thy  work  ;  I  will  triumph  in  the  works  of 
thy  hands.'  The  works  of  God  are  these  :  ver.  7-17, 
'  When  the  wicked  spring  as  grass,  and  when  all 
the  workers  of  iniquity  do  flourish  ;  it  is  that  they 
shall  be  destroyed  for  ever.  For,  lo,  thine  enemies, 
0  Lord,  for,  lo,  thine  enemies  shall  perish ;  all  the 
workers  of  iniquity  shall  be  scattered.  But  my  horn 
shall  be  exalted  like  the  horn  of  an  unicorn :  I  shall 
be  anointed  with  fresh  oil.  Mine  eye  shall  see  my 
desire  upon  mine  enemies ;  mine  ears  shall  hear  my 
desire  of  the  wicked  that  rise  up  against  me.  The 
righteous  shall  flourish  like  a  palm-tree  ;  he  shall 
grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon.  Those  that  be  planted 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of 
our  God.  They  shall  bring  forth  more  fruit  in  their 
age  ;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing.'  The  use  of 
all,  '  To  shew  that  the  liord  is  upright ;  he  is  my 
rock,  and  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him.' 

These  be  meditations  of  a  Sabbath  oi  rest,  and  the 
*   Virg.  Alexis. 

171 


8i 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


word  of  God  giveth  full  examples  of  this  truth,  and 
daily  experience  in  our  own  times  assureth  it. 

(3.)  The  Scripture  doth  put  into  our  mouths, 
'  psalms  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  teaching  us 
to  sing  and  to  make  melody  in  our  hearts.' 

Excellent  to  this  purpose  are  the  Psalms  of  the 
Bible ;  and  if  we  sing  mei-rily  to  the  God  of  our  sal- 
vation, this  will  pass  away  the  time  of  our  waiting 
for  the  promise  of  God  cheerfully  ;  we  shall  not  think 
it  long.  For  this  did  David  desire  to  live.  '  Oh,  let 
me  live,  and  I  will  praise  thy  name.' 

(4.)  The  Scripture  is  full  of  heavenly  consolations 
to  establish  the  heart,  that  it  shall  not  sink  under  the 
burden  of  this  expectation,  for  in  the  Scriptures  the 
Spirit  of  God  speaketh,  *  Let  him  that  hath  ears  to 
hear,  he&r  what  the  Spirit  speaks  to  the  churches.' 
This  Spirit  hath  Christ  left  in  his  church  to  be  the 
comforter  of  his  church,  to  abide  with  it  for  ever.  We 
have  the  earnest  of  this  Spirit  to  bind  the  bargain  of 
eternal  salvation.  We  have  the  first  fruits  of  this 
Spirit. 

We  have  the  testimony  of  this  Spirit  *  witnessing 
with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God  ;  and  if 
sons,  then  heirs,  and  co-heirs  with  Christ.' 

3.  To  spend  the  time  of  our  waiting  here  for  the 
promise  of  God,  we  have  the  holy  exercise  of  prayer. 
This  doth  bring  us  to  a  familiar  conference  with  God ; 
and,  as  in  hearing  and  reading  of  holy  Scripture,  we 
say,  Audiam  quid  hquotur  Deus,  so  in  prayer  God 
saith,  '  He  shall  call  upon  me  and  I  will  hear  him ;  I 
will  be  with  him.'  In  prayer  we  may  challenge  God 
of  his  promise,  as  the  Psalmist,  '  Ps.  cxix.  49,  '  Do 
well,  0  Lord,  unto  thy  servant,  according  to  thy  word. 
Remember  thy  word  unto  thy  servant,  upon  which 
thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.'  Faith  and  feeling  are 
not  always  joined  together  ;  therefore  in  the  want  and 
expectation  of  God's  promises  we  pray,  building  upon 
the  word  of  God,  because  we  know,  ver.  89,  '  For 
ever,  0  Lord,  thy  word  is  settled  in  heaven.' 

St  Augustine  saith  of  prayer,  it  is  oranti  siihsidium, 
an  help  to  him  that  prayeth  ;  Deo  sacrijicium,  a  sacri- 
fice to  God  ;  dtrmonibvs  jla(jeUum,  a  scourge  to  the 
devils. 

1.  It  helpeth  us,  for  it  setteth  us  in  the  face  of 
God,  and  bringeth  us  into  his  conference;  and  the 
time  can  never  seem  long  to  us  that  is  spent  in  that 
company. 

2.  It  is  a  sacrifice  to  God ;  for  it  is  the  performance 
of  a  du'y  by  him  commanded. 

172 


3.  It  is  a  scourge  to  the  devils,  and  to  all  his  agents ; 
for  when  we  pray  against  the  evil,  our  God  heareth 
us,  and  delivereth  us  from  evil. 


Ver.  4.  Behold,  his  soul  tchich  is  lifted  up  is  not  up- 
right in  him :  but  the  just  shcdl  live  by  faith. 

God  having  directed  the  prophet  concerning  the 
vision  in  the  two  former  verses,  1,  for  the  publication, 
and  then  for  the  expectation  thereof,  he  cometh  now 
to  the  vision  itself,  which  containeth  a  *  declaration  of 
his  holy  will  in  his  general  administration  of  justice,' 
and  so  doth  not  only  serve  those  times  and  persons 
present,  but  may  be  extended  to  all  times  and  persons 
so  long  as  the  world  endm-eth.  And  God's  shewing 
hereof  maketh  it  a  vision  to  his  prophet,  and  so  to  his 
church,  and  so  it  begins  at  Behold. 

Now  the  answer  of  God  doth  first  prevent  an  objec- 
tion which  might  arise  out  of  God's  former  words ;  for 
when  he  saith  of  the  vision,  that  the  time  is  appointed 
for  it,  and  though  it  tarry,  the  church  must  wait ;  as 
implying  that  it  might  be  long  before  it  were  fulfilled  ; 
the  prophet  might  inquire,  But  what  shall  the  people 
do  in  the  mean  time  ?  How  shall  the  afiiicted  hold  out 
till  that  time  appointed  ? 

Therefore,  in  the  rest  of  the  chapter, 

1.  He  cleareth  that  objection,  ver.  4. 

2.  He  revealeth  the  proceedings  of  his  justice  against 
sundry  sins  in  all  the  rest  of  the  chapter. 

For  the  first,  let  us  examine  the  words. 

Behold.  Here  he  openeth  the  eyes  and  cleareth  the 
sight  of  the  prophet  and  of  the  church  to  see  the 
vision,  requiring  us  to  take  the  matter  into  serious 
consideration,  as  the  apostle  saith.  Consider  what  I 
say.  '  Let  him  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  hear  what  the 
Spirit  speaketh  unto  the  churches ;'  so  is  this  word 
often  used  in  Scripture  to  move  attention. 

His  soul  ichich  is  lifted  vp  in  him  is  not  upriyht. 
Interpreters  do  two  ways  understand  these  words : 
cither  thus,  '  He  that  is  not  upright,  his  soul  is  lifted 
up' ;  or  by  conversion,  '  He  that  is  lifted  up  is  not  up- 
right.' This  last  we  follow,  and  this  I  take  to  bo 
God's  meaning. 

It  is  true,  in  the  first  sense,  that  the  ungodly  man 
seeketh  trust  elsewhere  than  in  God,  and  doth  strengthen 
himself  in  the  malice  or  pride  of  his  heart.  But  God 
would  shew  here  that  whosoever  is  thus  big  swollen  in 
the  pride  of  his  heart,  hath  not  rectam  onimam,  some 
read  quietam,  or  tranquillam  animam,  a  right  cr  a  quiet 


Ver  4.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


80 


soul.  It  agreeth  well  with  the  prophet's  complaiBt  of 
the  insolency  of  the  Chaldeans,  that  they  being  now 
lifted  up  with  the  glory  of  their  many  victories,  their 
souls  are  not  upright ;  wherein  he  declareth  them 
horrible  offenders,  and  therefore  obnoxious  to  his  high 
displeasure. 

jVIr  Calvin  doth  understand  this  place  thus,  that  God 
declareth  his  just  judgment  against  the  Chaldeans, 
that  because  they  have  trusted  in  themselves,  they 
shall  have  no  peace  in  their  souls,  but  some  new 
suspicions  shall  still  arise  to  disquiet  them,  or  new 
hopes  to  put  them  on  upon  fresh  adventures,  or  some 
new  fears  to  discruciate  them,  so  that  they  shall  never 
rest  in  their  souls. 

Alias  Montanus,  and  Ribera,  a  Jesuit,  do  both  fol- 
low a  corrupt  translation.  Ecce  quia  incredulus  est  non 
erit  recta  anima  ejus.  Whereas  he  speaketh  not  of  un- 
belief, but  of  pride  of  heart,  which  yet  doth  include 
infidelity ;  because  such  do  translate  the  trust  that  they 
ought  to  place  in  God  alone  unto  themselves,  and  their 
own  means  of  accomplishing  their  intendments ;  but 
our  reading  doth  much  better  agree  with  our  copy. 

It  foUoweth  in  the  second  part  of  the  antithesis, 
'  But  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith.' 

And  here  let  me  first  tell  you  that  this  sentence  is 
cited  in  the  New  Testament  often.  (1.)  Rom.  ii.  17, 
•As  it  is  written,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith.'  (2.) 
Gal.  iii.  11,  '  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law 
in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident ;  for  the  just  shall 
live  by  faith.'  (3.)  Heb.  x.  37,  38,  '  For  yet  a  little 
while,  and  he  yet  shall  come,  will  come  and  will  not 
tarry.  Now  the  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;  and  if  any 
man  shall  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure 
in  him.' 

In  all  these  four  places,  the  words  have  one  and  the 
same  sense.  The  just  man,  that  is,  he  who  is  justi- 
fied by  a  saving  faith,  shall  be  supported  by  that 
faith  ;  so  as  whatsoever  either  outward  or  inward 
calamities  shall  assault  him,  his  faith  shall  carry  him 
through  all :  because,  putting  his  trust  only  in  God, 
in  the  confidence  of  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  he 
shall  have  peace  of  conscience,  and  shall  take  all  that 
befalls  him  in  good  part.     So  then, 

1.  By  the  just,  we  do  understand  not  any  legal 
righteousness,  such  as  standeth  in  the  performance  of 
obedience  to  the  whole  law,  which  no  man  but  Christ, 
God  and  man,  could  perform ;  but  an  evangelical 
righteousness,  which  doth  consist  in  a  godly  zeal,  and 
holy  endeavour  of  obedience  to  the  law,  according  to 


the  measure  of  that  grace  which  God  hath  given  to 
men,  and  whereunto  is  joined  both  repentance  of  all 
sins,  and  an  holy  sorrow  that  we  do  come  so  short  of 
that  full  obedience  which  in  duty  we  do  owe  to  Gcd. 

And  where  he  saith  rivet,  he  shall  live,  he  doth 
mean  both  a  natural,  a  spiritual,  and  an  eternal  life. 

1.  A  natural  life ;  for  faith  doth  make  that  to  be 
a  life  which  else  were  a  death,  for  the  wicked  are  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins.  So  Christ  saith,  *  Let  the 
dead  bury  their  dead,'  and  the  wanton  widows  are  said 
to  be  dead  even  whilst  they  live.  But  by  faith  our 
natural  life  hath  life  put  into  it,  as  the  apostle  saith  : 
Gal.  ii.  20,  '  And  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh,  I  hve  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved 
me  and  gave  himself  for  me.'  And  surely  this  com- 
fort must  be  applied  in  my  text,  so,  though  not  so  only, 
to  cheer  the  natural  Ufe  of  the  distressed  Jews  against 
the  many  oppressions  of  the  Chaldeans,  that  their 
faith  in  the  promise  of  God  must  be  their  life :  as 
David  saith,  '  I  had  verily  fainted,  but  that  I  beUeved 
to  see  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  land  of  the  living.' 
There  faith  preserved  the  natural  life  of  David. 

2.  This  includeth  also  a  spiritual  life,  which  is  the 
conjunction  of  our  soul  with  God  by  Jesus  Christ ; 
for  what  doth  quicken  us  but  our  faith  ?  for  by  faith 
Christ  dwelleth  in  us,  and  by  faith  we  are  rooted  and 
grounded  in  him,  Eph.  iii.  17,  Col.  ii.  7. 

3.  This  includeth  an  eternal  life ;  for  how  do  we 
come  to  be  where  Christ  is,  but  by  faith  ?  Christ 
first  testifieth  of  the  faith  of  his  church,  then  he 
prayeth,  '  Father,  I  will  that  they  which  thou  hast 
given  me,  may  be  with  me,  that  they  may  behold  the 
glory  that  I  had  with  thee,'  &c.  They  that  overcome 
this  world  do  overcome  it  by  faith  ;  and  such  as  have 
this  faith  do  grow  boisterous  and  violent :  '  they  take 
the  kingdom  of  God  perforce.'  And  this,  p'^rchance, 
gave  occasion  to  the  various  lection,  some  reading  in 
the  present  vivit,  doth  live,  some  in  the  future  rivet, 
shall  live  ;  some  understanding  the  natural  and 
spiritual  only,  others  only  the  eternal  life.  But  I  un- 
derstand the  promise  extended,  as  the  apostle  saith, 
to  both  ;  for  godliness  hath  the  promises  of  this  life 
and  that  which  is  to  come.  This  sheweth  what  is 
meant  here  by  faith,  not  the  historical  faith,  by  which 
we  understand  what  the  will  of  God  is ;  not  a  tem- 
porary faith,  which  trusteth  in  God  for  a  time,  and 
after  falleth  off  from  him  ;  not  the  faith  of  miracles, 
which  even  some  wicked  persons  whom  Christ  will  not 
know  at  the  day  of  judgment,  had  ;  not  the  faith  01 

173 


86 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


hypocrites,  wliicli  seemeth  and  is  not :  but  a  justify- 
ing and  saving  faith.  For  we  must  live  by  the  same 
faith  here  by  which  we  must  be  saved  hereafter.  And 
this  faith  is  called  the  ground  of  things  hoped  for. 

Cicero  defineth  the  Latin  word  Jides  of  Jiat ;  for  it 
implieth  performance.  Saint  Augustine,  of  the  word 
Jides f  saith,  Dua  sijllahcB  sonant:  fides,  prima  ii facto, 
secunda  a  dicto,  which  may  have  a  double  construc- 
tion. 

1.  With  reference  to  God  ;  for  his  dictum  doth  as- 
sure/ac^tow.,  and  that  is  out  fides. 

2.  With  reference  to  us  ;  for,  as  Augustine  saith, 
fac  quod  diets  et  credis,  do  what  thou  sayest  and  thou 

believest.  I  will  not  conceal  from  you  the  dissection 
of  this  word  fides,  as  a  witty  ancient  hath  anatomized 
it  into  five  several  letters,  by  which  he  collecteth  the 
ingredients  which  must  meet  in  a  saving  faith. 

1.  F  im-pMeth.  facere,  to  do,  as  the  apostle  saith, 
Eom.  ii.  13,  '  Not  the  hearers,  but  the  doers  of  the 
law  shall  be  justified.'  And  Christ  saith.  Mat.  vii., 
'  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  that  doth 
the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.'  For  a 
man  must  not  be  of  the  number  of  them  who  confess 
God  with  their  mouths,  and  deny  him  in  their  works. 

2.  7.  This  importeth  integritatem ,  integi'ity,  which 
doth  express  itself  in  believing  all  the  articles  of  Chris- 
tian faith  ;  for  that  faith  which  is  not  entire  doth  not 
hold  fast,  and  there  is  no  trusting  to  it. 

3.7).  That  implieth  c/<7t'c^/o?ie?«,  love;  for.  Gal.  v., 
our  faith  must  work  through  love.  And  Saint  Ber- 
nard saith,  Mors  fidei  est  separatio  charitatis,  faith 
without  love  is  dead.  And  again  he  saith,  Ut  vivat 
fides  tua,  fidem  tuarn  dilectio  animet.  And  in  the 
school,  that  faith  which  is  not  joined  with  love  is 
called  fdes  informis,  an  unformed  faith.  It  is  St 
Augustine's  saying.  Cum  dilectione  fides  est  Christiani, 
sine  dilectione  fides  est  damonis.  For  we  find  that  the 
devils  confessed  Christ.  Confitehantur,  saith  Saint 
Augustine,  Da:mones  Christum  credendo,  non  diligendo  ; 
fidem  habebant,  charitatem  non  habebant. 

4.  E  implieth  expresse,  expressedly ;  for  it  is  not 
sufiicient  to  retain  faith  in  the  heart,  but  we  must  also 
strive  to  express  it  two  ways. 

(1.)  In  the  fruits  of  faith,  good  life. 

(2.)  In  the  outward  profession,  as  the  apostle  doth 

join  them  together  :  Eom.  x.  10,  '  With  the  heart 

man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the  tongue 

he  confesseth  to  salvation.'  Against  those  Nicodemites, 

174 


which  come  to  Christ  by  night,  and  all  those  who 
think  it  enough  to  reserve  the  heart  for  God,  though 
their  outward  deportment  be  fashioned  to  the  time, 
and  place,  and  persons,  where,  when,  and  with  whom 
they  do  live. 

5.  S,  which  standeth  for  semper,  always,  which  doth 
express  perseverance ;  for  it  is  no  true  faith  if  it  do 
not  hold  out  to  the  end. 

Let  us  now  put  all  together.  A  true  faith  must  be 
entire,  working'always  by  love,  *  so  that  men  may 
see  our  good  works,  and  glorify  God  which  is  in 
heaven.'  In  a  word,  the  faith  here  mentioned  is  an 
holy  apprehension,  and  a  bold  appHcation  of  the  favour 
of  God  to  his  church,  in  the  mediation  and  merits  of 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  do  believe  that  *  God  is  in 
Christ  reconciling  us  to  himself,'  and  the  just  man 
doth  live  by  his  faith.     (De  verbis  hactcnus.) 

The  words  thus  cleared,  we  come  now  to  the  divi- 
sion of  this  text. 

It  containeth  an  antithesis,  wherein  two  contraries 
are  set  in  opposition  one  against  the  other. 

1.  The  man  that  is  lifted  up. 

2.  The  just  man. 

1.  Of  the  first  he  saith,  Non  recta  est  anima  ejus, 
'  his  soul  is  not  upright.' 

2.  Of  the  second  he  saith.  Ex  fide  rivet,  *  he  shall 
live  by  faith.' 

In  the  first  I  note  two  things  : 

1.  His  notation  :  elevatus,  Kfted  up. 

2.  His  censure :  non  recta  est  anima,  his  soul  is 
not  upright. 

1.  His  notation  :  elevatus. 

This  is  a  thing  that  God  loves  not ;  for  it  is  said, 
'  God  resisteth  the  proud :'  that  is  the  point  of  doc- 
trine in  this  place. 

Doct.  God  taketh  offence  at  such  as  are  lifted  up. 

It  was  the  fall  of  the  angels  that  kept  not  their  first 
estate,  ero  similis  altissimo.  It  was  the  fall  of  man  : 
'  Behold,  man  is  become  like  one  of  us,  knowing  good 
and  evil.' 

Some  think  this  part  of  the  text  meant  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, the  proud  king,  whose  heart  was  so  big  swollen 
with  his  great  victories,  that  in  the  rufi"  of  self-opinion 
he  ascribed  all  to  himself,  and  therefore  was  turned 
to  graze,  as  in  the  story  of  Daniel's  prophecy  we 
read. 

Eemember  the  fearful  quarrel  of  Christ  with  Caper- 
naum :  Luke  x.  15,  'And  thou  Capernaum,  which  art 
exalted  to  heaven,  shalt  be  thrust  down  to  hell.'     It 


Yer.  4.] 


MiRBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


87 


is  one  of  the  works  of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  I 
may  call  it  one  of  the  miracles  of  the  power  of  our 
ministry.  '  Every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  brought 
low,'  Luke  iii.  5.  Chrysostom,  Elatos  et  superbos  nomine 
montis  denunciat,  he  calls  the  proud  by  the  name  of  a 
mountain ;  the  early  and  the  later  rain  that  falleth  on 
them  doth  slip  off  and  fall  into  the  under  valleys,  and 
the  valleys  (as  the  psalmist  saith)  do  abound  with 
com.  The  power  of  the  word  estendeth  to  the  humi- 
liation of  many  that  are  lifted  up  ;  for  it  revealeth  unto 
us  Christ,  without  whom  we  can  do  nothing,  without 
whom  no  man  cometh  to  the  Father.  And  this  leaves 
us  nothing  to  lift  us  up. 

I  have  spoken  of  this  sin  out  of  the  former  chapter, 
where  the  Chaldeans,  proud  of  their  victories,  do  re- 
joice, and  ascribe  the  glory  thereof  to  themselves. 
And  from  the  mouth  of  an  heathen  man,*  Artabanus, 
the  uncle  of  king  Xerxes,  I  take  it,  Gaudet  Deus  emi- 
nentissma  quaque  deprimere ;  his  reason.  Quia  Deus 
neminem  alium  quam  seipswn  sinit  inagnijice  de  se 
sentire.  Yea,  sometimes  we  find,  when  God  doth  owe 
a  man  a  shrewd  turn,  he  will  Ufl  him  up  himself,  that 
he  may  throw  him  down ;  as  David  complaineth, 
'  Thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  cast  me  down.'  But 
the  Uftiug  up  here  understood,  is  the  pride  of  heart 
which  maketh  men  to  esteem  of  themselves  above  all 
that  is  in  them.  Such  are  their  own  parasites ;  and 
the  wise  man  saith,  '  There  is  more  hope  of  a  fool 
than  one  of  these.' 

In  this  argument,  I  went  so  far  in  the  former 
chapter,  as  to  teach  you  two  things  : 

1.  To  decline  this  as  a  disease. 

2.  To  embrace  the  remedies  against  it. 

Eight  reasons  I  give  against  it  to  persuade  declin- 
ing of  it.  : 

1.  It  trespasseth  'primum  et  magnum  mandatum 
legts,  the  first  and  great  commandment  of  the  law,  &c. 

2.  Connumerat  nos  Jiliis  Sathance,  patri  fiUorum 
superhice. 

3.  Exterminat  charitatem;  voluntas  dominium  ex- 
ercet. 

4.  Suhjicit  nos  oppositioni  divines ;'  Deus  resistit 
superbis. 

5.  Tollit  d  nc^is  talentum  dum  nostra  qtuerimus. 

6.  JIfaZe  nos  decet,  poor  and  proud. 

7.  Nullum  vitium  Sathance  magis  placet. 

8.  Superbus  ingratus,  and  so  omnia  dixeris.' 

The  remedies:  1.  Serious  consideration  of  ourselves. 
*   Herodot.  Polymnia. 


2.  Studious  searching  in  the  word  of  God. 

3.  Putting  ourselves  often  in  the  sight  of  God. 

4.  Frequent  casting  up  the  favours  of  God  to  us. 

5.  Earnest  and  devout  prayer. 

This  is  a  sly  and  cunning  insinuation  of  Satan  to 
lift  us  up  in  our  own  opinion  ;  there  is  a  tang  of  our 
hereditary  corruption  that  runs  in  the  same  channel 
with  our  blood.  "We  are  aU  apt  enough  to  value  our- 
selves above  the  lone  price.  Few  of  the  mind  of 
Agur,  the  Son  of  Jakeh,  '  I  am  more  brutish  than  any 
man.'  Few  of  the  mind  of  St  Paul,  '  Of  whom  I  am 
chief.'  It  is  a  great  victory  that  a  man  hath  gotten 
of  himself  if  he  be  once  able  to  keep  himself  under ; 
for  whether  we  do  increase  in  outward  goods  or 
spiritual  graces,  we  shall  have  much  ado  to  avoid  this 
sin. 

2.  The  censure,  Nan  est  recta  anima  ejus.  This 
physician  doth  search  the  disease  to  the  bottom,  he 
finds  where  the  fault  is  ;  the  soul  is  naught,  the  in- 
ward man  is  corrupt.  '  And  if  the  light  that  is  in  us 
be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  !'  It  is  the 
Searcher  of  hearts  and  reins  that  findeth  this  fault; 
who  but  he  can  examine  and  try  the  inward  man  ? 

"We  see  what  body,  what  complexion,  what  stature 
man  hath  ;  we  may  see  what  honours  he  attaineth  in 
the  world ;  how  he  increaseth  goods  ;  what  delights 
a  man  useth  for  recreation  ;  we  cannot  see  what  souls 
men  have,  rectos  an  obliquas.  But  if  we  see  and 
observe  men  proud  and  Lifted  up  high  in  their  own 
opinion,  we  see  there  is  cause  of  fear,  that  they  have 
not  rectas  animas,  right  souls.  And  though  the  judg- 
ment of  our  brethren  belong  not  to  us,  yet  let  us  judge 
ourselves  by  this ;  for  if  we  do  find  in  ourselves  an 
elevation  above  our  pitch,  that  either  the  opinion  of 
our  wisdom  and  strength,  or  riches,  or  honours,  or 
friends  do  swell  us,  it  is  a  certain  symptom  of  a  dis- 
eased soul. 

Reason  1.  Because  this  lifting  up  doth  dislodge  God 
from  the  soul.  He  will  not  dwell  with  a  proud  man,  he 
hath  so  declared  himself:  Isa.  Ivii.  15,  'For  thus 
saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity, 
whose  name  is  Holy ;  I  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy 
place,  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  to  revive  the 
spirit  of  the  contrite  ones.' 

Now,  as  Augustine  saith,  Vita  corporis  anima,  vita 
animcE  Deus.  If  he  say  to  our  soul,  '  I  have  no  de- 
light in  thee  ;'  we  may  complain,  in  pace  mea  amari- 
tudo,  our  soul  is  sick  even  to  the  death. 

175 


88 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


Reason  2.  Because  this  pride  of  life  which  Hfteth  us 
up,  is  not  able  to  keep  us  up  ;  for  the  elevation  of 
our  souls  is  like  the  violent  casting  up  of  an  heavy 
body  into  the  air,  which  will  fall  down  again  with  its 
own  weight ;  it  is  a  man's  own  lust  that  draweth, 
and  driveth,  and  forceth  him  up,  James  i.  14.  And 
if  Satan  do  put  his  help  to  it  to  lift  us  up,  he  will  be 
the  first  that  will  put  hand  to  the  casting  of  us  down 
again.  When  he  had  lifted  up  Christ  to  the  pinnacle 
of  the  temple,  the  next  temptation  was,  '  Cast  thyself 
down.' 

Reason  3.  Because  this  pride  of  life  fiUeth  the  soul 
so  full  of  itself,  that  there  is  no  room  for  the  spiritual 
graces  of  God  to  dwell  there.  Christ  lodged  in  a  stable, 
quia  non  erat  locus  in  diversorio. 

B^ason  4.  Because,  as  the  eating  of  some  things 
doth  put  the  mouth  out  of  taste,  that  it  cannot  relish 
wholesome  food,  so  the  pleasing  of  the  soul's  palate 
with  the  luscious  sweetness  of  temporal  vanities,  doth 
make  the  soul  out  of  taste  with  the  bread  of  life,  that 
wholesome  diet  which  should  keep  our  souls  in  health. 

Use.  Let  us  make  profit  of  this  doctrine, 

1.  Let  it  be  the  main  and  chief  care  and  study  and 
endeavour  of  our  whole  life  to  get  and  keep  animam 
rectum,  an  upright  soul.  To  keep  your  accounts 
straight,  to  keep  your  estate  upright,  to  keep  your  body 
in  health  by  a  regular  observation  thereof,  to  keep 
your  interest  in  the  love  of  your  friends,  all  these  be 
lawful  cares  of  life,  and  this  is  an  incumbent  duty 
which  obligeth  and  engageth  all  men  ;  but  let  not  these 
cares  swallow  us  up,  and  devour  our  whole  life.  These 
things  perish  in  the  very  using  of  them.  The  soul  of 
every  man,  that  is,  the  man,  if  that  be  not  kept  up- 
right, *  What  profit  will  it  be  to  a  man  to  win  all  the 
world,  and  lose  the  soul  ?'  In  the  last  day  an  upright 
soul  will  be  able  to  stand  it  out  before  the  judgment-seat, 
when  they  that  have  kept  all  things  upright  but  their 
souls,  shall  see  that  none  but  upright  souls  are  happy. 

Use  2.  Let  us,  therefore,  not  stand  wishing,  I 
would  I  had  such  a  soul ;  as  Balaam,  I  would  I  might 
die  the  death  of  the  righteous  ;  but  let  us  study  and 
use  the  means  to  get  such  a  soul.     These  are, 

1.  The  word ;  for  in  that  the  Spirit  speaketh.  There 
is  a  sound  of  the  voice  that  cometh  to  the  eai',  that  is 
not  enough  ;  there  is  the  Spirit  speaking  to  the  soul ; 
that  is  the  sermon,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  preacher, 
the  souls  of  men  are  the  audience.  So  the  psalmist, 
*  I  wait  for  the  Lord,  my  soul  doth  wait,  and  in  his 
word  do  I  hope.' 
176 


2.  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper ;  for  that  is 
spiritual  meat  and  drink,  the  pabulum  animce,  it  is 
both  meat   and   medicine,    worthily  received;    it  is 

*  Emmanuel,  God  with  us.' 

I  may  say  to  you,  my  brethren,  as  Christ  said  to 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  John  iv.  10,  *  If  you  knew 
the  gift  of  God,'  and  understood  what  grace  is  offered 
you  in  the  word  and  sacrament,  and  how  beneficial 
they  are,  how  nourishing,  how  cordial  to  the  inward 
man,  you  would  not  come  to  the  word  when  your 
leisure  served,  but  you  would  put  by  all  businesses, 
and  make  them  attend  that  service  ;  you  would  not 
receive  the  sacrament  once  a  year,  if  so  much,  but 
your  word  would  be  desiderio  desideravi  comedere  hoc 
pascha.  I  only  say  with  Christ,  '  If  you  know  these 
things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them.' 

3.  Confession  to  God  is  another  good  means  ;  keep 
the  soul  upright,  we  say,  even  reckonings  make  long 
friends. 

There  is  a  threefold  confession  : 
(1.)  Confessio  fraudis :  quid  omisi? 
(2.)  Confessio  Jacti :  quid  feci  ? 
(3.)  Confessio  laudis  :  quid  retribuam  ? 
Here  is  work  enough  to  take  up  the  whole  life  of 
man,  and  this  keeps  our  account  with  God  even. 

4.  I  must  never  leave  out  prayer  ;  that  must  make 
one  in  all  the  exercises  of  Christian  life  :  *  pray  con- 
tinually.' And  let  our  petitions  be  that  God  would 
give  us  wisdom  from  above  to  direct  us  in  the  ordering 
of  our  souls,  so  as  we  may  ever  keep  them  upright, 
for  it  is  not  in  man  to  order  his  ways,  much  less  to 
govern  his  own  soul.  Let  us  therefore  pray  to  him 
who  challengeth  interest  in  all  souls,  who  is  called 

*  the  Father  of  spirits,'  and  who  saith.  All  souls  are 
mine. 

We  have  a  good  encouragement  from  St  James  : 
chap.  i.  5.  '  If  any  of  you  want  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of 
God,  who  giveth  to  all  men  liberally.'  And  Christ  hath 
promised  that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in 
his  name,  he  will  do  it. 

5.  It  will  help  to  keep  our  souls  in  integrity,  to  have 
regard  of  our  conversation,  of  our  calling,  of  our  recre- 
ations, of  our  time,  of  our  means. 

(1.)  That  we  keep  good  company,  which  may  not 
corrupt  our  manners,  either  consilio  or  exemplo,  by 
counsel  or  example. 

(2.)  That  we  live  in  a  lawful  calling,  that  we  may 
have  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience,  that  the 
means  of  our  maintenance  are  honest  and  lawful,  and 


Ver.  i.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


89 


that  we  do  not  spend  the  wages  of  unrighteousness, 
that  defileth  the  soul  with  an  indeUble  pollution,  all 
your  prayers  and  alms  will  not  purge  you. 

(3.)  That  your  recreations  be  both  lawful  and 
moderate,  such  as  may  make  you  fit  for  the  service  of 
God,  not  such  as  may  make  you  suspend  the  time 
wherein  God  should  be  served,  not  such  as  may  provoke 
you  to  impatience  or  to  blasphemy,  and  abusing  the 
name  of  God. 

(4.)  That  your  time  be  spent  by  weight  and  measure, 
as  those  that  are  to  be  accountants  to  God  for  it. 

(5.)  That  our  means  that  we  enjoy  in  this  life  be 
so  gained  and  managed  that  they  may  seem  as  faculties 
of  well-doing,  and  may  by  no  means  stoop  the  soul  to 
any  departure  from  God  for  love  of  them  or  by  abuse 
of  them. 

Use  3.  Let  us  learn  humility ;  decline  pride,  for  that 
doth  corrupt  the  soul.  To  such  God  giveth  grace. 
He  that  is  humiUimus*  should  be  hwnillimus.  But 
the  just  shall  live  by  faith.  This  is  the  second  part 
of  the  antithesis,  that  contains  in  it  the  whole  sum  of 
the  gospel.  There  be  three  words  in  it  that  carry  the 
contents  thereof : 

1,  Righteousness  ;  2,  faith;  3,  life. 
Righteousness  and  faith  are  the  way  of  life  ;  they 
are  two  special  pieces  of  that  spiritual  armour  which 
the  apostle  doth  advise  all  the  children  of  God  to  use 
against  their  enemies,  Eph.  vi.  14,  'the  breastplate  of 
righteousness,'  and  '  the  shield  of  faith.' 

1.  Of  righteousness.  This  is  that  virtue  which 
denominateth  a  man  just  and  righteous,  and  it  is  a 
virtue  which  doth  give  suiim  cuique ;  to  God  in  the 
obedience  of  the  first  table  of  the  law  ;  to  man  in  the 
obedience  of  the  second  table. 

This  is  given,  1,  legally;  2,  evangelically. 
For  the  first,  which  is  legal  righteousness,  it  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  whole  law,  in  every  part  of  it,  by  the 
whole  man,  in  body  and  soul,  the  whole  time  of  his 
life  ;  and  Adam,  who  was  created  in  the  image  of  God, 
was  clothed  with  this  righteousness,  as  the  apostle 
saith,  created  in  the  image  of  God,  and  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness.  And  this  righteousness  was 
lost  by  Adam's  fall,  and  was  never  found  in  any  man 
since  but  in  the  man  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  called 
6  dixaio;,  '  that  just  one,'  Acts  xxii.  14.  And  of  him 
it  is  said,  Isa.  lix.  17,  that  he  '  put  on  righteousness 
as  a  breastplate.'  And  this  righteousness  the  saints 
in  glory  have ;  so  the  apostle  calleth  them,  Heb.  xii.  23, 
*  Qu.  *  excelcissimnB '  ? — Ed. 


'  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.'     But  on  earth, 
Rom.  iii.  10,  '  there  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one.' 

The  church  of  Rome  doth  directly  contradict  the 
Spirit  of  God  speaking  in  Scripture  concerning  this 
righteousness,  for  the  council  of  Trent  *  hath  set  it 
down  for  a  canon  :  Siquis  dixerit  Dei  prdcepta,  homini 
justificato  et  sub  gratia  constituto,  esse  ad  obserrandum 
impossibilia,  anathema  sit. 

Let  me  then  clear  the  church  tenet  concerning  this 
point,  that  legal  righteousness  is  altogether  impossible 
to  man  in  the  present  state  of  desertion  from  our 
creation.  Our  argument  is  this  :  whosoever  sinneth, 
breaketh  the  law  of  God ;  but  every  one  that  liveth 
sinneth  ;  ergo,  every  one  that  sinneth  breaketh  the 
law. 

The  first  proposition  is  proved  by  the  definition  of 
sin  given  by  the  apostle,  a,aair;a  is  dvofiia,  1  John 
iii.  4.  But  every  man  that  Uveth  sinneth.  St  James 
will  make  that  good  :  In  midtis  offendimus  omnes,  *  in 
many  things  we  ofiend  all.' 

The  conclusion  followeth,  ergo  omnia  pravaricatur 
legem. 

Andradius  answereth  with  a  distinction  to  the  minor, 
Every  man  sinneth.     Sins  are  of  two  sorts  : 

1.  Mortal ;  so  every  man  sinneth  not ;  for  he  that 
is  born  of  God  sinneth  not,  nor  can  sin. 

2.  Venial ;  so  every  man  sinneth  ;  but  this  kind  of 
sinning,  saith  he,  doth  not  break  the  law  of  God,  be- 
cause they  deserve  not  the  wrath  of  God  and  con- 
demnation. Lyndanus,  Levicida  vitiola  lapsuum  qiioti- 
dianorum  aspergines  et  na^-idi  sunt,  qui  per  se  non  macu- 
lant  et  contaminant,  sed  quasi  pidviscido  leviter  asper- 
gunt  vitam  humanam. 

Yet  as  light  as  they  make  of  this  pollution,  it  is  no 

way  to  be  purged  but  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and 

Christ  is  answerable  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  justice  of 

his  law,  even  for  the  least  of  these.     Therefore  the 

prophet  saith,  *  God  hath  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of 

us  all,'  and  all  our  sins  meet  in  him.     This  cannot  but 

include  venial  sins,  for  the  elect  have  no  mortal  sins. 

Yet  our  tenet  is,  that  all,  even  the  least  obliquity  of 

'   thought,  primi  motus  ad  peccata  sunt  peccata,  the  first 

'■  motions  to  sin  are  sins,  and  directly  against  the  tenth 

I  commandment ;   and  he  that  breaketh  the  least  of  the 

ten  is  guilty  of  all,  for  he  breaketh  the  law. 

So  then  the  veniality  of  sin  is  not  in  the  nature  and 
merit  of  sin,  but  in  the  favour  of  God  by  Christ,  he 


•  Sess.  6.     Can.  18. 


177 


M 


90 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IL 


suffering  and  satisfying  for  it,  and  we  by  faith  applying 
this  to  ourselves,  and  it  will  follow  ;  for  in  its  own 
nature  every  sin  is  mortal,  deserving  death.  And  the 
just  are  not  said  to  be  blessed  because  they  have  no 
sin,  but  because  their  iniquities  are  forgiven  and  their 
sin  is  covered,  and  because  God  imputeth  not  their 
sin  to  them,  as  some  are  quit  by  proclamation,  because 
no  evidence  is  given  in  against  them. 

2.  We  must  then  fly  to  evangelical  righteousness, 
■which  hath  two  parts. 

The  one  is  called  the  righteousness  of  faith,  the  other 
of  a  good  conscience,  Eom.  x.  6.  '  Pray  for  us  ;  for 
we  trust  we  have  a  good  conscience  in  all  things,  willing 
to  live  honestly,'  Heb.  xiii.  18. 

1.  The  righteousness  of  faith.  This  is  Christ's 
righteousness  by  faith  received  of  us,  by  grace  im- 
puted to  us,  as  the  apostle  saith,  *  Christ  is  the  end  of 
the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth,' 
Kom.  X.  4.  The  end  of  the  law  is  to  save  those  that 
fialfil  it.  This,  by  reason  of  the  body  of  sin  that  we 
do  bear  about  us,  none  of  us  can  perform ;  but  Christ 
hath  fulfilled  the  law  for  us,  and  his  obedience  is  by 
the  favour  of  God  imputed  to  us,  and  by  our  faith 
applied,  and  we  justified  and  saved  thereby.  For  what 
the  law  exacteth  of  us  is  accepted  for  us,  as  if  we  in 
our  own  persons  had  done  it,  because  we  believe  it 
done  by  Christ  for  us. 

2.  The  righteousness  of  a  good  conscience.  This  is 
a  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  us,  by  which  we  do  ap- 

■  prove  ourselves  to  God  and  man,  and  by  our  endeavour 
to  do  that  which  the  law  commandeth  ;  and  such  a 
righteous  person  David  describeth,  Ps.  cxix.  3,  '  Surely 
he  doth  no  iniquity,  but  walketh  in  the  way  of  God.' 

Object.  If  any  man  object,  then  is  he  no  trans- 
gressor of  the  law,  because  he  doth  none  iniquity ; 
then  is  his  obedience  full,  because  he  walketh  in  the 
•way  of  the  Lord. 

Sol.  St  Paul  doth  answer  for  himself,  and  therein 
for  all  the  elect  of  God,  and  sheweth  wherein  his 
innocency  consisteth,  and  saith,  Rom.  vii.  15-22,  'For 
that  which  I  do  I  allow  not ;  for  what  I  would  do,  that 
I  do  not ;  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I.  If  then  I  do 
that  which  I  would  not,  I  consent  unto  the  law  that  it 
is  good.  Now  then  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin 
that  dwelleth  in  me.  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  in 
the  inward  man.' 

Here  yvu9i  aiavToy,  know,  if  thou  be  an  elect  child  of 
God,  thou  consistest  of  a  double  man  so  long  as  thou 
livest  here  on  earth. 
178 


1.  There  is  in  thee  an  outward  man,  the  unregene- 
rate  part  of  thee. 

2.  There  is  an  inward  man,  that  is,  the  regenerate 
part ;  for  we  must  know  and  confess  that  we  are  not 
capable  in  this  life  of  a  total  and  full  regeneration, 
which  is  an  utter  abolition  of  the  body  of  sin. 

There  is  corpus  peccad,  the  body  of  sin  ;  there  is 
lex  memhrorum,  a  law  of  the  members  ;  there  is  con- 
cupiscence, which  doth  carry  us  into  the  evil  which 
we  know  in  our  understandings  to  be  against  the  law 
of  God,  and  our  conscience  trembleth  at  it.  This  is 
an  inward  man,  which  in  Peter  is  called  x.^vTrrhg  rl^g 
xagdiag  avd^w^rog,  1  Peter  iii.  4.  So  that  the  inward 
man  which  keepeth  the  law  is  the  understanding  and 
conscience,  and  the  outward  man  that  breaketh  the 
law  is  the  will  and  the  appetite,  and  the  instruments 
thereof  in  the  act  of  sin.  So  then  I  shall  now  de- 
scribe to  you  whom  the  prophet  here  meaneth  by  the 
just  man,  even  him  who  in  his  understanding  appre- 
hendeth  the  good  and  perfect  will  of  God,  and  maketh 
conscience  of  obeying  it  according  to  the  measure  of 
grace  given  to  him,  for  this  is  an  evangelical  right- 
eousness. 

The  use  of  it  is  great,  for  the  prophet  saith  of  Christ 
Jesus,  that  '  he  put  on  righteousness  as  a  breastplate,' 
Isa.  lix.  17.  He  that  came  to  loose  the  works  of  Satan, 
and  therefore  to  bid  him  battle,  did  not  come  into  this 
life,  which  is  militia  super  terram,  a  warfare  upon  earth, 
unarmed ;  he  is  the  general  of  God's  forces  against  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  against  the  prince  that  ruleth  in 
the  air,  against  the  god  of  this  world,  against  princi- 
palities and  powers ;  and  no  sooner  was  he  baptized^ 
and  began  to  appear  to  his  employment,  but  the  Spirit 
led  him  into  the  field  to  a  duel  with  Satan  for  forty 
days  together,  where  this  breastplate  of  proof  was  a 
sufiicient  wall  about  his  vital  parts,  and  did  preserve 
him  against  Satan's  fury  and  force.  And  we  that  are 
his  soldiers,  who  must  ariibulare  sicitt  ille,  walk  as  he, 
we  are  taught  by  the  apostle  both  to  get  and  put  on 
this  righteousness  as  a  breastplate. 

The  benefits  that  this  righteousness  doth  bring  with 
it  are  many. 

1.  It  is  a  proof  against  temptations  ;  for  howsoever 
our  affections  do  receive  some  titillations  from  the  out- 
ward senses  to  affect  them  with  evil,  our  understand- 
ing, like  Goshen,  will  always  see  the  sun,  although 
the  rest  of  our  Egypt  be  benighted.  Howsoever  our 
will  may  be  corrupted  for  a  time,  our  conscience  will 
continue  zealous  of  good  works.     In  our  minds  we 


\ER.  4.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


91 


shall  serve  the  law  of  God,  and  this  will  keep  our 
heads  always  above  water,  that  though  we  be  put  to 
it  to  strive  and  labour  hard  for  life  in  the  deep  waters 
both  of  temptations  and  afflictions,  vet  through  many 
dangers  and  painful  stmgglings,  we  shall  at  length 
recover  the  shore. 

The  distressed  conscience  troubled  with  the  terror 
of  sin,  though  it  cannot  escape  Satan's  sifting  and 
bujOfeting  and  wounding,  yet  can  it  not  fall  into  final 
despair,  because  this  righteousness  cannot  be  lost, 

2.  This  maketh  our  calling  and  election  sure  ;  for, 
if  we  be  truly  regenerate,  we  shall  be  saved  certainly, 
and  this  righteousness  is  a  full  assurance  of  our  rege- 
neration, as  the  apostle  saith,  1  John  ii.  29,  '  Ye 
know  that  every  one  which  doth  righteousness  is  bom 
of  him,'  so  that  righteousness  is  the  earnest  of  our 
salvation.  It  is  salus  in  setnine,  salvation  in  the  seed 
here ;  it  is  salus  in  messe,  in  the  harvest,  hereafter ; 
for  St  James  saith,  James  iii.  18,  *  The  fimit  of  right- 
eousness is  sown  in  peace;'  for  where  righteousness  is 
once  rooted,  there  is  peace  and  assurance  both  of 
grace  and  glory. 

3.  This  righteousness  doth  honour  God  in  this 
world,  for  when  men  live  in  the  conscience  of  their 
ways  and  in  the  holy  fear  of  God,  abstaining  from 
evil  aU  they  can,  doing  all  the  good  they  can,  rather 
suffering  and  forgiving  than  doing  and  revenging  in- 
juries, striving  to  bear  themselves  uprightly  before 
God  and  men,  our  Saviour  saith,  '  Others  seeing  then- 
good  works  will  glorify  their  Father  that  is  in  hea- 
ven.' 

4.  This  righteousness  is  the  only  witness  of  our 
sincerity  in  the  love  and  service  of  our  God,  for  let 
no  unrighteous  man  say  he  loveth  God  or  serveth  God. 
The  proud,  the  covetous,  the  wanton,  the  breaker  of 
the  Sabbath,  the  drunkard,  let  them  come  to  church, 
and  hear  and  receive  the  sacrament  now  and  then ;  let 
them  not  deceive  themselves  :  without  this  righteous- 
ness no  man  shall  please  God,  neither  shall  the  church 
esteem  such  as  members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  for  we 
are  taught  that  no  adulterers,  fornicators,  covetous 
persons,  &c.,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven : 
1  Peter  iii.  15,  16,  '  But  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in 
your  hearts :  and  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer 
to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  you  with  meekness  and  fear :  having  a  good 
conscience  ;  that,  whereas  they  speak  evil  of  you,  as 
of  evil-doers,  they  may  be  ashamed  that  falsely  accuse 
your  good  conversation  in  Christ.'     Let  men  hunt  for 


fame  and  reputation  in  the  way  of  honour  and  high 
place,  in  the  way  of  great  dependence  or  of  riches  ;  if 
they  be  ungodly  and  want  this  righteousness,  they 
want  the  salt  that  should  pickle  them  to  keep.  The 
just  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance ;  their  candlie 
doth  not  go  out  by  night ;  their  name  shall  be  like  to 
precious  unguent.  But  let  the  ungodly  do  what  they 
can,  *  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot.' 

5.  This  righteousness  upon  a  deathbed  wiU  comfort, 
when  neither  meat  nor  medicine  will  down  with  us  ; 
for  there  follows  after  righteousness  a  gracious  train, 
a  comfortable  sequence :  Rom.  xiv.  17,  *  The  kingdom 
of  God  is  righteousness  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost;'  Ps.  xxxvii.  37,  '  Mark  the  upright  man, 
and  observe  the  just,  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace.' 

"VMiat  a  joy  of  heart  was  it  to  Hezekiah  !  Isa, 
xxxviii.  3 ;  he  did  not  say,  I  have  reigned  a  king  over 
thine  inheritance  so  many  years,  I  have  gotten  so 
much  riches  and  treasure,  I  have  subdued  so  many 
enemies,  but,  '  Remember,  Lord,  I  beseech  thee  now, 
how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with  a 
perfect  heart,'  &c. 

Thus,  having  learnt  what  this  righteousness  is,  and 
having  surveyed  the  benefits  that  attend  it,  let  us  take 
a  few  necessary  cautions  to  order  and  regulate  both 
our  judgment  and  our  Ufe  : 

•1.  Let  us  not  take  that  for  righteousness  which  is 
no  such  matter,  for  all  that  gUttereth  is  not  gold  ; 
Satan  hath  good  skill  in  varnishing,  and  gilding,  and 
painting,  to  make  things  that  are  not  seem  as  though 
they  were.  I  do  not  think  but  the  pharisees  thought 
themselves  just  men,  and  that  opinion  was  held  of 
them  abroad,  and  that  Christ  seemed  a  strange  preacher^ 
that  told  the  people,  '  Except  your  righteousness  ex- 
ceed the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  pharisees,'  &c., 
for  St  Paul,  Acts  xxvi.  5,  doth  call  their  sect  axsiSscTo- 
rjjy  a/sru/y.  We  must  exceed  that,  or  else  no  salva- 
tion ;  yet  if  that  righteousness,  which  consisted  in  great 
chastisement  of  the  flesh,  in  great  austerity  of  life,, 
in  so  many  real  acts  of  devotion,  would  not  serve^ 
beloved,  that  cheap  and  soft  and  tender  religion,, 
that  eats  and  drinks  of  the  best,  and  wears  soft  gar- 
ments, and  lies  easily,  and  consisteth  only  in  hearing^ 
much  and  knowing  something,  and  talking  of  gooJ 
things,  and  an  outward  formal  representation  of  good- 
ness, will  never  pass  for  righteousness  before  God, 
This  doth  not  come  near  the  righteousness  of  the 
scribes  and  pharisees.  Their  doctors  were  never  out 
of  Moses's  chair ;  they  were  faithful  and  painful  in 

179 


92 


MARBURY  ON  HA^AKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


teaching  the  law.  Alas,  many  of  our  labourers  loiter. 
Their  auditors  were  frequent  and  attentive  ;  when  they 
knew  of  the  sitting  of  their  rabbis,  they  would  tell  one 
another,  and.  call  one  another  to  it,  as  Jerome  saith, 
saying,  O/  (Sofoi  hvTiQwai,  the  wise  repeat ;  and  they 
would  hasten  thither.  They  compass  sea  and  land  to 
make  proselytes  to  their  sect ;  we  by  our  evil  conver- 
sation lose  many  from  our  congregations. 

It  is  the  complaint  of  them  of  the  separation,  that 
our  evil  life  is  one  great  cause  of  their  forsaking  of 
us ;  and  though  that  do  not  excuse  them,  yet  it  doth 
accuse  us,  and  we  cannot  plead  not  guilty  to  that 
indictment. 

They  gave  God  a  quarter  of  their  life  in  prayer. 
Let  every  man's  own  conscience  speak  within  him  how 
far  he  outgoeth  them  in  this.  They  read,  they  studied, 
they  repeated,  they  carried  about  them  always  some 
part  of  the  law,  and  were  expert  in  the  understanding 
of  it.  And  do  not  pamphlets  of  news,  vain  poems, 
and  such  Uke  froth  of  human  brains,  devour  much  of 
the  time  the  holy  Bible  should  have  bestowed  upon 
it? 

Beloved,  the  righteousness  that  should  be  in  us,  to 
fill  us  with  true  love  of  God  and  our  neighbour,  is 
wanting  in  most,  it  is  imperfect  in  the  best,  in  too 
many  it  is  but  seeming.  In  religion,  zeal  is  gone  ; 
some  false  fires  there  are  yet  in  the  church,  that  boast 
themselves  to  be  zeal,  and  are  good  for  nothing  but  to 
find  faults  and  pick  quarrels  ;  true  devotion,  which 
had  use  to  shew  itself  in  all  outward  holiness  and 
reverence,  is  so  retired,  that  many  are  more  homely 
at  church,  in  presence  of  God  and  the  holy  congrega- 
tion, than  they  dare  to  be  in  the  private  houses  of 
many  that  are  here  present.  Our  heads  are  grown  so 
tender,  that  even  boys  must  be  covered  at  church ;  in 
prayer,  our  knees  are  too  stiff  to  bend  ;  we  grow 
drowsy  in  hearing  ;  the  very  face  of  religion  hath  lost 
the  complexion  that  it  had,  when  knowledge  was  yet 
but  coming  out,  as  if  we  would  revive  that  Eomish 
fancy,  that  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devotion.  In 
civil  conversation,  how  is  righteousness  turned  into  a 
cry  !  The  words  once  past  of  our  forefathers,  though 
ignorant,  were  faster  ties  than  bonds,  recognisances, 
statutes,  oaths,  now  are.  It  was  once  the  imputation 
of  one  nation,  as  Tully  chargeth  the  Greeks,  Da  mihi 
manuum  testimonium.  It  was  once  Rome's  shame. 
Omnia  Romce  venalia :  templa,  sacerdotes,  altaria.  It 
was  once  the  Grecian's  infamy,  Titus  i.  12, 'jj 

K^nrii  at)  -^ivgrai  xaxa  d-ngia,  yavri^tt  a^ytii. 

180 


There  have  been  many  national  sins  which  one 
country  hath  upbraided  another  withal. 

But  how  is  it  that,  since  the  light  of  the  gospel  in 
our  land,  we  have  made  prize  of  the  sins  of  all  nations, 
and  made  them  free  denizens  amongst  us  ?  Schism 
in  the  church,  corruption  of  justice,  bribes,  gluttony, 
drunkenness,  contention,  pride,  outlandish  mani;ers, 
oppression ;  that  Tyrus  and  Sidon  will  appear  more 
innocent  than  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida  ;  and  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  are  like  to  make  a  better  reckoning  in 
the  day  of  audit  than  Capernaum. 

Therefore  try  your  ways,  and  make  your  paths  even 
and  straight,  before  he  come  qui  justitias  judicahit. 
If  your  righteousness  be  not  right,  the  light  that  is  in 
thee  is  darkness ;  and  then  quantcB  tenebrce !  how 
great  is  that  darkness  ! 

2.  When  you  have  examined  your  righteousness, 
and  find  it  to  be  a  sincere  reddition  of  due  to  God  and 
man,  take  heed  that  you  trust  not  in  it. 

When  Jacob  came  to  a  new  covenant  with  Laban 
for  wages,  he  said  to  him.  Do  this.  Gen.  xxx.  83,  '  So 
shall  ray  righteousness  answer  for  me  in  time  to  come, 
for  my  hire  before  thy  face.'  Our  upright  dealing 
with  men  may  justifj'  us  to  the  face  of  man,  but  our 
righteousness  in  the  court  of  heaven  is  a  poor  plea  ; 
let  no  man  retain  it  for  an  advocate  to  answer  there 
for  him,  it  will  be  speechless  in  that  presence. 

So  much  of  it  as  is  ours  is  foul,  and  immerent,  de- 
serving no  favour  at  the  hand  of  God. 
We  have  two  things  to  do  : 
(1.)  A  debt  to  pay  to  God. 
(2.)  A  kingdom  to  be  purchased  in  heaven. 
We  are  broken  for  the  debt ;   our  righteousness 
cometh  nothing  near  the  clearing  of  the  debt ;  and 
can  we  hope  of  doing  anything  toward  the  purchase  ? 
Nature  itself  cannot  wish  them  more  unhappy  than 
they  are  that  trust  in  their  own  righteousness ;  for 
the  reed  they  lean  upon  will  first  wound  them,  and 
then  break  under  them. 

8.  Yet  let  it  go  for  a  caution  too  ;  do  not  so  under- 
value thy  righteousness  as  to  think  there  is  neither 
need  nor  use  of  it,  because  it  meriteth  nothing  at  the 
hands  of  God  ;  for  God  is  gracious  to  accept  from  us 
that  which  deserveth  no  such  good  liking  from  him. 

Thus  he  accepted  the  humiliation  of  Ahab,  and  he 
rewarded  it ;  thus  he  accepted  the  repentance  of  Nine- 
veh ;  and  the  thief  upon  the  cross  that  confessed 
Christ,  and  shortly  after  died,  received  a  promise  to 
be  with  Christ   in   paradise.      John  vi.   87,   Christ 


Ver.  4] 


MARBXIRT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


93 


speaketh  comfortably,  '  Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out.' 

Righteousness  is  the  way  to  him.  This  is  the  song 
and  jubilation  of  the  church  :  Isa.  xxvi.  1,  2,  '  We 
have  a  strong  city  :  salvation  will  God  appoint  for 
walls  and  bulwarks.  Open  ye  the  gates,  that  the 
righteous  nation  which  keepeth  the  truth  may  enter 
in.' 

For  God  keepeth  a  book  of  remembrance,  such  as 
Malachi  saith,  chap.  iii.  16,  '  A  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  him  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord, 
and  that  thought  upon  his  name  ;'  for,  Ps.  Iviii.  11, 
•  The  Lord  loveth  the  righteous ;  and  verily  there  is 
a  reward  for  the  righteous.' 

Yea,  beloved,  I  dare  go  so  far,^  and  I  am  sure  that 
I  tread  on  ground  that  wUl  carry  me  through  ;  it  is 
not  faith,  it  is  sin,  it  is  presumption,  to  trust  in  the 
righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  only,  without  a  care  and 
conscience,  and  practice  of  righteousness  in  ourselves. 
For  Christ  redeemeth  us,  not  to  idleness,  but  to  work 
out  our  salvation  ;  we  are  delivered  from  the  hands  of 
our  enemies,  tit  serviamus  ei,  that  we  might  serve  him. 
Redemption  doth  not  destroy,  but  renew  our  creation  ; 
and  '  we  were  created  to  good  works,'  and  we  are 
called  to  holiness. 

Let  no  man  think  that  Christ  needeth  the  help  of 
om-  righteousness  to  satisfy  his  Father ;  but  we  do 
need  our  righteousness  to  declare  our  faith  in  Christ, 
and  to  make  application  of  the  righteousness  of  God 
to  ourselves. 

Though  the  full  strength  of  Scripture  be  bent  against 
merit  of  righteousness,  there  is  no  ground  there  for 
idleness  to  stand  upon  ;  we  must  not  cast  all  upon 
Christ,  and  make  him  who  came  to  redeem  us  from 
the  punishment  of  our  evil  works  a  redeemer  of  us 
from  the  necessity  of  good  works. 

Our  very  union  with  him  is  enough  to  necessitate 
operative  righteousness  ;  for  he  saith,  '  My  Father 
worketh  as  yet,  et  ego  operor,  and  I  work  ;'  and  it  is 
his  word,  '  Thus  must  we  fulfil  all  righteousness.' 
Therefore,  that  Christ  may  see  he  paid  the  debt  for 
such  as  would  have  paid  it  if  they  could,  and  did  their 
best  to  pay  all,  let  us  not  neglect  our  own  righteous- 
ness in  our  quest  of  salvation,  but  being  only  by  Jesus 
Christ  delivered  from  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  let  us 
serve  him  in  righteousness  and  holiness  before  him  all 
the  days  of  our  life. 

4.  Let  it  go  also  for  a  caution,  that  seeing  the 
necessity  of  righteousness,  we  do  look  well  to  the  in- 


tegrity thereof ;  as  the  apostle  admonisheth  us  in  his 
testimony  of  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor.  i.  5,  7,  '  That  in 
everything  ye  are  enriched  by  him,  so  that  ye  come 
behind  in  no  gift.' 

It  is  noted  of  the  saints  of  God  in  glory,  that  they 
do  wear  long  white  robes  ;  these  be  the  garments  of 
righteousness.  There  is  our  sicut  in  ccelo,  we  must 
not  wear  our  righteousness  like  a  short  garment ;  it 
must  be  entire,  covering  the  whole  body  to  the  foot ; 
that  is  the  integrity  of  the  whole  man.  For  whoso- 
ever maketh  conscience  of  his  righteousness  in  some 
things,  and  not  in  all,  is  but  a  hypocrite  ;  that  man 
makes  conscience  of  nothing  at  all.  That  professor 
that  for  his  profit  will  do  anything  contrary  to  the 
revealed  will  of  God,  or  if  for  pleasure,  or  for  revenge, 
he  will  go  out  of  the  way  of  God's  law,  that  man's 
righteousness  is  but  vain  ;  for  St  James  saith,  chap, 
ii.  10,  '  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet 
faileth  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  all.'  Sin  is  like  leaven, 
a  Uttle  of  it  soureth  the  whole  lump  of  righteousness. 

5.  Knowing  the  necessity  of  this  righteousness,  and 
the  continual  use  of  it,  and  that  our  whole  life  is  a 
perpetual  warfare  here  on  earth,  we  must  know  that 
this  righteousness  must  never  be  put  oft"  or  laid  aside 
all  our  life_long  ;  it  must  not  be  worn  in  our  colours 
ad  pompam,  but  in  our  armour  ad  pugnam,  to  the 
fight.  This  righteousness  is  not  for  show,  but  for 
service. 

There  be  some  temptations  that  take  their  aim  at 
us,  and  come  forth  to  assault  us  ;  there  be  others  that 
are  shot  at  random,  and  yet  may  hit  us.  As  he  that 
killed  Ahab  directed  not  his  aim  at  him,  so  a  man 
sometime  by  occasion  faileth  into  temptation.  K  a 
man  at  those  times  have  not  his  righteousness  to  seek, 
but  that  he  wear  it  as  a  breastplate,  it  may  preserve 
him.  Had  David  received  two  such  mortal  wounds  in 
the  body  of  his  religion,  and  fear  of  God,  if  he  had 
kept  on  his  righteousness  ?  Uriah's  wife  was  not  more 
naked. 

These  be  Satan's  advantages  for  keeping  watch,  as 
he  doth  ;  no  sooner  are  we  disarmed,  but  fulmina 
mittit.  But  as  Eiihu  told  Job,  Job.  xxxiii.  23,  2-4, 
'  If  there  be  a  messenger  with  him,  an  interpreter,  one 
among  a  thousand,  to  shew  unto  man  his  uprightness  ; 
then  he  is  gracious  unto  him,  and  saith,  DeUver  him 
from  going  down  into  the  pit ;  I  have  found  a  ransom.' 

That  is  then  the  use  of  our  ministry,  to  be  as  Noah 
was  to  the  world,  pracones  jiistitice,  preachers  of  right- 
eousness, to  shew  men  which  way  they  shall  walk  up- 

181 


94 


MAKBUKT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


rightly.  He  that  is  fit  for  this  service  must  have  the 
warrant  of  a  minister,  a  messenger,  and  he  must  have 
the  learning  of  an  interpreter;  and  such  a  man  is  a 
rare  man,  one  of  a  thousand ;  and  his  lecture  is,  discite 
justitiam  moniti.  Lose  no  time  from  it,  for  only 
righteousness  hath  the  blessing  of  this  promise,  Justus 
ex  fide  vivit,  the  just  doth  live  by  his  faith.  See  what 
rate  you  will  set  upon  life,  so  much  it  concerneth  you 
to  be  righteous. 

2.  Faith.  When  the  apostle  doth  come  to  this  point 
concerning  faith,  Eph.  vi.  19,  he  saith,  l-s-/  -raff/,  ^  Above 
4ill  things,  take  the  shield  of  faith.'  As  Solomon  saith, 
•'  Keep  thy  heart  above  all  keeping,'  for  indeed  there  is 
BO  doctrine  so  necessary  to  salvation  as  the  doctrine  of 
faith. 

You  remember  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  chap, 
xix.  8,  when  St  Paul  came  to  Ephesus,  and  continued 
there  three  months,  both  disputing  and  persuading 
the  things  that  concern  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  after 
many  oppositions,  yet  he  abode  there  two  years. 
His  preaching  had  so  put  the  gods  of  the  heathen  out 
of  countenance,  and  had  so  advanced  the  glory  of  the 
true  God,  that  Demetrius,  a  silversmith,  which  made 
silver  shrines  for  Diana,  called  the  workmen  of  his 
trade  together,  and  said,  '  Sirs,  ye  know  that  by  this 
craft  we  have  our  wealth;'  and,  *  So  that  our  craft  is 
in  danger  to  be  set  at  nought.'  And  presently  upon 
it  there  was  a  great  cry.  Magna  Diana,  '  Great  is 
Diana.' 

Beloved,  look  well  about  you,  and  you  shall  see  that 
by  faith  we  have  our  welfare,  we  get  our  being  by  it, 
both  here  and  in  heaven  ;  therefore  let  us  join  in  the 
cry,  to  cry  up  faith.  Magna  est  fides  Christianorum, 
great  is  the  faith  of  Christians. 

1.  Great  is  the  good  that  it  is. 

2.  Great  is  the  good  that  it  does. 
1.  In  that  it  is. 

Faith  is  a  certain  persuasion  wrought  in  the  heart 
of  man  of  the  truth  of  all  God's  promises,  and  a  con- 
fident application  of  them  is  made  to  the  believer, 
both  which  are  wrought  in  the  believer  by  the  Spirit 
of  God. 

(1.)  So  it  is  great  in  respect  of  the  Author  of  it  in 
as ;  for  it  is  not  avrhfurov,  growing  of  itself.  This  is 
a  seed  which  the  Lord  hath  sown,  a  plant  which 
God's  own  right  hand  hath  planted;  for  faith  is  the 
gift  of  God. 

(2.)  Great  is  the  object,  for  it  aimeth  at  the  promises 
of  God,  which  are  yea  and  amen. 
182 


(3.)  Great  in  the  extent;  for  it  spreadeth  to  all  the 
promises  of  God,  and  all  the  benefits  that  do  arise  to 
us  from  him,  as  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
redemption,  salvation. 

(4.)  Great  in  the  operation ;  because  it  layeth  hand 
upon  all  those,  and  challengeth  a  right  to  them,  saying, 
Hac  mea  sunt,  these  are  mine. 

(5.)  We  may  add  also  this  to  the  excellency  of  faith, 
that  it  is  a  mother  grace,  the  root  of  all  other  graces ; 
for  from  faith  they  do  derive  themselves. 

[1.]  Repentance;  for  'by  faith  God  purifieth  the 
heart,'  Acts  xv.  9. 

[2.]  Love ;  for  *  faith  worketh  by  love.' 

[3.]  Fear;  that  fear  which  is  'the  beginning  of 
wisdom.'  For  if  we  do  not  believe  the  truth  of  God's 
word,  and  promises,  and  comminations,  we  would  not 
so  much  stand  in  awe  of  God,  or  fear  and  distrust  our- 
selves. 

[4.]  Obedient ;  for  knowing  that  we  have  no  sub- 
sistence in  the  favour  of  God  but  by  Christ,  that 
swayeth  all  our  observance  that  way,  and  biddeth  us 
hear  him  :  Heb.  xi.  6,  '  And  without  faith  it  is  impos- 
sible to  please  God.' 

2.  For  that  it  doth  it  is  great. 

(1.)  No  grace  of  God  in  us  doth  more  honour  to  God 
than  our  faith  doth,  for  none  but  the  believer  doth  con- 
fess God  aright ;  for  as  the  apostle  saith,  1  John  v.  10, 
'  He  that  beheveth  not  God,  hath  made  God  a  Uar.' 
Make  that  breach  in  the  holy  chain  or  knot  of  God's 
attributes,  and  all  fail,  for  truth  is  the  girdle  of  them 
all ;  so  make  him  a  liar,  and  make  him  unwise,  im- 
potent, cruel,  profane,  all  evil.  Abraham,  '  strength- 
ened in  the  faith,  gave  glory  to  God,'  Rom.  iv.  10. 

(2.)  No  grace  to  us  more  profitable ;  for  it  is  not 
said  of  any  of  all  the  other  virtues  and  graces  that  we 
do  Hve  by  any,  by  all  of  them,  but  only  by  faith,  be- 
cause faith  doth  unite  us  with  Christ,  in  whom  we  are 
knit  to  God ;  for  '  all  fulness  dwelleth  in  him,'  and 
'  of  his  fulness  we  receive  grace  and  grace,'  John  i.  16. 
And  by  faith  only  Christ  dwelleth  in  our  hearts,  Eph. 
iii.  17.  By  faith  we  are  reconciled  to  God  in  Christ: 
'  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the 
remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance 
of  God,'  Rom.  iii.  25.  By  faith  we  are  justified:  ver. 
28,  '  Therefore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by 
faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law.'  By  faith  we  are 
sanctified ;  for  God  doth  '  purify  our  hearts  by  faith,' 
Acts  XV.  9.     By  faith  we  are  saved,  Eph.  ii.  8 ;  for 


Ver.  4.J 


MARBURY  ON  HABA.KKUK. 


95 


*  by  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of 
yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.'  Faith  bringeth  peace 
of  conscience  in  the  assurance  of  all  this  :  Rom.  v.  1, 

*  For  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Yer.  2,  by  faith  *  we 
have  access  to  God  into  the  grace  wherein  we  stand, 
and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.'  Ver.  3,  by 
faith  '  we  glory  in  tribulations,  knowing  that  tribulation 
worketh  patience ;  patience,  experience  ;  experience, 
hope :  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed  ;  because  the  love 
of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  given  us.' 

And  thus  the  church  of  the  Jews  is  comforted  against 
the  oppressions  of  the  Chaldeans  by  faith. 

Lastly,  faith  is  commended  to  us  for  a  shield,  by 
which  we  defend  ourselves  againSt  the  fiery  darts  of 
Satan,  Eph.  vi.  16. 

Therefore  to  make  the  necessary  doctrine  of  faith 
profitable  to  us,  let  us  consider, 

1.  How  faith  may  be  gotten. 

2.  How  it  may  be  proved. 

3.  How  it  may  be  preserved. 

4.  How  it  may  be  used. 

1.  How  faith  may  be  gotten. 

Herein  we  must  needs  observe  two  things  :  1,  the 
author;  2,  the  means. 

1.  The  author.  We  must  go  to  him  from  whom 
every  good  and  perfect  gift  doth  proceed,  to  seek 
faith. 

Here  I  must  admonish  you  that  faith  is  given  with- 
out seeking  at  first,  for  it  is  a  free  gift,  and  it  is  the 
glory  of  God,  '  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought  me 
not.'  Do  not  think  that  the  gift  of  faith  is  acquired, 
that  is  freely  given ;  but  the  increase  of  our  faith  is 
acquired  by  means.     I  prove  it  thus : 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  given  in  the  womb,  it  is  given 
to  infants,  therefore  faith  is  also  given ;  for  the  Spirit 
is  never  unfruitful,  and  faith  is  one  of  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit :  *  And  the  apostles  said  unto  the  Lord,  Increase 
our  faith.'  The  grace  of  God,  which  moveth  in  the 
generation  of  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  is  the  seed  of 
all  virtues ;  and  first  of  faith,  the  mother  virtue,  which 
issueth  all  the  rest,  that  is  given  early.  And  the  gift 
of  faith  doth  so  lie  hid  in  the  elect  of  God,  that  them- 
selves know  not  of  it  till  God  be  pleased,  not  to  put 
his  Son  into  them,  but  to  reveal  his  Son  in  them. 
This  magnifieth  the  free  grace  of  God,  and  teacheth 
us  to  say,  '  It  is  so,  Father,  because  thy  good  pleasure 
is  such.'     And  this  excludeth  all   boasting  on  our 


part,  seeing  we  have  it  of  mere  and  free  gift.  And  it 
ascribeth  the  glory  of  all  to  God. 

2.  The  means  to  get  faith.  These,  as  I  have  said, 
do  not  lay  the  foundation  of  faith  in  us  ;  that  is  the  free 
gift  of  God  ;  but  these  means  do  advance  the  building, 
they  do  help  to  increase  our  faith. 

I  will  refer  you  to  one  place  to  declare  to  you  the 
acquisition  of  more  faith:  Acts  xvi.  14,  15,  'And  a 
certain  woman  named  Lydia,  a  seller  of  purple,  of  the 
city  of  Thyatira,  which  worshipped  God,  heard  us,  whose 
heart  God  opened,  that  she  attended  unto  the  things 
that  were  spoken  of  Paul.  And  when  she  was  bap- 
tized, and  her  household,  she  besought  us,  saying,  If 
ye  have  judged  me  faithful  to  the  Lord,'  &c. 

Observe  the  whole  passage : 

1.  Here  was  a  woman  living  in  an  honest  and  lawful 
vocation ;  she  was  a  seller  of  purple. 

2.  Here  were  some  beginnings  of  faith  in  her,  for  she 
worshipped  God. 

3.  The  outward  means  to  increase  her  faith :  she 
heard  us. 

4.  The  inward  means  :  the  Lord  opened  her  heart. 
After  which  followeth : 

1.  More  attention  to  Paul. 

2.  Baptism. 

3.  A  desire  to  be  esteemed  faithful. 

4.  Hospitality  :  she  welcomed  her  teachers. 

So  that  for  the  increasing  of  faith  she  heard  the 
word ;  and  the  more  she  believed,  the  more  attentively 
she  heard ;  and  for  confirming  of  faith  she  was  bap- 
tized. '  Faith  cometh  by  hearing ;  for  how  shall  they 
believe  on  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?'  Here 
let  me  admonish  you  : 

1.  But  when  I  say  hy  the  uonl  with  the  apostle,  I 
do  understand,  and  would  be  understood  to  speak  of 
the  word,  not  as  it  is  the  voice  of  a  mortal  man,  nor 
as  it  is  a  dead  letter,  but  as  the  Spirit  doth  speak  to 
us  in  the  word.  For  this  the  apostle  biddeth  us 
'  be  swift  to  hear,'  it  concerns  us  much ;  but  that  you 
may  see  that  faith  is  not  begotten  in  us  by  hearing, 
hearing  doth  us  no  good  without  faith ;  and  we  must 
have  a  grain  of  faith  to  season  our  hearing,  or  else 
our  hearing  will  add  nothing  to  our  faith  :  Heb.  iv.  2, 
'  The  word  preached  did  not  profit  them,  not  being 
mixed  with  faith  in  them  that  heard  it.'  So  do  we 
see  some  at  first  pour  water  into  a  pump  to  set  it 
a-work,  that  it  may  yield  water  plenteously  ;  for  faith 
poured  into  our  hearing,  doth  make  our  hearing  bring 
forth  more  faith. 

183 


96 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


And  so  in  prayer.  Fulgentius  saith  of  faith,  Incipit 
infundi  ut  incipiat  posci.  A  man  cannot  have  faith 
without  asking,  neither  can  he  ask  it  without  faith. 

2.  When  I  name  the  word  for  a  means  to  beget  an 
increase  of  faith,  I  mean  the  written  word,  to  exclude 
all  unwritten  traditions,  and  all  written  legends,  which 
the  tell-tale  church  of  Rome  hath  coined  to  gull  the 
swallowing  credulity  of  the  misled  ignorants  ;  that  is, 
the  books  of  canonical  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  of  which  the  apostle  saith,  '  They  are  able 
to  make  a  man  wise  to  salvation,  and  perfect,  throughly 
perfect  to  every  good  work.' 

3.  When  I  name  the  word  a  means  of  faith,  I  must 
mean  the  word  understood  by  us  ;  for  the  eunuch 
learns  nothing  of  Isaiah  the  prophet  by  reading  him 
without  understanding.  And  I  wonder  that  ever  the 
church  of  Rome  could  so  befool  and  infatuate  the 
judgments  of  men,  to  believe  that  either  hearing  a 
form  of  service,  or  praying  in  a  strange  tongue,  could 
carry  any  validity  in  them,  except  they  did  conceive, 
or  do  believe  that  such  hearing  and  praying  have 
power  of  incantation. 

Therefore  there  is  required  a  translation  of  the  word 
into  our  natural  language,  or  some  other  that  we  un- 
derstand, if  we  understand  not  the  original. 

And  herein  I  must  stir  you  up  to  a  thankful  con- 
sideration of  their  profitable  labours,  who  have  taken 
pains  to  translate  the  Bible  to  English  for  the  common 
benefit  of  you  all,  that  you  may  read  the  Scriptures, 
and  exercise  yourselves  in  the  study  of  them,  and 
examine  the  doctrines  that  you  hear  by  them.  Blessed 
be  the  Lord  God  of  our  fathers,  who  put  such  a  thing 
as  this  into  the  heart  of  our  king's  majesty,  to  set 
this  work  a-foot,  and  to  see  it  finished. 

Herein  also  I  must  commend  unto  you  the  easiness 
and  perspicuity  of  Scripture ;  for  if  God  had  not  left 
the  way  of  salvation  open,  but  had  shut  it  up  in  such 
clouds  of  obscmity,  that  we  must  needs  have  a  guide 
to  light  us  the  way  to  the  lantern,  why  would  David 
have  called  the  word  itself  *a  lantern  to  our  feet'? 

Therefore  let  no  man  be  discouraged  from  his  own 
private  studying  of  Scriptures,  for  fear  of  their  hard- 
ness. It  is  no  better  than  idleness  and  shufiling,  to 
say  the  Scriptures  are  too  deep  for  me,  I  will  not 
meddle  with  them.  Christ  commandeth,  '  Search  the 
Scriptures';  is  he  not  antichrist  that  saith,  Do  not, 
thou  shalt  not  search  ? 

I  say  and  believe  that  the  word  only  read  over  by 
us  or  to  us,  without  the  help  of  any  comment,  or 
184 


sermon,  or  exposition  of  it,  is  a  lantern,  and  giveth 
light  to  the  simple.  Much  more  the  word  with  good 
commentaries  and  written  expositions.  Much  more 
the  word  preached  by  learned  and  judicious  preachers, 
which  know  how  to  divide  the  same  aright.  Those  be 
called  fellow-labourers  with  God,  angels  of  God,  the 
salt  of  the  earth,  the  light  of  the  world,  and  even 
saviours  of  men;  and  because  of  their  labour  in  the 
word,  and  oversight  of  the  people,  honour,  double 
honour  is  allowed  to  them  by  the  apostle  St  Paul. 
This  point  is  of  great  use. 

1.  To  us  that  are  ministers  of  the  word,  for  it  layeth 
a  necessity  upon  us,  and  woe  be  to  us  if  we  preach 
not  the  gospel.  I  am  sure  the  apostle  putteth  it 
home  to  Timothy:  2  Tim.  iv.  1,  'I  charge  thee  before 
God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the 
quick  and  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom ; 
preach  the  word;  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  longsufiering 
and  doctrines.'  God  hath  given  and  committed  to 
us  the  ministry  of  the  word  of  faith,  by  which  we 
must  live ;  and  if  we  be  not  found  faithful  in  the  dis- 
pensation thereof,  our  souls  shall  answer  for  the  sins 
of  the  people,  which  are  committed  by  our  negligence, 
and  for  want  of  our  giving  warning. 

2.  To  you  it  is  a  provocation  of  you  to  be  swift  to 
hear,  to  take  heed  how  you  hear,  to  hear  with  meek- 
ness, to  hear  willingly,  to  hear  attentively,  to  meditate 
in  the  word  that  you  hear,  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
to  beheve  the  word  spoken,  to  be  obedient  to  the 
form  of  doctrine  delivered,  not  to  despise  him  that 
speaketh  in  our  ministry ;  it  is  said  of  Lydia,  that  '  she 
heard  us.' 

This  was  the  outw'ard  means  of  her  faith.  This 
had  never  done  good  alone  ;  for  •  he  that  planteth  is 
nothing,  and  he  that  watereth  is  nothing,  but  God 
that  giveth  the  increase.'  He  is  nothing,  saith  the 
apostle,  that  planteth;  that  is,  the  minister  of  the 
word  is  nothing. 

There  were  two  things  much  amiss  amongst  the 
Corinthians  at  that  time. 

1.  One  was,  they  did  too  much  depend  upon  their 
ministers,  and  ascribe  too  much  to  them,  wherein  ho 
that  sent  them  had  wrong. 

2.  They  were  partial  in  their  estimation  of  their 
ministers,  some  aflecting  and  preferring  one,  some 
another,  that  it  came  to  a  schism. 

To  remove  which  double  disease  in  the  church,  the 
apostle  telleth  them,  that  the  minister  is  not  anything ; 


Ver.  4.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


97 


his  meaning  is  not  to  disgrace  the  ordinance  of  God, 
to  defile  his  own  nest,  to  dishonour  his  own  high 
calling,  but  to  bring  them  to  true  judgment  of  it,  and 
to  let  them  understand  that  the  ministry  of  men  is 
outward,  that  God  hath  no  need  of  it,  he  can  convert 
and  estabUsh  souls  without  it. 

And  further,  whatsoever  the  minister  doth,  it  is  by 
the  suggestion  and  help  and  efficacy  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  purpose  of  the  apostle  is  to  withdraw  us 
from  dependence  on  outward  means ;  he  doth  not 
seek  to  discourage  the  use  or  to  disparage  the  honour 
of  them,  or  to  question  their  necessity,  but  to  shew 
that,  as  planting  and  watering  of  a  tree  are  to  the  bear- 
ing of  fruit,  so  is  our  preaching  to  your  good  life ; 
except  God  do  give  the  increase,  the  means  in  itself 
is  not  anything. 

Therefore  let  us  search  deeper  for  the  power  of 
God  in  the  increase  of  our  faith,  and  we  shall  find  it 
a  special  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  so  St  Paul, 
speaking  of  the  spirit  of  faith,  2  Cor.  iv.  31,  doth  give 
us  to  understand,  that  faith  is  wrought  in  us  by  that 
Spirit  of  God  which  bloweth  where  he  listeth.  So 
it  is  said  of  Lydia,  that  *  the  Lord  opened  her  heart.' 

The  manner  of  the  operation  of  this  Spirit  in  the 
work  of  faith,  is  thus  : 

1.  It  worketh  upon  the  supreme  part  of  the  soul; 
that  is,  the  understanding. 

2.  Upon  the  inferior  part;  that  is,  the  will  and 
affections. 

1.  Upon  the  understanding;  and  there  it  openeth 
to  us  three  things  : 

(1.)  The  excellency  of  our  creation. 

(2.)  The  misery  of  our  fall. 

(3.)  The  remedy  thereof. 

(1.)  The  excellency  of  our  creation. 

For  man  was  made  in  the  image  of  the  Trinity,  that 
is,  in  holiness  and  righteousness ;  he  had  free  will  to 
have  continued  that  happy  estate,  and  he  had  the  tree 
of  hfe  whereof  he  might  have  eaten,  and  lived  for  ever 
in  the  state  of  his  creation.  It  is  necessary  that  we 
be  instructed  in  the  story  of  man's  creation,  that  we 
may  understand  the  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of 
God  shewed  in  man,  who,  out  of  so  base  a  matter, 
composed  so  excellent  a  frame  as  this  of  man's  body, 
and  inspired  it  with  a  reasonable  soul,  endowing  it 
with  heavenly  light,  and  giving  to  man  the  lordship 
of  the  works  of  his  hands,  leaving  it  in  his  own  free- 
will to  perpetuate  the  tenure  of  his  happiness. 

This  is  called  man's  state  of  innocency,  wherein, 


1,  His  knowledge,  2,  his  holiness,  was  full  and  per- 
fect. 

1.  His  knowledge  was  fuU.  (1.)  Of  God  ;  (2.)  Of 
himself;  (3.)  Of  the  creatures. 

(1.)  Of  God ;  knowing  him  so  far  forth  as  a  frail 
creature  was  capable  of  the  knowledge  of  an  infinite 
nature ;  and  therein  man  was  no  whit  inferior  to  the 
angels  of  God ;  for  God  created  men  and  angels  in 
his  own  image,  and  this  knowledge  is  the  image  of 
God  :  so  saith  the  apostle,  Col.  ui.  10,  '  Created  in 
knowledge,  after  the  image  of  him  which  created  him.' 

(2.)  Of  himself;  for  he  was  then  sensible  of  all  that 
God  had  done  for  him,  and  I  cannot  doubt  but  that 
light  which  God  set  up  in  this  excellent  creature  did 
shew  him  the  rd  yvMruv  of  himself,  so  that  he  knew  the 
secret  of  his  own  composition,  the  admirable  faculties 
of  the  intellectual  and  animal  part,  of  the  symmetry, 
the  anatomy,  the  use  of  every  part  of  the  body,  the 
end  and  use  of  his  creation. 

(3.)  Of  the  creatures  ;  for  as  all  the  creatures  were 
brought  before  him  to  declare  to  him  his  dominion 
over  them,  so  for  more  expressure  of  liis  lordship,  he 
gave  to  every  creature  a  name  ;  surely  the  Ught  of  his 
understanding  penetrating  so  deep  as  to  the  secret 
nature  of  all  things  sublunary,  as  also  well  read  in  the 
great  volume  of  the  celestial  bodies,  and  furnished 
with  aU  science  whereby  either  the  content  of  the  mind, 
the  honour  of  his  high  place,  being  lord  of  all,  or  the 
use  of  his  life,  or  the  glory  of  his  Maker,  might  be 
maintained  or  procured. 

Such  was  man  in  the  state  of  innocency  in  respect 
of  his  knowledge ;  and  though  his  fall  eclipsed  tjjat 
light  very  much,  and  much  of  that  particular  know- 
•  ledge  which  Adam  had  perished  in  him,  yet  sure 
that  which  remained  afier  the  fall,  which  was  the  stock 
wherewith  he  set  up  in  the  world,  did  give  the  first 
rules,  and  lay  down  the  grounds  of  all  arts  and  sciences ; 
which  being  perfectid  by  observation,  study,  and  expe- 
rience in  the  long  life  of  the  fathers,  descended  upon 
succeeding  times,  hke  rivers  which  gather  in  some 
brooks  to  mend  their  stream  as  they  hasten  to  the 
sea,  and  so  improve  their  strength  in  current,  and  dilate 
their  banks. 

Much  of  this  maketh  much  against  man;  for  in  this 
excellency  of  his  knowledge,  extending  itself  so  to  the 
creature,  no  doubt  but  he  knew  the  angels  also,  and 
knew  of  their  fall.  I  cannot  suppose  that  so  excellent 
a  creature  as  man,  bearing  the  image  of  God  that  made 
him,  and  of  the  angels  that  stood  and  kept  their  first 

185 


98 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


estate,  could  be  ignorant,  or  that  Grod  would  conceal 
from  him  such  an  example  of  weakness  in  so  excellent 
a  creature,  of  justice  in  him.  I  cannot  suppose  but 
that  he  knew  into  what  condition  the  fall  of  angels  had 
•dejected  them,  and  how  far  their  sin  had  corrupted 
them ;  he  could  not  but  know  them,  hating  of,  and 
hateful  to  God,  and  therefore  no  friend  to  man. 

He  might  have  suspected  the  forbidden  fruit  to  have 
had  some  poisonous  quality,  when  God  said.  Qua  die 
comederis,  morte  morieris  ;  but  he  knew  by  that  full 
knowledge  that  he  had  of  the  creatm-es,  that  it  was 
good  and  wholesome  for  meat. 

But  the  more  we  honour  God  in  the  perfection  of 
his  creation,  the  more  we  dishonour  man  in  the  pre- 
cipitation of  his  fall.  Surely  he  stumbled  not,  he  fell 
not  for  want  of  light;  he  fell  in  the  day,  as  it  will  after 
follow.  But  much  of  this  knowledge  survived  his  in- 
nocency,  and  no  doubt  but  the  angels  that  fell  had, 
and  have,  much  more  knowledge  than  men  now  have. 

2.  His  holiness  was  also  complete  ;  for  that  Maker 
is  not  author  imperfecti  operis,  of  an  imperfect  work  ; 
he  did  nothing  but  it  was  honum  valde,  very  good. 
Surely  I  doubt  not  to  affirm,  that  there  was  as  full 
and  as  great  perfection  of  holiness  and  righteousness 
in  Adam,  in  the  state  of  his  innocency,  as  was  in  Jesus 
Christ,  for  God  was  well  pleased  in  them  both.  The 
difference  was  this :  Adam  was  a  mere  creature,  and 
his  height  of  honour  was  the  image  of  his  Maker  ; 
but  Christ  was  man,  not  united  by  way  of  similitude 
•with  the  image  of  God,  but  by  way  of  personal  union 
with  the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  so  that  Adam's  holi- 
ness was  changeable,  but  Christ's  holiness  was  not. 
This  holiness  and  righteousness  consisted  in  a  sincere 
purity  of  the  creature  within  himself,  and  in  a  total 
■conformity  to  the  will  of  God.  The  exaltation  of  God's 
favour  to  him  went  no  higher.  So  high  did  it  go,  Adam 
might  have  kept  him  so  to  this  day,  and  for  ever,  if 
he  would.  The  reason  of  this  mutability  in  the  state 
of  man  was,  because  he  was  made  of  earth,  which  was 
made  of  nothing,  and  therefore  could  not  participate 
of  the  immutability  of  God,  as  it  did  of  his  goodness 
and  holiness. 

Considering  man  thus  in  his  state  of  innocency,  we 
shall  find  that  all  Adam's  posterity  was  then  in  him, 
and  in  his  person  was  the  whole  nature  of  mankind. 
So  that  the  whole  nature  either  stood  or  fell  in  him, 
and  was  either  in  his  standing  to  hold  the  innocency 
of  creation,  or  in  his  fall  to  lose  the  same. 

By  this  light  we  see  the  goodness,  and  love,  and 
186 


wisdom  of  God  in  the  creation  of  man,  and  here  is  the 
ground  laid  of  his  justice  also  ;  for  there  is  no  neces- 
sity laid  upon  man  that  he  must  fall ;  and  being  thus 
set  up,  he  cannot  break  but  by  his  own  ill  husbandry 
of  the  talent  of  grace  that  is  given  to  him ;  for  what 
would  he  have  more  ?  God  may  say  of  this  vine, 
'  What  could  I  have  done  more  to  it  than  I  did  ?  He 
may  be  eternally  and  unchangeably  happy  if  he  will. 
2.  The  misery  of  our  fall,  and  therein, 

1.  How  we  may  know  it. 

2.  What  it  is. 

1.  How  we  may  know  it. 

It  is  properly  the  work  of  the  law  to  declare  to  man 
how  miserable  he  is.  So  saith  the  apostle:  Rom. 
vii.  7,  '  I  knew  not  sin,  but  by  the  law  ;  for  I  had  not 
known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said,  Non  concupisces, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet.' 

Therefore,  to  work  faith  in  us,  the  Spirit  of  God 
doth  preach  the  law  to  the  conscience,  and  teacheth 
us  to  examine  and  try  our  ways  by  the  law,  not  lite- 
rally as  they  of  old  did,  whom  Christ  reproveth,  but 
according  to  the  full  scope  of  the  law,  which  aimeth 
not  at  the  boughs  and  exuberant  branches  of  sin,  but 
is  an  axe  laid  to  the  root  thereof,  and  telleth  us  how 
miserable  we  are,  declaring, 

2.  What  this  misery  is,  (1.)  in  the  infection;  and 
(2.)  in  the  wages. 

(1.)  In  the  infection.  Thus  the  law  declareth  us 
guilty. 

[1.]  In  original  sin. 

[2. J  In  sins  of  omission. 

[3. J  In  sins  of  evil  motion. 

[4.]  In  sins  of  evil  affection. 

[5.]  In  sins  of  evil  action. 

[1.]  In  original  sin.  The  law  declareth  Adam  a 
transgressor,  and  therein  a  corrupter,  not  only  of  his 
own  person,  but  of  the  whole  nature  of  mankind  ;  be- 
cause, having  free  will  to  have  kept  the  good  estate  in 
which  he  was  created,  by  prevarication  of  the  law  he 
fell  from  the  chief  good,  and  thereby  infected  and  pol- 
luted his  posterity,  so  that  ever  since  no  clean  thing 
could  derive  itself  from  that  which  is  unclean.  This 
sin  hath  produced  these  effects  in  man  ; — 

First,  The  image  of  God  is  much  blemished  in  him  ; 
for,  instead  of  that  full  knowledge  which  he  had,  he 
retaineth  only  some  principles,  which  be  called  '  the 
law  of  God  written  in  the  heart,'  which  do  serve  to 
make  a  man  without  excuse  in  the  day  of  his  judgment, 
because  he  cannot  deny  but  that  he  knew  a  Godhead, 


Vee.  4.] 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


99 


and  knew  good  and  evil  in  some  measure.  Video  me- 
liora  prohoque.  For  '  the  invisible  things  of  God,  his 
eternal  power  and  Godhead,  are  seen  by  the  creation 
of  the  world,'  Rom.  i.  19,  being  considered  in  his 
works.  And  that  law,  '  Do  as  thou  wouldest  be  done 
to,'  serveth  us  to  distinguish  between  good  and  evil  in 
many  things.  So  though  there  be*  a  total  privation 
of  our  light,  yet  is  there  a  dark  cloud  overshadowing 
us.  '  For  now,'  1  Cor.  ii.  14,  '  the  natural  man  per- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither  can 
he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.' 
2  Cor.  iii.  5,  '  Not  that  we  are  suflScient  of  ourselves 
to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourselves.' 

And  from  hence  it  cometh  that  we  mistake  our  way 
often,  and  that  is  not  always  the  nearest  and  best  way 
that  is  the  fairest  and  broadest,  and  most  trodden  : 
Prov.  xiv.  12,  '  There  is  a  way  that  seemeth  good  in 
the  eyes  of  men,  but  the  end  thereof  is  death.'  Rom. 
viii.  7,  '  For  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh  is  enmity  to  God, 
for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be.' 

Secondly,  The  image  of  God  in  the  will. 

There  followeth  a  natural  inclination  rather  to  evil 
than  to  good,  and  men  naturally  do  bestow  their  wits 
rather  to  project  evil  than  good ;  for  the  mind  and 
conscience  is  defiled,  Titus  i.  15;  for  there  is  naturally 
a  vanity  in  the  understanding,  Eph.  iv.  17.  So  it 
may  be  said,  Jer.  iv.  22,  '  They  are  wise  to  do  evil, 
but  to  do  well  they  have  no  knowledge.' 

In  the  will,  the  image  of  God  is  blemished. 

For  we  shall  find  in  ourselves  a  reluctation  against 
God  ;  all  the  service  of  God  naturally  doth  bring  a 
weariness  upon  us,  and  nothing  doth  terrify  so  much 
with  fear  of  difficulty  as  good  works. 

This  is  called  original  sin,  because  it  runneth  in 
the  same  stream  with  our  blood,  and  we  derive  it 
from  our  faulty  progenitors,  which  the  apostle  calleth, 
Heb.  xii.  1,  « the  sin  that  hangeth  so  fast  on.'  Saint 
Paul,  Rom.  vii.  17,  calleth  it  peccatum  habitans  in  me, 
'  sin  dwelling  in  me ; '  corpus peccati.  Lea-  membrorum . 
Concupiscentia.  And  the  whole  corruption  of  man 
deriveth  itself  from  this  head,  so  that  we  are  bom  by 
nature  children  of  wrath;  for  who  can  draw  that  which 
is  clean  fi-om  that  which  is  unclean  ? 

Therefore  the  Spirit  of  God,  working  faith  in  us, 
doth  set  our  eyes  upon  the  quarry  out  of  which  we 
were  digged,  and  pointeth  us  to  this  first  corruption. 

There  is  great  use  of  this  looking  back,  that  we 
*  Qu.  '  be  not'?— Ed. 


who  think  ourselves  brave  creatures,  to  whom  God 
hath  put  so  many  of  our  fellow- witnesses  into  service, 
'  may  know  that  we  are  but  men,'  so  it  serveth  to 
humble  us  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  It  is 
Augustine's  saying,  Magna  pars  humilitatis  tiicE,  est 
notitla  tui. 

I  find  it  also  urged  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  11. 

1,  '  Hearken  to  me,  ye  that  follow  righteousness ;  ye 
that  seek  the  Lord,  look  to  the  rock  whence  you  were 
hewn,  and  to  the  pit  whence  ye  are  digged.' 

This,  to  consider  the  small  beginnings  of  the  church; 
for  God  called  Abraham,  being  one,  and  from  him  is 
the  house  of  Israel. 

I  find  it  urged,  to  remember  our  unworthiness,  and 
to  establish  the  faith  of  God's  free  gi-ace :  Ezek.  xvi. 
3,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  Jerusalem,  Thy  birth 
and  thy  nativity  is  of  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  thy  father 
was  an  Amorite,  and  thy  mother  was  an  Hittite,'  &c., 
to  chide  the  rebellion  of  Israel,  to  whom  God  hath 
shewed  mercy,  being  so  unworthy.  Three  good  uses  of 
this  point,  if  these  virtues  do  follow  :  1.  Humility  ; 

2.  Thankfulness  ;  3.  Repentance. 

This  doctrine  of  original  sin  hath  found  some 
heretical  opposition,  though  the  voice  of  Scripture  and 
reason  doth  speak  out  loud  and  clear  for  it.  The 
Pelagians  long  ago  denied  propagation  of  sin,  and 
ascribed  all  to  imitation.  The  Romanists  deny  it  to 
be  peccatum  mortale,  a  mortal  sin.  But  the  Anabap- 
tists of  our  times  have  revived  both  the  Pelagian  and 
the  popish  heresy.  For  in  their  last  book,  printed 
1620,  they  do  deny  that  infants  traduce  sin  from  their 
parents,  and  therefore  are  not  born  in  sin.  I  only 
admonish  you,  if  any  such  corrupt  suggestions  shall 
obtrude  themselves  to  your  judgments,  that  you  waive 
them  as  contrary  to  the  express  word  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture, that  you  never  forget  the  pit  out  of  which  you 
were  digged. 

[2.]  Sins  of  omission. 

This  is  another  conniption  of  nature  ;  for  our  origi- 
nal imperfection  doth  so  incline  us  to  evil,  tiat  we 
are  ready  to  leave  the  duties  undone  which  the  law  of 
God  requireth  to  be  done. 

The  Spirit  of  God  working  faith  in  us,  doth  shew 
us  that  whatsoever  holy  duty  we  omit,  we  transgress 
the  law,  which  in  every  precept  doth  bind  the  con- 
science to  obedience,  and  leaveth  them  guilty  before 
God,  who  do  not  those  things  which  the  law  com- 
mandeth.  Note  it,  that  in  the  process  of  the  last 
judgment  it  is  said,  Non  pavistis  me,  nan  amicivistis 

187 


100 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


vie,  non  visitastis,  ye  fed  me  not,  &c.  And  in  tlie 
parabolical  example  of  the  rich  man  and  Lnzarus,  it 
is  declared  that  the  rich  man  went  to  hell  for  not  feed- 
ing Laz^.rus.  'Consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God.' 
How  often  have  you  neglected  public  prayers  when  you 
have  had  no  just  occasion  to  detain  you  ?  How  often 
have  you  neglected  to  hear,  to  come  to  the  sacrament  ? 
When  the  table  of  the  Lord  hath  been  prepared  for 
you,  you  have  turned  your  back  and  gone  away.  To 
such  the  Master  of  the  feast  saith,  Non  sunt  digni,  et 
non  cjustahunt  ccenam  meam,  they  are  not  worthy,  they 
shall  not  taste  of  my  supper.  ■ 

God  doth  offer  occasions  every  moment  to  praise 
him,  or  to  pray  to  him  ;  it  is  part  of  man's  misery 
that  he  is  negligent,  and  taketh  not  the  benefit  of 
these  occasions  to  serve  God.  He  was  adjudged  to 
utter  darkness  who  hid  the  talent  of  his  Master  in  the 
ground.  '  Take  that  unprofitable  servant  and  cast 
him  into  utter  darkness  :'  yet  was  this  but  a  sin  of 
omission. 

The  law  saith,  Hoc  fac  et  vives,  do  this  and  live  ; 
and  not  only  they  that  do  contrarium  hide,  contrary 
to  this,  but  they  that  do  not  hocfacere,  are  prevarica- 
tors of  the  law.  '  To  do  good,  and  to  distribute,  for- 
get not ;'  he  doth  not  say,  forbear  to  do  evil,  or  omit 
not  to  do  good,  hut  forf/et  not :  it  is  a  sin  to  forget  our 
duly,  more  to  omit  it  mllingly,  but  most  horrible  to 
do  the  contrary. 

[3.1  Sins  of  evil  motion. 

These  are  against  the  tenth  commandment,  7ion 
coiiciipisces,  thou  shalt  not  covet ;  for  there  is  a  con- 
ception of  sin,  a  vegetation,  and  a  putting  forth.  The 
conception  of  sin  is  the  first  motion  thereof,  the  first 
titillation  of  the  sense,  as  Galasius,  Quamvis  non  plane 
assentiamur  desiderio,  si  tamen  nos  titillat,  sufficit  ad 
1I0S  reos  j^eragendos. 

So  Chrysostom,  Aliud  est  concupiscere,  aliud  velle. 

St  Bernard  doth  distinguish  our  cogitations  thus : 

1.  Surd  cogitationes  otiosce,  idle  thoughts,  et  ad  rem 
non  pertinentes ;  these  he  calleth  lutum  simplex,  that 
is,  a  thin  clay  which  cleaveth  not,  yet  it  coloureth. 

2.  Sunt  cogitationes  riolenta;  et  fortius  adha:rentes, 
violent  and  faster  cleaving  thoughts ;  these  he  calleth 
lutum  viscosum,  a  viscous  clay,  stickfast. 

8.  Sunt  cogitationes  fcetidie,  filthy  thoughts,  qua  ad 
luxuriam,  invidiam,  araritiam,  dc,  pertinent,  which 
belong  to  luxury,  &c.     Ccenum  immundum,  foul  mud. 

The  first  of  these,  cogitationes  et  motus  prinii,  may 
be  either  in  phantasy  only,  so  they  defile  not ;  or  in 
188 


voluntate,  in  the  will ;  a  little  infecting  that,  so  they 
break  the  law. 

St  Chrysostom,  Si  concupiscentice  non  consentit  vo- 
luntas, sola  concupiscentia  non  condemnat,  if  the  will 
consenteth  not,  the  concupiscence  condemns  not. 

I  dare  not  embrace  his  judgment.  St  Paul  found 
by  the  law,  and  he  could  find  it  by  no  law  but  this  of 
the  tenth  commandment,  that  concupiscentia  est  pecca- 
tum,  concupiscence  is  sin.  This  is  part  of  the  misery 
of  our  fall  from  God,  we  cannot  think  a  good  thought 
of  ourselves. 

[4.]  Sins  of  evil  affection. 

The  Spirit  doth  detect  this  further  misery,  when 
the  consent  of  the  will,  and  the  bent  of  desire,  doth 
affect  evil ;  in  which  kind  our  Saviour,  the  best  inter- 
preter of  the  law,  doth  call  anger  murder,  and  un- 
chaste desires  adultery,  and  desires  of  our  neighbours' 
goods  theft.  These  are  not  only  sins  in  proveniu  ex 
corde,  but  in  corde,  as  Christ  saith,  '  out  of  the  heart 
Cometh  murder,  adultery,  theft.' 

[5.j  Sins  of  evil  action. 

These  are  evil  prevarications,  and  actual  transgi-es- 
sions  of  the  law,  such  as  the  erecting  of  another  god 
against  the  true  God,  worshipping  of  idols,  swearing 
and  blasphemy,  breach  of  the  Sabbath  in  the  first 
table  of  the  law.  Disobedience  to  authority,  murder, 
adultery,  theft,  false  witness  in  the  second  table.  They 
that  do  these  things  have  not  God  in  their  ways : 
Hac  sunt  qua:  polluunt  liominem,  saith  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  a  principal  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  man, 
to  make  him  sensible  of  the  pollution  of  sin.  It  is  a 
thing  natural  to  fear  punishment,  and  to  decline  it ; 
but  the  perfect  hatred  of  sin  is  in  respect  of  the  pollu- 
tion ;  so  that  if  there  were  no  further  danger,  yet  be- 
cause it  fouls  my  soul  and  defiles  my  body  I  abhor 
it.     This  is  an  high  degree  of  holiness. 

Saint  Paul,  who  had  an  inward  assurance  and  cer- 
tain persuasion  of  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  as  he 
declareth,  reposita  est  mihi  corona.  And  he  knew 
whom  he  had  trusted ;  yet  how  doth  he  complain ! 
*  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but  I  can  do,'  &c.  '  Of 
sinners  I  am  chief.'  *  But  I  am  carnal,  sold  under 
sin,'  '  wretched  man  that  I  am ! '  Those  sorrowful 
bewailings  of  himself,  those  confessions  and  deplorings 
of  his  sin,  do  not  proceed  from  fear  of  punishment ; 
he  knew  that  he  was  past  the  rod.  They  proceed 
from  the  horror  of  the  infection  of  sin.  It  grieved 
him  that  he  was  so  foul  and  unclean  in  the  sight  of 
him  that  hath  so  pure  eyes. 


MARBTJRY  ON  HJLBAKKUK. 


101 


2.  This  misery  appeareth  fbrther  in  the  punishment 
of  sin,  which  in  the  justice  of  God  is  ite  maledicti, 
the  curse  of  God,  as  it  is  written,  Dent,  xxvii.  26, 
'  Cursed  is  he  that  confirmeth  not  all  the  words  of  this 
law  to  do  them.' 

To  Uve  under  the  curse  of  God  containeth  all  the 
crosses  and  tribulations  of  this  life,  outward,  in  our 
bodies,  our  estates,  our  liberty,  our  friends ;  inward, 
in  the  surges  of  our  own  vexations  ;  in  the  winds  of 
temptation  without  us,  and  death  itself.  It  containeth 
also  the  second  de&ih,  painam  damni,  depriving  ns  of 
all  comfort,  and  p<enam  sensus,  possessing  us  of  all 
folness  of  woe.     Two  things  make  weight  in  this  woe. 

1.  That  the  Judge  hath  booked  the  full  evidence 
against  us.  Nothing  can  be  either  suppressed  or 
excused  by  us  ;  nothing  can  be  defended. 

2.  That  there  is  no  power  in  us  as  of  ourselves  to 
satisfy  the  justice  of  God ;  so  that  we  are  at  Saint 
Paul's  pass,  Quis  me  liherabit  f  "Who  shall  deUver 
me? 

And  herein  the  law  doth  us  a  favour ;  for  it  is  our 
schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ,  which  is  the  next 
point  which  the  Spirit  revealeth. 

3.  The  remedy ;  wherein  consider, 

1.  How  the  law  doth  shew  us  the  remedy. 

2.  How  the  gospel  doth  declare  it. 
1.  The  law  is  our  schoolmaster. 

So  saith  the  apostle :  Gal.  iii.  24,  '  Wherefore  the 
law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  Christ.'  In  the  school  of 
God  there  are  three  forms  : 

1.  lucipientes,  beginners,  in  the  lowest  form,  for 
the  most  part  taught  by  their  fellows.  Such  were  they 
before  the  law,  taught  by  their  fellow- creatures,  read- 
ing and  learning  both  the  glory  of  God  in  the  specula- 
tion of  the  works  of  God,  and  finding  the  use  of  their 
life  in  the  constant  obedience  of  the  creatures  to  the 
ordinance  of  God. 

2.  Proficienies,  proficients,  taught  by  the  usher  of 
the  school,  that  is,  Moses  and  the  prophets. 

3.  Perfecti,  perfect,  taught  by  the  chief  school- 
master, that  is,  Christ. 

The  law  is  our  usher,  and  makes  us  come  fit  to  come 
into  the  uppermost  form,  and  that  two  ways. 

1.  By  representing  Christ  in  figures  and  types,  in 
sacrifices  and  ceremonies.     This  is  the  ceremonial. 

2.  By  shewing  us  our  misery,  that  in  ourselves  there 
is  nothing  but  matter  and  merit  of  condemnation ;  so 
the  law  is  a  sharp  schoolmaster,  and  doth  severely 
correct  us.     And  no  man  eometh  to  Christ  that  hath 


not  lived  nnder  the  rod  of  the  law,  and  been  traly 
humbled  in  his  soul  with  the  consideration  of  his  sins, 
in  such  measure  that  he  despaireth  of  his  salvation  in 
himself,  and  findeth  himself  in  his  own  ways  hateful 
to  God,  as  Job,  '  Therefore  I  abhor  myself.'  This 
done, 

2.  The  gospel  revealeth  to  us  the  full  remedy  of  our 
misery  in  Christ,  saying,  '  Unto  you  is  bom  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord.'  Gal.  iv.  -t,  5,  '  God  sent 
his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  and  made  subject  to  the 
law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  that  were  under  the 
law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons.' 

Against  our  ignorance,  Christ  is  made  our  wisdom. 

Against  our  guiltiness,  he  is  made  our  righteousness. 

Against  the  infection  of  sin,  our  sanctification. 

Against  the  punishment  of  sin,  our  redemption. 

The  remedy  thus  sufficient,  Christ,  God  and  man,  is 
a  person  able  to  satisfy  the  law ;  and  being  without 
sin,  able  to  recover  us  the  favour  of  God ;  and  being 
victor  of  all  our  enemies,  able  to  open  paradise  to  us. 

Thus  far  in  the  work  of  faith,  the  Spirit  of  God 
worketh  upon  our  understanding ;  and  there  can  be  no 
fJEiith  in  us  except  we  be  rightly  informed  in  these  three 
things,  our  excellent  creation,  our  miserable  fall,  and 
the  comfortable  remedy.    (See  division,  supra,  p.  97.) 

2.  To  settle  us  in  the  faith,  the  Spirit  of  God  must 
also  work  upon  our  will ;  that  is, 

1.  In  respect  of  the  glorious  creation  of  man,  to 
move  us  to  three  duties  : 

(1.)  Of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  it. 
(2.)  Of  sorrow  for  our  fall  firom  it. 
(3.)  Of  holy  desire  again  to  recover  it. 

2.  In  respect  of  our  misery,  it  moveth  us, 

(1.)  To  know  it  by  searching  and  trying  our  ways. 
(2.)  To  deplore  it  with  godly  sorrow,  the  effects  of 
which  sorrow  are  named  by  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  vii.  11. 
!^l.j  Carefulness.     [2.]  Clearing  ourselves. 
[3.1  Indignation.     [4.]  Fear.     [5."  Desire. 
[6.]  Zeal.      l.l  Revenge. 

3.  In  respect  of  the  remedy,  it  moveth  us, 
(1.)  To  know  it. 

(2.)  Hunger  and  thirst  after  it. 

(3.)  To  endeavour,  both  all  our  time  and  with  all 
our  strength,  to  attain  it. 

(4.)  To  use  all  the  means  to  procure  it. 

And  howsoever  we  find  ourselves  most  miserable  in 
ourselves,  yet  must  we  not  so  far  undervalue  as  to 
think  ourselves  unworthy  of  eternal  life. 

The   Jews   are   charged,  Acts  vii.   51,   that  they 

189 


102 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


resisted  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  would  not  admit  the 
gracious  suggestions  thereof ;  they  would  not  hear  the 
voice  behind  them  whispering  in  their  ear  a  return 
from  their  evil  ways.  Paul  and  Barnabas  tell  them, 
Acts  xiii.  46,  *  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you ;  but  seeing  ye 
put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  life 
everlasting,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.' 

Quest.  But  are  we  not  all  unworthy  of  eternal  life  ? 

Aiis.  True  ;  but  it  is  one  thing  by  our  evil  deeds  to 
give  sentence  against  ourselves  that  we  are  unworthy ; 
another  thing  it  is,  out  of  the  conscience  of  sin,  to 
confess  ourselves  unworthy.  Yet  in  this  confession 
and  contrition  there  is  hope,  that  though  in  ourselves 
we  be  both  unworthy  and  incapable  of  heavenly  life  ; 
yet  having  an  eye  to  the  remedy  of  our  misery,  we 
despair  not  in  him,  because  we  hold  upon  sure  and 
precious  promises,  which  are  precious, 

1.  In  regard  of  the  promiser,  whose  power  and  love 
doth  make  him  able  and  willing  to  perform  all  good 
to  as. 

2.  In  regard  of  the  motive  that  moved  God  to  pro- 
mise, expressed  by  the  apostle  to  be  his  own  goodness, 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  will  so  free. 

3.  In  regard  of  the  fulness  of  his  favour :  '  For  God, 
who  is  rich  in  mercy,'  Eph.  ii.  4,  hath  promised. 
*  Abundant  in  goodness,'  Exod.  xxxiv.  6. 

4.  In  regard  to  the  extent,  gaudium  quod  erit  omni 
populo,  joy  unto  all  people,  Luke  ii.  10 ;  for  this 
brazen  serpent  is  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  looketh 
thereon  may  have  help. 

What,  then,  should  keep  thee  from  this  remedy  ? 

1.  Consider  that  there  is  no  man  in  better  case  than 
thou  by  nature  ;  for  all  have  sinned,  and  are  deprived 
of  the  glory  of  God. 

2.  Consider  that  this  remedy  is  without  thyself.  If 
it  were  of  thyself,  thou  hadst  cause  to  distaste  it ;  but 
it  is  the  free  offer  of  God's  grace  to  thee. 

3.  Consider  that  the  giver  of  the  remedy  is  the  giver 
of  faith  also,  by  which  the  remedy  is  apprehended  and 
applied ;  and  if  thou  do  not  feel  this  faith  in  thyself, 
do  not  judge  thyself  void  of  it ;  for  there  may  be  and 
is  faith  often  where  is  no  feeling  thereof. 

4.  Tarry  the  Lord's  leisure,  as  before;  wait,  for  the 
■vision  will  not  lie.  How  long  lay  the  poor  man  at 
the  pool  of  Bethesda  ?  And  though  still  hindered, 
yet  was  he  not  without  hope. 

We  must  not  part  the  truth  of  God,  and  his  justice 
and  mercy  ;  for  the  truth  of  God  bindeth  both  the 
190 


threatenings  of  his  judgment,  and  the  truth  of  his 
mercy. 

Thus  is  the  faith  of  the  elect  given  and  nourished 
in  us. 

2.   How  our  faith  may  be  proved. 

Because  there  may  be  a  show  and  seeming  of  faith, 
where  the  true  substance  thereof  is  wanting.  The  best 
way  to  try  our  faith  is  by  the  true  touchstone ;  for  as 
gold  is  tried  by  the  touch,  so  faith,  which  '  is  much 
more  precious  than  gold  that  perisheth,'  1  Peter  i.  7, 
hath  a  proper  touchstone  to  try  it. 

1.  That  is,  the  conscience  of  man  within;  for  that 
doth  declare  to  himself  his  faith. 

2.  That  is,  good  conversation  and  godly  life ;  for  that 
doth  declare  our  faith  to  men. 

1.  A  good  conscience. 

For  '  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  toward 
God,'  Rom.  V.  This  peace  a  wicked  man  cannot 
have  ;  Non  est  pax  impio,  saith  God,  '  No  peace  to 
the  wicked.' 

Against  this  is  a  double  objection. 
Obj.   1.  Many  wicked  men  have  quiet  hearts  and 
ail    nothing,  they  are  not  humbled  like  other  men, 
they  are  not  poured  from  vessel  to  vessel,  therefore 
their  scent  remaineth  in  them. 

Sol.  The  effect  of  true  peace  is  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  wicked  man's  joy  is  not  such,  it  is  but 
a  flash  ;  it  is  neither  sound,  for  when  any  trial  cometh 
it  faileth ;  neither  is  it  lasting,  for  it  perisheth  in 
time  ;  neither  is  it  growing  and  increasing,  neither  is 
it  excusing. 

Obj.  2.  Many  of  the  best  of  God's  servants  have 
their  minds  troubled,  and  suffer  great  distresses  in 
their  conscience  for  sin  ;  yea,  such  a  winter  there  is 
upon  their  souls,  that  they  feel  not  any  Ufe  of  grace  at 
all  in  them. 

Sol.  True ;  but  observe  from  whence  this  vrrath 
ariseth :  even  from  the  war  of  the  spirit  against  the 
flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil;  in  which  conflict  often- 
times the  spirit  is  daunted  and  dismayed  for  a  season ; 
but  there  is  ever  joy  in  tribulations,  and  joy  arising 
and  growing  out  of  sorrows,  whereas  the  hearts  of 
them  that  have  not  faith  die  in  them.  And  this  fire 
is  from  heaven  :  the  covering  of  it  with  oppressions 
doth  make  it  to  bum  so  much  the  hotter;  and  the 
stirring  of  it  up  with  temptations  doth  make  it  shine 
the  clearer  ;  so  that  peace  of  conscience  is  a  sure  sign 
of  a  good  faith. 

2.  Another  touchstone  for  this  gold,  this  faith,  is 


Yer.  4.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


103 


an  evidence  of  godly  conversation,  to  approve  ottr- 
Belves  to  God  and  man,  both  by  doing  all  the  duties 
of  a  godly  life  and  avoiding  the  contrary.  This  is  the 
only  *  work  of  faith  in  us. 

1.  The  pit  whence  we  draw  this  water  of  life  is 
deep ;  the  bucket  by  which  we  fetch  it  up  is  faith ; 
for  whatsoever  desire  or  strength  we  have,  or  endea- 
vour to  live  godly,  it  is  an  extraction  drawn  by  our 
faith  from  Jesus  Christ.  I  live  by  faith  in  the  samef 
God. 

2.  Faith  only  doth  assure  to  us  the  loving-kindness 
of  God  :  *  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,'  &c.  Ecce  quantam  charitateni, 
what  eye  shall  behold  this,  but  the  eye  of  faith  ? 

3.  Faith  worketh  love  ;  that  is,  it  breedeth  a  corres- 
pondence between  Christ  and  us  ;  for  the  believing 
soul,  assured  of  Christ's  love  to  it,  doth  cast  about 
within  itself,  quid  rependam  ?  and,  finding  nothing  to 
recompense  that  love,  it  seeketh  how  God  may  be 
pleased,  and  walketh  in  that  way  so  near  as  he  can. 
So  it  is  said  of  the  faithful,  that  they  walk  with  God, 
and  they  answer  every  temptation  to  evil  as  Joseph 
did,  '  How  shall  I  do  this,  and  sin  against  God  ?'  Or 
if  by  infirmity  they  fall,  they  cry  God  mercy,  and 
they  groan  and  grieve  witbin  themselves  that  they 
cannot  perform  better  service  to  God :  1  John  iv.  19, 
thus  '  we  love  God,  because  he  loved  us  first.'  And 
Christ  said,  Luke  vi.  47,  '  Many  sins  are  forgiven 
her,'  quia  dilexit  multum.  This  is  a  fruit  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  faith. 

Observe  it,  when  faith  doth  lie  concealed  in  us,  that 
ourselves  cannot  discern  it,  yet  may  we  discern  in  our- 
selves our  love  of  God,  and  of  such  as  love  God  ;  and 
this  proves  God's  love  to  us,  for  we  could  not  love 
him,  except  he  loved  us  first. 

4.  Faith  maketh  us  sincere  ;  for  it  is  the  notation 
of  our  faith,  it  is  called  '  faith  unfeigned  ;'  and  Christ 
Baith,  '  Blessed  be  the  pure  in  heart.'  Faith  purifieth 
the  heart,  as  the  apostle  saith. 

These  are  not  the  generation  of  them  that  are  pure 
in  their  own  eyes,  of  which  Solomon  spake,  but  the 
other  of  which  David  his  father  spake,  Hac  est  gene- 
ratio  qu(Brentium  faciem  tuam. 

Seeing  there  cannot  be  perfectio  operis,  the  perfec- 
tion of  works,  God  is  pleased  if  there  be  piiritas  cordis, 
purity  of  heart,  which  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  i.  12,  call- 
eth  '  simplicity,  and  godly  pureness.'  And  that  is 
known  by  these  signs. 

*  Qu. '  only  the '?— Eo,  f  Q.^-  '  Son  of '  ?— En. 


1.  If  a  man  be  humbled  in  true  contrition  for  sins 
which  he  knoweth  himself  guilty  of,  and  hath  no  peace 
in  his  heart  till  he  hath  comfort  in  his  conscience 
that  God  hath  forgiven  them. 

2.  If  he  consider  his  own  weakness,  so  far  as  to  ac- 
knowledge that  he  committeth  many  sins  that  he 
knoweth  not,  and  prayeth  earnestly,  and  often  with 
David,  d  secretis  meis  munda  me,  cleanse  me  from  my 
secret  sins. 

3.  If  he  find  in  his  heart  a  present  strife  of  his 
spirit  against  the  flesh,  wrestling  with  his  own  corrup- 
tions, and  not  sufiering  sin  to  reign  in  his  mortal 
body,  '  leading  him  captive  to  the  law  of  sin.' 

4.  K  he  find  him  watchful  to  prayer,  and  fasting, 
and  watching,  and  all  exercises  of  mortification,  striv- 
ing to  bring  his  body  in  subjection  to  the  law  of  God. 

5.  If  he  be  willing  to  hide  the  word  of  God  in  his 
heart,  to  arm  him  against  Satan's  temptations,  as 
Christ  did  with  Script um  est,  it  is  WTitten. 

6.  If  he  find  a  desire  of  perseverance  therein  to  the 
end,  which  is  discerned  by  his  spiritual  growth  from 
grace  to  grace,  bringing  forth  more  fruit  even  in  age, 
as  Christ  testifieth  of  the  church  of  Thyatira,  Rev. 
ii.  19,  '  more  at  the  last  than  the  first ;'  for,  John 
vii.  38,  '  he  that  beheveth  in  me,  out  of  his  belly  shall 
flow  rivers  of  the  water  of  hfe.' 

These  be  sure  proofs  of  sincere  faith,  which,  though 
it  be  weak,  yet  it  will  gather  strength  ;  and  being  able 
to  fight,  will  in  the  end  be  made  able  to  overcome  all 
our  enemies. 

3.  How  faith  may  be  preserved.  ^ 

This  seemeth  a  needless  question,  because  we  have 
clear  evidence  of  Scripture,  that  sincere  faith  cannot 
be  lost. 

True,  it  cannot  finally  be  lost,  it  is  assured  to  God; 
but  we  must  preserve  it,  so  as  that  in  temptations  and 
afflictions  we  may  not  be  cast  down  with  fear  that  it 
is  lost.  Neither  that  we  do  bear  ourselves  too  bold 
upon  it,  so  far  as  to  presume.  Therefore  we  are 
bound  to  the  use  of  all  those  means  ordained  by  God 
to  preserve  faith. 

If  it  be  an  hypocritical  or  a  temporary  faith,  it  may 
be  lost ;  if  it  be  a  true  faith,  this  is  one  certain  si^n 
of  it.  The  same  means  that  breed  faith  in  us,  the 
same  means  do  nourish  it :  therefore,  Rom.  xi.  20, 
If '  thou  standest  by  faith,  be  not  high-minded,  but 
fear.' 

It  is  a  tenet  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  it  is  now 
revived  of  late  by  the  Anabaptists,  in  a  book  of  the 

191 


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MARBURY  ON  HABAKKtJK. 


[Chap.  II. 


last  year,  that  a  man  may  finally  fall  away  from 
saving  grace  ;  and  many  false  shows  are  made  out  of 
scriptures  not  rightly  understood,  to  maintain  this 
heresy. 

I  say  no  more,  but  as  the  apostle  doth,  1  Cor. 
X.  12,  *  Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed 
lest  be  fall.'  He  that  is  once  assured  of  his  standing, 
cannot  fall,  because  the  same  Spirit  which  witnesseth 
to  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God,  doth  also 
teach  us  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to  our  re- 
membrance which  Christ  hath  taught  us. 

The  means  are,  the  word,  the  sacraments,  prayer. 

1.  The  word;  for  as  we  are  born  anew  by  the  im- 
mortal seed  of  the  word,  so  we  must,  '  as  new  born 
babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  we 
may  grow  thereby.' 

2.  The  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per ;  for  these  also  serve  to  strengthen  faith. 

(1.)  By  visible  representations  to  the  sense  of  the 
inward  graces  of  God's  Spirit,  that,  walking  here  by 
faith,  and  not  by  sight,  we  may  have  something  to 
fasten  our  eye  upon,  which  may  be  to  us  as  the  brazen 
serpent  lifted  up. 

(2.)  By  the  virtue  of  the  consignation,  because  these 
sacraments  are  the  seals  of  God's  covenant  of  grace, 
obliging  God  the  giver  to  continue  his  love  to  us,  and 
reciprocally  binding  us  to  return  duty,  and  love,  and 
obedience  to  him. 

(3.)  By  the  efficacy  of  mediation,  because  they  be  the 
means,  in  the  ordinance  of  God,  whereby  he  doth  con- 
vey his  spiritual  graces  to  us;  so  that  baptism  is  called 
the  laver  of  regeneration,  and  by  baptism  Christ  is  put 
on.  The  supper  of  Christ  presenteth  Christ  to  us  our 
spiritual  food,  and  therein  we  do  eat  and  drink  his 
body  and  blood.  This  admonisheth  us  to  be  swift  to 
hear,  and  to  neglect  no  opportunity  for  the  same ;  to 
renew  our  baptism  by  often  repentance,  to  frequent 
the  table  of  the  Lord  as  the  feast  of  our  souls. 

This  advanceth  our  ministry  of  these,  by  which  this 
serpent  is  lifted  up  on  high,  and  set  on  a  pole  for  all 
that  desire  health  to  look  upon  it. 

They  that  are  careless  and  negligent  in  these  things 
will  soon  make  shipwreck  of  that  temporary  faith  that 
they  seem  to  have;  for  they  that  live  in  the  neglect  of 
these  things  do  forsake  their  own  mercy,  and  declare 
plainly  that  their  faith  is  not  sound  and  sincere,  but 
their  whole  righteousness  is  like  the  morning  dew,  soon 
dried  up. 

8.  Prayer;  for,  1,  that  shews  of  whom  we  hold, 
192 


not  of  ourselves,  but  of  God  ;  2,  that  bringeth  us  into 
God's  acquaintance  and  familiar  conversation,  whereby 
we  do  more  perceive  God's  love  to  us  and  declare  our 
love  to  God. 

4.  How  faith  must  be  used. 

The  handling  of  this  point  draweth  in  the  third  word 
of  my  text,  which  is  life,  'The  just  shall  live  by  faith.' 
The  right  use  of  faith  is  to  live  by  it,  as  I  have  shewed 
in  the  exposition  of  the  words. 

1.  There  is  use  of  it  in  the  natural  life. 

2.  In  the  spiritual  life. 

3.  For  the  eternal  life. 

1.  In  the  natural  life,  for, 

1,  in  prosperity,  2,  in  adversity,  there  is  use  of  it. 

1.  In  prosperity. 

1.  Faith  is  a  shield  to  bear  off  all  the  flattering 
temptations  of  the  flesh,  the  world,  the  devil ;  so  it  is 
said  of  Moses,  Heb.  xi.  24,  'By  faith  Moses,  when  he 
was  come  to  years,  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of 
Pharaoh's  daughter'  ;  and  by  faith  Joseph,  when  he 
was  tempted  by  his  unchaste  mistress,  whose  offer 
tendered  him  all  sensual  delight,  refused  her,  and 
would  not  sin  against  God. 

2.  Faith  is  the  contentment  of  the  righteous  in 
those  things  that  they  possess  ;  they  believe  them  to 
be  the  gifts  of  God,  and  they  are  satisfied  with  his 
allowance  ;  so  by  faith  Daniel  was  content  with  his 
pulse,  and  refused  the  king's  meat.  They  that  do 
believe  that  God  knows  better  than  they  what  is  good 
and  sufficient  for  them,  are  content  with  what  they 
have. 

3.  Faith  is  the  acknowledgment  of  all  our  good 
from  God,  for  thanksgiving  is  a  work  of  faith,  and 
giveth  God  his  due. 

4.  Faith  dependeth  upon  God  for  the  time  to  come, 
as  David  saith,  Ps.  xvi.  5,  '  Thou  maintainest  my 
lot ;'  ver.  8,  '  I  have  set  the  Lord  always  before  me  : 
he  is  at  my  right  hand,  I  shall  not  be  moved  ;'  upon 
which  ground  the  faithful  do  build  things  hoped  for, 
and  commit  their  ways  to  the  Lord  ;  they  '  cast  all 
their  care  upon  God,  for  he  careth  for  them.'  And 
surely  it  is  for  want  of  faith  that  i\xQ  filii  scccidilnijus, 
the  men  of  this  world,  do  rise  so  early  and  go  so  late 
to  bed,  and  eat  the  bread  of  carefulness,  robbing  God 
of  his  service,  and  breaking  the  Sabbath,  and  often 
doing  wrong  to  their  brother,  to  build  up  themselves  ; 
it  is  a  sign  that  they  dare  not  trust  God.  A  strange 
inference  ! 

1.  For  we  broaght  nothing  with  us  into  the  world. 


V£1J.  l.J 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


105 


2.  We  cannot  deny  but  that  ■whatsoever  vre  have  or 
possess  in  the  world,  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  for  aperiente 
maninn  de*  implet  omnia,  we  have  no  interest  in  any- 
thing ;  being  born  in  sin,  the  right  is  in  him,  the  gift 
from  him. 

3.  We  must  confess  that  very  little  will  serve  our 
necessities  whilst  we  do  live  in  the  world. 

4.  We  shall  carry  nothing  away  with  us,  and  why 
should  we  discruciate  ourselves  with  cares  for  others, 
seeing  that  is  the  care  of  God  ?  Our  children  also 
are  his  inheritance. 

I  know  and  believe  that  our  children  are  under  the 
covenant  and  promise  of  grace,  ero  Deus  tiiuset  seminis 
tui.  Let  us  study  to  breed  them  to  the  love  and  ser- 
vice of  God  ;  let  us  not  waste  unthriftly  what  we  may 
spare  from  our  own  necessities,  and  for  the  charge  of 
their  education ;  let  us  use  all  honest  and  lawful  means 
to  provide  for  them. 

Thus  are  we  discharged  of  our  duty  ;  pennitte  Deo 
catera,  leave  the  rest  to  God.  Faith  now  doth  all  that 
remains  to  be  done  :  Heb.  xi.  20,  21,  *  By  faith  Isaac 
blessed  Jacob  and  Esau  concerning  things  to  come. 
By  faith  Jacob,  when  he  was  dying,  blessed  both  the 
sons  of  Joseph.' 

2.  In  adversity. 

Thus  it  serveth  to  famish  us  with,  1,  patience  ;  2, 
hope. 

1.  With  patience,  to  bear  the  present  distress  with- 
out murmuring  at  God. 

David  is  a  notable  and  full  example  of  this  faith.  I 
shall  shew  you  him  in  distress,  1  Sam.  xxx.  For 
when  the  Amalekites  had  burnt  Ziklag,  and  had  car- 
ried away  captives  all  the  people  therein,  and  amongst 
them  David's  two  wives,  Abinoam  and  Abigail,  David 
was  greatly  distressed  ;  so  were  all  the  people.  '  They 
lift  up  their  voice  and  wept,  until  they  had  no  more 
power  to  weep.'  David,  beside  this  sorrow  of  his  loss, 
and  compassion  of  the  loss  of  his  people,  &c.,  feared. 
'  For  the  people  speak  of  stoning  him,  because  the 
souls  of  all  the  people  were  grieved,  every  man  for  his 
sons  and  his  daughters.'  No  remedy  against  all  this 
sorrow  but  faith.  But  '  David  encouraged  himself  in 
the  Lord  his  God.' 

The  hke  example  of  Jehoshaphat,  2  Chron.xx.  When 
some  came  and  told  the  king  of  an  army  comin^ 
against  him  to  invade  him,  instead  of  mustering  his 
men,  surveying  his  armour,  sending  out  for  auxiliaries 
to  resist  this  army  ;  or  instead  of  sending  a  messenger 
*  Qu.  'aperient  manumDeus'  *  or  '  aperiendo  manumf — Ed. 


to  treat  of  peace  to  divert  the  enemy,  .and  to  prevent 
war,  ver.  3,  Jehoshaphat  lets  the  enemy  come  on. 
Jehoshaphat  feared,  and  set  himself  to  seek  the  Lord, 
and  proclaimed  a  fast  throughout  all  Judah  ;  he  goes 
to  church  and  prays,  ver.  12,  '  0  our  God,  wilt  thou 
not  judge  them  ?  for  we  have  no  might  against  this 
great  company  that  cometh  against  us  ;  neither  know 
we  what  to  do :  but  our  eyes  are  upon  thee.' 

In  the  very  distress  to  which  this  remedy  is  applied, 
God  hath  threatened  the  Jews  with  an  invasion  by 
the  Chaldeans  ;  he  hath  declared  the  enemy  insolent 
and  violent :  what  shall  the  Jews  do  in  the  misery  ? 
Observe, 

God  takes  no  care  of  the  wicked.  Let  him  sin  ;  let 
the  Chaldeans  do  his  worst  to  him  :  but  '  the  just 
man  shall  live  by  his  faith  :'  for  he  shall  possess  his 
soul  in  patience. 

Beloved,  we  hear  of  distresses  abroad  ;  if  we  do  but 
cross  the  water,  the  sword  is  drawn  against  the  pro- 
fessors of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  they  that 
have  arms  put  them  on  to  save  their  lives,  and  stand 
upon  their  guard.  The  bloody  Jesuits  cry  to  the 
French  king  of  our  religion.  Raze  it,  raze  it !  We 
know  not  how  God  may  visit  us  hereafter,  when  the 
light  of  Israel  shall  be  quenched  ;  although  there  go 
over  neither  men  nor  money  to  relieve  the  distresses 
of  our  own  mothers'  children, yj7jos  ecclesicB,  children  of 
the  church.  Such  consultations  are  far  above  us ; 
yet  let  us  pray  for  them  to  God,  that  God  would  give 
them  faith  to  depend  upon  him ;  and  the  just  amongst 
them  shall  live  by  that  taith. 

There  is  an  example  nearer  kin  to  this  land,  the 
daughter  of  Great  Britain,  and  her  root  and  branches, 
for  whom  many  a  loyal  heart  in  this  kingdom  acheth, 
in  whose  quarrel  the  honourable  house  of  parliament 
have,  in  the  name  of  the  Commons,  offered  to  unlock 
all  the  treasures,  to  put  on  arms,  and  to  adventure  the 
lives  of  all  faithful  patriots  in  the  just  cause  of  restor- 
ing them  to  their  rightful  inheritance,  and  all  such 
honours  as  their  just  claim  shall  challenge.  In  their 
distress  I  know  no  other  comfort  but  my  text :  *  The 
just  shall  live  by  faith.' 

In  a  word,  where  these  three  great  and  crying  sins 
do  reign,  which  in  this  prophecy  are  threatened,  that 
is,  corruption  of  conversation ;  when  there  is  no 
honesty  nor  truth  left  amongst  men,  but  that  every 
man  studieth  the  building  of  his  own  house,  he  cares 
not  where  he  hath  the  brick  and  the  mortar.  Cor- 
ruption of  religion,  that  schism  and  heresy  do  carry  it 

193 

N 


106 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


from  peace  and  truth.  Corruption  of  justice,  that 
honours,  places  of  service  in  the  commonwealth,  and 
justice  itself,  are  sold  for  money  ;  good  men  punished, 
evil  men  rewarded.     Comfort :  Justus  ex  fide  sua  vivet, 

*  the  just  shall  live  by  his  faith.' 

2.  Faith  furnisheth  us  with  hope. 

That  also,  1,  in  prosperity  ;  2,  in  adversity. 

We  have  hope  through  faith  that  God  will  continue 
his  loving-kindness  to  us,  and  not  take  away  from  us 
the  light  of  his  countenance.     So  David,  Ps.  xxiii.  6, 

*  Sorely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  for  ever.' 

Observe  in  David's  hope  two  things  : 

1.  The  ground  of  it.  Faith  in  God's  protection, 
for  that  is  the  part  of  the  whole  psalm  :  '  The  Lord 
is  my  shepherd  :  he  shall  feed  me,  he  restoreth  my 
soul.  In  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  thou  art 
■with  me  :  thou  preparest  my  table  ;  thou  anointest 
my  head  with  oil ;  my  cup  runneth  over.' 

2.  The  means  by  him  used  to  continue  the  assur- 
ance thereof,  even  by  dwelling  in  the  house  of  God 
continually  ;  that  is,  by  consecrating  his  whole  life  to 
God's  service  and  worship. 

2.  In  adversities.  We  have  hope  that  either  God 
•will  strengthen  us  to  bear  it,  or  give  issue  out  of  it. 

This  is  grounded  upon  that  promise  of  God  to  his 
church,  '  I  will  not  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.' 
And,  Rom.  viii.  25,  *  If  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not, 
•we  do  with  patience  wait  for  it.' 

There  is  no  such  comfort  in  the  sorrows  and  dis- 
tresses of  life  as  reading  the  holy  Scriptures  for  the 
support  of  our  hope  ;  for,  Rom.  xv.  4,  '  They  are 
"written  for  our  learning ;  that  we,  through  patience 
and  comfort  of  the  scriptures,  might  have  hope.'  This 
hope  keeps  the  heart  from  breaking  ;  for  building  upon 
the  truth  of  God,  it  cannot  be  shaken. 

2.  How  faith  must  be  used  in  the  spiritual  life. 

(1.)  For  this  the  apostle  doth  call  it  '  the  shield  of 
faith  ;'  and  it  serveth  for  defence  against  the  fiery 
darts  of  Satan  to  keep  off  the  evil  that  is  yet  without 
us,  either  in  temptation  or  provocation. 

(2.)  It  serveth  also  to  purify  our  hearts  from  that 
e^vil  which  we  do  bear  about  us  in  the  infection  thereof. 

(3.)  It  serveth  for  a  provocation  to  stir  us  up  to  re- 
sist the  power  of  the  enemy  ;  for  so  St  Peter  saith, 
1  Peter  v.  8,  9,  though  *  Satan  go  about  like  a  roar- 
ing lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour  :  whom  resist 
stedfast  in  the  faith.' 
194 


(4.)  It  serveth  for  victory  :  '  This  is  the  victory  by 
which  we  overcome  the  world,  even  our  faith.' 

(5.)  Many  that  return  out  of  the  field  ■victorious,  yet 
may  bring  home  some  dangerous  wound  that  they  have 
received  in  the  battle ;  and  there  is  another  good  use 
of  faith,  to  cure  and  heal  all  the  wounds  ;  for  our  faith 
maketh  us  whole. 

(6.)  It  serveth  for  the  effectuating  the  means,  hear- 
ing, sacraments,  prayer. 

3.  For  our  eternal  life.  1  Tim.  iv.  8,  faith  is  '  pro- 
fitable unto  all  things,  which  hath  the  promise  of  the 
life  present,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.' 

The  manner  how  it  worketh  this  assurance  is, 

1.  It  assureth  us  that  there  is  a  life  eternal ;  for 
that  is  an  article  of  Christian  faith,  the  close  and 
sweet  conclusion  of  our  creed. 

2.  It  assureth  us  that  we  are  they  who  shall,  by  the 
free  gift  of  God,  be  made  heirs  of  this  heavenly  king- 
dom, reposita  est  mihi  corona  justitice. 

3.  It  applieth  all  the  promises  of  God  to  those 
several  graces  in  us.  Thus,  I  mourn,  therefore  I 
shall  be  comforted  ;  I  am  pure  in  heart,  being  washed 
in  the  blood  of  Christ,  therefore  I  shall  see  God  ;  I 
hunger  after  righteousness,  ergo,  satisfied  ;  I  love  God, 
ergo,  all  things  work  together  for  my  good  ;  I  believe, 
ergo,  I  shall  be  saved. 

4.  It  assureth  our  perseverance  to  the  end  in  our 
love  and  obedience,  yea,  faith  assureth  our  faith  to 
us  ;  for  believing  in  the  author  is  believing  in  the 
finisher  of  our  faith. 

5.  It  stayeth  us  in  expectation  of  the  fruit  of  our 
faith,  that  though  the  vision  do  tarry,  yet  we  think  it 
not  long  to  wait  for  the  performance  of  it. 

Having  heard  of  the  excellent  use  of  faith,  you  can- 
not but  observe  the  reason  why  Satan  doth  aim  all  his 
fiery  darts  at  our  faith  ;  because  all  our  obedience,  and 
righteousness,  and  holiness,  is  quickened  and  strength- 
ened by  faith,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God.  There  is  nothing  in  a  Christian  man  that  so 
much  provoketh  Satan  against  him  as  his  faith  ;  for 
faith  keepeth  us  from  being  devoured  of  this  roaring 
lion.     Therefore  two  assaults  we  must  provide  for  : 

1.  Satan's  labour  to  keep  us  from  getting  this 
shield  of  faith. 

2.  His  fond  care,  when  we  have  gotten  it,  to  rob 
and  spoil  us  of  it. 

1.  Assault.  Satan,  knowing  that  our  faith  makes 
us  too  strong  for  him,  and  quencheth  all  his  fiery  darts, 
doth  therefore  all  he  can  to  keep  us  from  the  means 


Ver.  4.] 


MARBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


107 


by  wkich  faith  is  increased  in  us  ;  that  is,  from  hear- 
ing the  word  and  receiving  the  sacrament,  from  medi- 
tation, from  prayer ;  and  as  often  as  you  find  yourselves 
tempted  to  neglect  these,  know  it  to  be  Satan's  malice 
against  you  to  keep  you  from  faith.  The  breastplate 
of  righteousness,  without  a  shield  of  faith,  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  keep  ofi"  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan  from  wound- 
ing us;  but  faith  quencheth  them. 

They  therefore  that  Uve  in  the  love  and  in  the  use 
of  those  means  may  comfort  themselves  that  Satan 
shall  not  be  able  to  hinder  them  from  obtaining  a  com- 
fortable vegetation  and  growing  up  in  faith. 

2.  Assaalt.  And  whereas  he  laboureth  to  wrest 
our  faith  from  us,  we  shall  find  that  both  his  cunning 
and  strength  will  fail  him,  for,  saving  faith  cannot  be 
lost. 

To  establish  our  faith,  let  us  know  that  imperfect 
faith  may  be  a  sound  and  true  faith,  for  we  cannot 
attain  to  perfection  in  this  life  ;  bat  if  we  have  *  a 
good  conscience  in  all  things,  willing  to  live  honestly,' 
Heb.  xiii.  18,  we  may  have  boldness  with  God.  For 
as  Christ  prayed  for  Peter  that  his  faith  might  not  faU, 
BO  he  prayeth  for  his  whole  church,  even  for  all  that 
ehaU  believe  in  him  through  his  word,  that  the  love 
wherewith  the  Father  hath  loved  him  may  be  in  them, 
and  he  in  them,  John  xvii.  26  ;  which  love  will  keep 
us  that  we  fall  not  ofi"  quite  from  him. 

We  are  not  denied  the  use  of  riches,  honours,  or 
lawful  pleasures  ;  these  be  ornaments  and  comforts  of 
life  ;  but  we  cannot  live  by  them,  they  perish  in  the 
using  of  them. 

Our  obedience  and  good  works  are  the  fruits  of 
faith  ;  we  live  by  faith,  faith  lives  in  obedience,  for 
without  works  faith  is  dead.  Did  we  but  know  the 
invaluable  price  of  faith,  we  would  seek  it  more  than 
all  other  things  ;  and  Uke  the  merchant  in  the  parable. 
Mat.  xiii.  44,  we  would  part  with  aU  we  have  to  pur- 
chase faith.  I  conclude  with  St  Bernard,  Dicamus 
Jidem  vitem,  rirtutes  palmites,  botrum  opus,  derotionem 
vinum. 

Our  vineyard  hath  bestowed  much  digging,  and 
planting,  and  composing,  and  fencing  upon  this  vine ; 
let  it  put  forth,  and  let  the  clusters  call  it  fruitful,  and 
let  the  vine  please  both  God  and  men. 

Now  that  we  have  searched  this  gracious  mine  of 
comfort,  and  found  the  rich  vein  which  maketh  us 
able  to  live  both  here  and  hereafter,  let  me  admonish 
you  what  is  objected  against  the  doctrine  delivered  out 
of  this  place. 


Kibera,  a  learned  Jesuit,  when  he  cometh  to  this 
text  in  his  full  commentary  upon  this  prophet,  saith, 
Incidimus  in  locum  qui  est  lapis  offensionis  duabus 
domibiis  Israelis,  hoc  est  orthodoxis,  et  hcBreticis  qui  re- 
cesserunt  d  domo  David. 

It  grieves  the  church  of  Rome  that  we  have  so  clear 
a  text  in  this  prophet,  and  that  so  much  urged  in  the 
epistles  of  the  apostles,  for  our  justification  by  faith 
alone  ;  and  Ribera  is  much  deceived  if  he  mean  us 
under  the  title  of  heretics,  for  this  place  is  no  ofi'ence 
to  us.  It  is  the  most  comfortable  doctrine  that  we 
can  embrace,  nothing  doth  more  set  forth  the  excel- 
lency of  faith,  nothing  doth  more  assure  to  us  our 
eternal  life.  Fain  would  Ribera  have  shifted  ofi"  the 
clear  evidence  of  this  place  with  this  illusion,  that 
the  prophet's  meaning  is  this  :  the  just  man,  that  is, 
the  man  that  desireth  to  be  just,  shall  live  the  life  of 
grace  by  the  faith  which  he  hath  in  Christ  Jesus.  We 
understand  that  a  man  is  justified  only  by  faith,  and 
that  without  the  law,  as  the  apostle  doth  also  teach. 
And  it  were  a  poor  comfort  to  the  church  in  their  dis- 
tress to  tell  them,  that  the  just  man  should  live  by  his 
faith,  except  the  Lord  in  that  promise  did  assure  them 
the  comforts,  not  only  of  the  natural,  but  of  the  spi- 
ritual and  eternal  life. 

Neither  would  the  apostle  urge  this  text,  but  with 
these  contents.  For  examine  the  places  where  these 
words  are  urge  3,  and  it  will  appear. 

The  apostle  professeth  :  Rom.  i.  17,  *  I  am  not 
ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,'  <S:c.  '  For  therein 
is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to 
faith  :  as  it  is  written,  Juxtus  ex  fide  rivet.  The  just 
shall  live  by  his  faith.' 

The  gospel  is  said  to  reveal  the  righteousness  of 
God.  He  cannot  mean  the  essential  righteousness  by 
which  God  is  justice  itself  in  his  divine  nature  ;  but 
he  doth  understand  that  righteousness  of  which  the 
apostle  speaketh,  '  who  is  made  unto  us  wisdom, 
righteousness,'  &c.,  that  is,  *  Christ  our  righteous- 
ness,' and  this  is  called  the  grace  of  God  which 
bringeth  salvation.  This  is  revealed  now  in  the  clear 
light  of  the  gospel  in  real  performance,  which  was 
before  exhibited  in  visions  and  dreams,  and  types  and 
ceremonies,  whilst  the  veil  was  up. 

It  is  revealed  from  faith  to  faith.     As  Origen  and 
Chrysostom   truly   enough,    but   not    enough    fully. 
Ex  fide  veteris  testimonii  in  fidem  novi  ;  as  Ambrose 
Ex  fide  Dei  promittentis  in  fidem  hominis  credentis  ; 
but  most  fully,  Ex  fide  incipiente  in  fidem  profidentem. 

195 


108 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap  II. 


For  as  Clemens  saith,  Apostolus  unicam  tantum  fidem 
annunciat,  qucB  crescendo  proficit.  Till  it  grow  up  to 
be  '7rXr]^o(po^ia  r^c,  vidnug  a  fulness  of  faith,  Heb.  x.  22. 

And  so  this  text  is  well  cited,  for  the  just  man,  who 
is  made  just  by  faith,  doth  live  in  it  and  by  it. 

For  how  can  the  gospel  be  the  power  of  God  to 
salvation,  except  it  revealeth  to  us  the  life  of  faith,  see- 
ing it  is  so  only  to  such  as  do  believe  ? 

This  first  place  cleareth  the  point,  that  the  apostle 
doth  understand  God's  word  in  my  text,  so  as  that 
the  means  of  life  is  faith  only  ;  for  so  it  is  further 
urged  by  St  Paul,  who  saith.  Gal.  iii.  11,  '  But  that 
no  man  is  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law  in  the 
sight  of  God,  is  evident :  for,  The  just  shall  live  by 
faith.'  Here  these  words  are  brought  in  to  prove, 
that  faith  only  doth  justify  in  the  sight  of  God,  which 
is  thus  proved  ; — 

Life  eternal  comes  only  by  faith  ;  therefore  right- 
eousness comes  only  by  faith. 

The  antecedent  is  God's  own  word  in  my  text. 

The  consequence  is  thus  proved,  for  '  righteous- 
ness is  the  foundation  of  life  eternal.'  Rom,  v.  17, 
'  They  which  receive  the  abundance  of  gi'ace,  and  of 
the  gift  of  righteousness,  shall  reign  in  life.' 

And  in  the  next  verse  it  is  called  'justification  of 
life.' 

And  this  sequence  doth  the  apostle  make  in  his 
own  comfortable  persuasion  of  himself :  2  Tim.  iv.  8, 
*  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,'  this  is  the  great  fight 
with  principalities  and  powers  ;  '  and  I  have  kept  the 
faith,'  this  is  the  shield  which  beareth  ofi"  the  fiery 
darts  discharged  against  him  in  this  fight ;  his  com- 
fort is,  '  From  henceforth  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness.'  This  righteousness  is  not  of  the 
law,  which  he  hath  fulfilled,  but  the  righteousness  of 
the  faith  which  he  hath  kept.  It  is  not  the  breast- 
plate of  righteousness,  but  it  is  the  shield  of  faith  that 
beareth  ofi"  all  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  and  therefore 
the  just  man  doth  not  live  and  come  out  of  this  battle 
victorious  by  righteousness,  but  by  faith. 

This  place  thus  applied  by  our  apostle,  is  the  ground 
of  our  church  tenet,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
cannot  prevail,  namely,  that  sola  fides  justificat,  faith 
alone  doth  justify.  That  which  the  Romanists  do 
lay  to  our  charge  is,  that  we  exclude  good  works,  and 
upon  that  slanderous  imputation,  both  Drs  Stapleton, 
Harding,  Bellarmine,  Campian,  Bishop,  and  indeed 
generally  all  popish  writers,  do  proclaim  us  heretics ; 
And  they  will  not  hear  us,  saying  that  the  justify- 
196 


ing  faith  which  we  preach  must  be  such  as  worketh 
by  love.  They,  like  the  pharisee,  trust  in  themselves 
that  they  are  perfect ;  we,  with  the  publican,  cry  out 
in  faith  of  Christ's  sufiicient  satisfaction,  Domitie, 
miserere,  '  Lord,  have  mere}' ;'  upon  whose  example 
St  Augustine  saith,  Vldete  fratres,  niagis  placuithumi- 
litas  in  malis  factis,  quam  superhia  in  bo)iis  factis. 
The  cause  is  in  sight :  the  humility  of  the  one  was 
with  faith,  the  pride  of  the  other  was  in  presumption  ; 
and  '  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble.' 

I  conclude  this  point,  wherein  I  have  held  you  long  ; 
I  know  with  how  much  comfort  and  profit  to  myself, 
I  hope  without  your  loss  of  time.  What  man  is  he 
that  desireth  life,  who  would  live  as  a  man,  as  a  good 
man,  and  as  an  happy  man  ?  I  answer  in  the  words 
of  the  Son  of  God,  '  As  thou  believest,  so  shall  it  be 
unto  thee.'  Or  in  the  words  of  the  Father  of  that 
Son  in  my  text,  '  The  just  man  shall  live  by  his  faith.' 


Ver.  5.  Yea  also,  because  he  transgresseth  by  ivine, 
he  is  a  proud  man,  neither  keepeth  at  home,  uho  en- 
enlargcth  his  desire  as  hell,  and  is  as  death,  and  cannot 
be  satisfied,  but  gathereth  unto  him  all  nations,  and 
heapeth  unto  him  all  people. 

Now  that  God  hath  declared  what  rest  and  comfort 
his  church  hath  in  the  manifold  oppressions  of  the 
enemies  thereof,  they  shall  live  by  their  faith  ;  in  all 
the  rest  of  this  chapter,  he  declareth  his  own  just  pro- 
vidence in  the  government  of  the  world,  and  in  the 
severe  execution  of  his  judgments  upon  impenitent 
offenders,  that  the  prophet  may  inform  himself  and 
others,  that  God  hath  not  forgotten  to  be  just.  The 
last  verse  of  the  chapter  is  the  total  of  the  chapter  : 
'  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple,  let  all  the  earth  keep 
silence  before  him  :'  that  he  sitteth  not  there  idle, 
but  is  awake;  that  his  eyes  do  see,  and  his  eye-lids  do 
try  the  sons  of  men  ;  that  we  shall  hear  from  his  own 
mouth. 

Concerning  the  words  of  this  fifth  verse,  '  Yea  also, 
because  he  transgresseth  by  wine,  he  is  a  proud  man, 
neither  keepeth  at  home.'  These  words  are  read 
diversely  both  by  translators  and  by  expositors. 

Our  .first  English  church  Bibles  read  thus  :  '  Like 
as  the  wine  deceiveth  the  drunkard  ;  even  so  the 
proud  shall  fail,  and  not  endure.'  The  Geneva  fol- 
loweth  the  same  sense  :  '  Yea,  indeed,  the  proud  man 
is  as  he  that  trangresseth  by  wine,  therefore  shall  he 


Ver.  5.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


109 


not  endure.'  Arias  Montanas  :  Et  quo  modo  vinum 
pntantem  decipit,  sic  erit  superbus,  et  non  decorabilur. 
In  his  Interlineary  he  folio weth  the  text  in  the  original, 
but  in  his  commentary  he  followeth  the  vulgar  Latin 
authorised  for  the  canon  by  the  Council  of  Trent. 
Pagnine  :  Qnanto  magis  potator  rini  qui  prccvaricatur, 
qui  est  vir  superbus,  tion  permanebit  ?  So  Mr  Calvin, 
Ktiam  eerie  vino  transgrediens,  vir  superbus  non  habi- 
tabit.  The  LXX  have  no  mention  of  wine.  'O  ds 
xaroii/Mivo;,    7.0.1    xarapso»j;r^f,    a.ir,o    aka^an   oudsv  ^ajj 

TEfaiTJ. 

Here  be  three  words  to  express  pride  fully : 

1.  To  think  too  well  of  ourselves. 

2.  To  think  contemptibly  of  others. 

3.  To  boast  and  glory  in  vain  ostentation. 

It  seemeth  to  me  that  the  purpose  of  this  place  is 
to  express  the  insolency  and  pride  of  the  king  of 
Babel,  proud  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  generally  of  the 
enemy  of  the  Jew,  the  Chaldean  ;  and  that  the  scope 
of  the  place  is  to  resemble  them  big  swollen  in  their 
own  self-opinion,  to  a  man  that  is  drunk  with  wine. 
This  hath  good  cohere::ce  with  the  former  words,  for 
shewing  how  the  just  man  and  the  proud  man  do 
stand  in  opposition.  '  His  soul  which  is  lifted  up  is 
not  upright  in  him  :  but  the  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;' 
faith  shall  establish  the  just  man.  But  the  proud 
man,  who  is  drunk  with  the  vain  over-weening  of  him- 
self, he  shall  not  continue,  non  habitabit,  he  shall  not 
be  established. 

And  here  I  forsake  the  king's  Bible,  for  I  cannot 
find  either  sense  or  coherence  in  it. 

The  words  following  are  plain  enough  ;  for  God 
therein  doth  express  that  he  taketh  notice  of  the  insa- 
tiable desire  of  the  Chaldean,  who,  encouraged  by  his 
victories,  doth  covet  to  be  monarch  of  all  the  world. 

And  this  is  now  the  partition  of  the  rest  of  this 
chapter. 

1.  Faults. 

2.  Punishments. 

The  first  fault  here  named,  insatiableness. 
The  punishment,  ver.  6,  7,  8. 

1 .  The  grovmd  and  note  of  this  disease  of  insatiable- 
ness is  pride  of  heart. 

2.  The  disease  itself  is  insatiableness. 
1.  Of  the  ground  :  it  is  pride. 

This  is  resembled  to  drunkenness.  It  is  a  spiritual 
giddiness,  wherein  men  lose  themselves  ;  and  as  the 
drunkard  doth  both  think  and  speak,  and  do  those 
things  which  betoken  madness,  his  reason,  and  under- 


standing, and  judgment,  and  memory  failing,  and  is 
wholly  governed  by  his  fancy,  so  the  proud  man, 
made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  his  overweening,  as  a 
man  beside  himself,  is  transported  with  his  own  self- 
opinion  to  do  things  as  unseemly  as  the  drunkard  doth. 

The  prophet,  reproving  the  pride  of  Ephraim,  doth 
use  this  resemblance,  Isa.  xxviii.  1,  •  Woe  to  the  crown 
of  pride,  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim.'  And  again, 
ver.  3,  '  The  crown  of  pride,  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim, 
shall  be  trodden  underfoot.'  And  after,  chap.  xxix.  9, 
'  They  are  drunken,  but  not  with  wine ;  they  stagger, 
but  not  with  strong  drink.'  Thus  doth  pride  rob  us 
of  our  wits,  and  we  say  of  the  proud  man  that  he  doth 
not  know  himself. 

Wine  and  strong  drink  moderately  taken  do  com- 
fort the  heart  of  man ;  but  when  we  overdrink,  we 
cease  to  be  ourselves.  So  is  it  with  self-love ;  for 
every  man,  by  the  law  of  charity,  is  bound  to  love 
himself,  and  to  love  himself  first.  When  this  love 
doth  not  overflow  the  banks,  it  is  charity ;  when  it 
exuberateth,  it  is  pride.  All  sober  men  do  esteem 
drunkards  vile,  and  account  drunkenness  a  loathsome 
sin.  Let  the  proud  man  see  himself  in  that  glass,  for 
the  drunkard  is  the  picture  of  the  proud  man. 

1.  Drunkenness  makes  men  think  themselves  very 
wise,  and  such  as  fly  the  conference  of  their  betters 
when  they  are  sober,  in  their  drink  care  not  with 
whom  they  do  contest,  and  regard  no  man's  presence. 
So  the  proud  man  is  wise  in  his  own  opinion.  Solo- 
mon saith,  '  There  is  more  hope  of  a  fool  than  of  him.' 

2.  Drunkenness  maketh  many  apt  to  quarrel. 
*  Who  hath  contentions  ?'  Prov.  xxiii.  29  ;  the  answer 
next  verse,  '  They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine.' 
And  so  it  is  with  the  proud  man  :  Prov.  xxviii.  25, 
'  For  he  that  is  of  a  proud  heart  stirreth  up  strife.' 

3.  The  drunkard,  whilst  he  is  in  his  cups,  is  not  to 
be  admonished.  Abigail  durst  say  nothing  to  Nabal 
whilst  the  wine  was  in  his  head.  And  the  proud  man 
is  too  full  of  himself  to  hear  any  good  counsel. 

4.  David  hath  two  complaints  :  Ps.  cxix.  51,  '  The 
drunkards  made  songs  of  me.  The  proud  have  had 
me  exceedingly  in  derision  ; '  so  both  of  them  sit  in 
the  chair  of  the  scornful. 

5.  They  are  alike  in  their  punishment  in  this  world, 
for  the  drunkard  and  the  proud  man  are  both  rewarded 
with  contempt ;  all  that  walk  in  good  ways  are  ashamed 
of  them,  and  avoid  their  company.  '  A  man's  pride 
shall  bring  him  low,'  Prov.  xxix.  23.  '  He  that  loveth 
wine  and  oil  shall  not  be  rich,'  Prov.  xxi.  17. 

197 


110 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


6.  They  are  alike  in  the  last  judgment ;  for,  Prov. 
XV.  25,  '  The  Lord  will  destroy  the  house  of  the 
proud.'  And  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  viii.  10,  saith  of 
drunkards,  that  none  such  shall  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God.  You  see  how  like  they  be  both  in  culpa 
et  in  pcena,  fault  and  punishment. 

Therefore  humility  is  our  lesson,  and  we  shall  find 
it  an  hard  lesson  to  take  out  now  in  the  overgrown 
pride  of  our  times,  wherein  contrary  examples  do  grow 
so  thick.  It  is  a  great  part  of  the  study  of  many  to 
outshine  their  neighbours  in  glorious  buildings,  gay 
apparel,  rich  furnitures  of  their  houses.  This  kind  of 
pride  hath  done  much  hurt,  especially  in  the  ruin 
of 

(1.)  Charity,  which  had  wont  to  clothe  the  naked, 
feed  the  hungry,  refresh  the  thirsty,  and  minister  to 
the  necessities  of  the  poor  brother. 

(2.)  The  ruin  of  justice,  which  gives  every  one  his 
own.  I^fear,  if  many  proud  and  gay  persons,  that 
flaunt  it  in  bravery  of  rich  show,  should  do  so,  their 
feathers  restored,  they  would  be  found  naked. 

(3.)  The  ruin  of  temperance,  which  prays,  Give  me 
not  poverty,  give  me  not  riches,  give  me  things  con- 
venient for  me ;  for  they  be  fools,  in  the  judgment  of 
the  wise  man,  that  die  of  prosperity. 

(4.)  The  ruin  of  religion,  for  godliness  is  not  itself 
without  contentedness. 

You  have  heard  how  deceitful  a  vanity  pride  is. 
'  The  pride  of  thy  heart  hath  deceived  thee.' 

I  hasten  to  the  second  point,  the  disease :  insa- 
tiableness. 

It  is  set  forth  in  two  resemblances. 

1.  The  proud  man  is  resembled  to  hell. 

2.  He  is  resembled  to  death. 

These  are  two  things  that  cry  '  Give,  give,'  and  are 
never  satisfied. 

Observe  whereinsoever  any  man  or  woman  is  proud, 
if  they  do  know  any  bounds. 

Is  it  pride  in  apparel  ?  Who  was  ever  fine  enough  ? 
Do  we  not  see  the  richest  stuff  laid  and  overlaid, 
almost  hidden,  with  rich  adornment  of  trimming? 
and  when  the  stuff  may  call  the  wearer  proud,  the 
trim  and  fashion  may  resemble  them  to  the  grave  and 
hell,  and  shall  testify  against  them  that  nothing  can 
satisfy  them ;  and  yet  to  this  they  add  often  change. 

I  do  not  say  much  change  of  rich  apparel,  but 

changing  often  in  the  wearing.     I  have  heard  of  two 

or  three  shifts  in  a  day.     These  be  they  that  entertain 

every  foreign  fashion,  and  naturalise  outlandish  forms 

198 


amongst  us.  Christ  will  one  day  tell  somebody,  '  I 
was  stark  naked,  and  ye  clothed  not  me.' 

The  ambition  that  all  sorts  and  degrees  of  men  and 
women  are  sick  of  is  a  desire  to  exceed  their  own  rank 
in  show.  The  country  striveth  with  the  city,  as  far 
as  their  markets  will  bear  it  out ;  the  city  with  the 
court.  These  encroachments  put  pride  to  shifts ;  for 
when  mechanicals  come  so  fast  upon  the  ancient  gentry 
of  the  land,  usurping  both  their  show  and  title,  almost 
ashamed  of  the  name  of  their  trades  and  occupations 
that  have  made  them  so  fiue,  the  gentry  are  put  to  it  to 
strain  their  tenant  one  note  higher  to  enable  them  to 
the  start ;  and  their  rising  and  growth  must  put  on 
the  nobility,  and  make  them  mend  their  pace.  Thus 
insatiably  do  we  strive  to  outgo  ourselves,  that  goodly 
inheritances  are  worn  out,  and  vanity  doth  end  in 
misery  in  many ;  in  them  it  continueth  with  scorn  and 
disdain. 

And  when  you  have  made  yourself  as  fine  as  you 
can,  you  will  come  a  great  many  degrees  behind 
Solomon  in  his  royalty ;  yet  Solomon  was  not  clothed 
like  one  of  the  Hlies  of  the  field. 

Thus  insatiable  is  the  pride  in  buildings,  a  vanity 
which  ladeth  the  earth  here  and  there  with  specious, 
spacious  piles  of  brick  and  stone,  whereof  the  owners 
have  scarce  the  pleasure  of  beholding  the  same  with 
their  eyes,  being  afraid  of  the  hospitality  that  should 
correspond  that  great  show  of  room. 

The  proud  in  beauty  declare  themselves  insatiable 
in  striving  to  mend  God's  work  by  art.  hi  pretio 
quondam  ruga  senilis  erat,  the  aged  wrinkles  were  wont 
to  be  held  in  honour.  But  if  there  be  any  help  for 
it  now,  time  shall  be  spent  in  study  how  to  hide  and 
conceal  the  ruins  of  time. 

The  pride  mentioned  in  my  text  is  of  power,  which 
every  one  desireth,  and  few  do  know  how  to  manage. 
The  Chaldeans,  having  obtained  some  victories,  are 
now  ambitious  to  be  lords  of  all  the  earth. 

It  is  said  of  Pyrrhus,  king  of  the  Epirotes,  he  sits 
studying  how  he  may  get  the  next  kingdom  to  him, 
to  make  himself  strong  enough  to  bid  the  next  king 
battle,  and  to  get  the  conquest  of  him,  that  the  fear 
of  his  power  may  make  the  next  king  yield  himself; 
and  Alexander,  when  he  had  conquered  the  world,  sat 
down  and  wept,  that  there  were  no  more  worlds  left 
for  him  to  conquer. 

The  bishop  of  Rome,  from  a  diocesan  jurisdiction, 
hath  swelled  by  degrees,  partly  by  his  own  ambition, 
partly  by  the  connivance  of  princes,  to  an  universal 


4 


Ver.  6-8.] 


MARBUHY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


Ill 


hierarcliy,  and  his  parasites  make  him  the  man  to 
whom  belongs  omnia  subjecisti  pedibiis  ejus,  thou  hast 
put  all  things  under  his  feet.  His  eldest  son  hath  fairly 
dilated  his  empire.  We  know  that  in  '88  he  had  not 
enough  ;  he  would  have  fain  been  dividing  of  Shechem, 
and  meting  out  the  valley  of  Succoth. 

In  inferior  places,  how  are  men  transported  with 
desire  and  power  of  command,  and  how  insatiable  in 
that  desire  !  Witness  the  many  offices,  the  various 
employments,  which  some  have  desired  and  obtained 
to  be  congested  on  them, 

I  say  no  more  of  this  insatiable  gulf  of  desire 
than  my  text  saith :  it  is  like  two  things  that  they  love 
not,  hell  and  death.  Death  is  not  satisfied  but  with 
all.  It  is  named  last  in  my  text  as  the  greediest  of 
the  two.  Hell  desires  all  the  tingodly  of  the  earth  ; 
it  is  a  pit  digged  for  the  ungodly  ;  but  death  swalloweth 
all  :  Statutum  est  omnibus  semel  mori,  what  man  liveth 
and  shall  not  see  death  ?  So  insatiable  is  the  desire 
of  power. 

This  resemblance  doth  shake  the  strength  of  that 
desire  much,  if  we  think  upon  it  well.  I  labour  and 
strive  to  get  many  under  my  command,  and  death 
is  labouring  together  with  me  to  bring  me  to  the  grave ; 
and  if  I  do  not  use  my  power  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  good  of  my  brethren,  hell  is  as  busy  and  as  greedy 
to  devour  me. 

This  is  one  of  the  crying  sins  of  our  land,  insatiable 
pride.  This  makes  dear  rents,  and  great  fines  ;  this 
takes  away  the  whole  clothing  of  many  poor  to  add 
one  lace  more  in  the  suits  of  the  rich  ;  this  shortens 
the  labourer's  wages,  and  adds  much  to  the  burden  of 
his  labour.  This  greediness  makes  the  market  of 
spiritual  and  temporal  offices  and  dignities,  and  puts 
well-deserving  virtue  out  of  countenance.  This  cor- 
rupts religion  with  opinions,  justice  with  bribes,  charity 
with  cruelty  :  it  turns  peace  into  schism  and  con- 
tention, love  into  compliment,  friendship  into  treason, 
and  sets  the  mouth  of  hell  yet  more  open,  and  gives  it 
an  appetite  for  more  souls. 

The  use  of  all  is  the  doctrine  of  contentation,  as  we 
profess  that  we  have  our  being,  not  of  ourselves,  but 
of  God  :  *  In  him  we  Uve,  move,  and  have  our  being  :' 
*  He  made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves  ;'  so  let  us  be 
content  with  his  provision  for  us. 

It  was  Satan's  first  suggestion  to  Adam ;  for  so  he 
had  formerly  corrupted  himself  and  lost  his  first  estate. 
To  suggest  pride,  he  would  shew  man  a  way  how  to  be 
like  God,  and  then  all  the  fruits  in  the  garden  would 


not  content  him ;  he  must  taste  also  of  the  forbidden 
finiit.  Haman  was  as  high  as  the  favour  of  the  king 
could  advance  him,  and  yet  he  confessed,  Esther  v.  13, 
*  All  this  doth  me  no  good.'  Pope  Julius  the  Third 
was  forbidden  to  eat  pork  by  his  physician,  and  no 
other  dish  would  please  him.  He  commanded  it  to 
be  set  before  him  in  despite  of  God ;  therefore  hear 
the  apostle  :  Heb.  xiii.  9,  *It  is  good  to  have  the  heart 
stayed  or  established  with  grace,  and  not  with  meats 
which  have  not  profited  them,'  &c. 

The  grace  of  contentment  is  like  the  ballast  of  the 
ship,  which  gives  her  her  trim,  and  makes  her  strong 
and  jocund  upon  the  great  waters.  Faith  doth  bring 
us  to  God ;  it  stoopeth  us  to  him,  it  fasteneth  us 
upon  him.  Pride  maketh  us  shift  for  ourselves,  and 
divideth  us  from  God.  He  offijreth  his  wings  to  such, 
and  they  will  not  be  gathered  together. 

Let  us  know  that  we  are  never  past  the  wings  of 
God's  protection  here,  and  therefore  let  us  resort 
humbly  to  them,  for  there  is  safety,  and  rest,  and 
sufficiency  of  all  good  things.  Let  us  remember  we 
call  him  our  Father,  and  therefore  we  may  cast  our 
care  upon  him.  Let  us  know  and  remember  that  no- 
thing but  God  can  fill  us.  We  are  like  broken  vessels, 
that  can  hold  nothing,  without  he  fashion  us  behind 
and  before  ;  we  are  like  fusty  vessels,  that  coiTupt  all 
things  we  receive,  without  he  purify  our  hearts  by 
faith ;  we  are  leaking  vessels,  that  let  go  all  things, 
without  he  caulk  us  and  make  us  tight ;  we  are  bottom- 
less bags,  wide-mouthed  to  take  in,  but  unbottomed 
to  retain  anything,  except  he  do  give  us  contentment 
to  stay  our  stomachs,  and  to  remove  from  us, 

1.  An  inordinate  love  of  that  which  we  have. 

2.  An  inordinate  desire  of  more. 

3.  An  inordinate  use  of  all. 

The  punishment  will  be  terror  Domini,  the  terror  of 
the  Lord. 


Ver.  6-8.  Shall  not  all  these  take  up  a  parable  against 
him,  and  a  taunting  proverb  against  him,  and  say,  Woe 
to  him  that  increaseth  that  ichich  is  not  his!  how  long  f 
and  to  him  that  ladeth  himself  with  thick  clay!  Shall 
they  not  rise  up  suddenly  that  shall  bite  thee,  and  awake 
that  shall  vex  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  for  booties  unto 
them  f  Because  thou  hast  spoiled  many  nations,  all  the 
remnant  of  the  people  shall  spoil  thee  ;  because  of  men's 
blood,  and  for  the  violence  of  the  land,  of  the  city,  and 
of  all  that  dwell  therein, 

199 


112 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


2.  The  punishment  of  pride  now  foUoweth, 

Concerning  the  words, 

Shall  not  all  these  take  vp  a  parable  against  him  / 

By  all  these,  he  meaneth  all  those  whom  the  king  of 
Babylon  and  his  Chaldeans  have  troubled  and  perse- 
cuted, and  all  lookers  on  also. 

By  taking  up  of  a  parable,  which  word  is  rendered  by 
apophthegma  ;  a  grave  and  wise  speech  is  here  meant, 
declaring  that  the  wisdom  of  men  shall  check  the  pride 
of  the  Babylonians,  and  proclaim  them  vain. 

The  taunting  proverb  which  the  Seventy  render  here 
?r|o/3X^/xa,  signifieth  dicterimn,  a  bitter  quip  uttered 
in  an  enigmatical  manner  of  speech,  a  secret  gird  full 
of  salt  and  sharpness,  where,  under  some  obscurity  of 
words,  is  secretly  couched  some  galling  and  cutting 
tartness  of  meaning. 

We  must  senrch  this  speech  for  two  things,  for  here 
must  be  d-^ropSey/Mcc,  a  wise  saying,  and  here  must  be  a 
taunt  and  salt  taxation  in  some  obscure  and  enigmatical 
speech. 

The  first  is  in  the  former  words,  wherein  he  de- 
nounceth  a  woe  to  him  that  makes  up  his  heap  with 
other  men's  goods;  and  he  crieth  to  him  ']Iow  long  ?' 
taxing  his  insatiubleness.  The  sharp  and  salt  re- 
proof is  in  these  words,  '  and  to  him  that  ladeth 
himself  with  thick  clay.' 

For,  first,  wherein  he  thinketh  to  gather  an  happi- 
ness, he  reapeth  nothing  but  woe. 

2.  Wherein  he  hopeth  for  ease  and  relaxation  of 
his  cares,  he  getteth  a  burden,  which  the  word  of  load- 
ing implieth. 

3.  He  is  charged  that  he  is  author  to  himself  of 
that  burden  ;  he  loadeth  himself;  as  David,  'he  dis- 
qnieteth  himself.' 

4.  That  for  which  he  doth  himself  so  much  hurt, 
bringeth  on  himself  so  much  danger,  it  is  no  better 
than  thick  clay. 

The  gold  and  silver  of  the  earth  is  sharply  and 
scornfully  mentioned  as  no  better  than  thick  clay  ; 
and  indeed  as  it  cometh  from  the  melting  to  the  eye, 
gold  seemeth  such,  even  Hke  to  a  thick  and  massy  clay, 
hath  no  beauty  in  it  to  affect  the  eye. 

And  seeing  the  world  prizeth  this  rich  metal  at  so 
high  a  rate,  that  the  Babylonian  doth  make  no  con- 
science of  cutting  the  Jews'  throat  and  breaking  all 
laws  of  nations  to  get  their  gold,  God  doth  in  this 
smart  quip  shew  how  the  Chaldean  shall  be  censured 
and  taxed  abroad  for  his  scraping,  when  all  that  he 
hath  gotten  is  but  thick  clay.  . 
200 


If  we  go  to  o\xr  jmncipia  naturae,  principles  of  nature, 
we  shall  find  that  God  made  the  earth,  and  whatsoever 
after  that,  either  mineral,  growing  within  the  earth, 
grass  or  pearl,  flower,  tree,  or  fruit,  growing  on  the 
earth,  beast  or  bird,  fish  or  fowl,  worm  or  fly,  living  on 
the  earth  or  in  the  water,  and  man,  the  lord  of  all,  all 
are  made  of  earth.  Earth  the  chiefest  material  in 
their  building  ;  therefore  to  Adam  said  God,  Terra  es. 
If  man,  the  most  excellent  of  creatures,  in  the  com- 
position of  his  body  be  but  thick  clay,  the  style  is  high 
enough  to  give  that  title  to  any,  either  mineral  or 
vegetable  whatsoever. 

Ver.  7.  Shall  they  not  rise  up  suddenly  that  shall  bite 
thee,  and  aicake  that  shall  vex  thee,  and  thou  shalt  he 
for  booties  unto  them  ?  Some  interpreters  think  this 
verse  also  a  part  of  that  taunting  speech  which  many 
shall  use  against  Babylon  and  the  Chaldeans,  wherein 
they  shall  declare  that  they  do  look  pride  should  have 
a  fall. 

The  manner  of  speech  frequent  to  the  Hebrews  by 
interrogation.  Shall  they  not  rise  upf  &c.,  hath  more 
weight  in  it,  and  implieth  both  vehemency  in  the  com- 
mination  and  assurance  of  the  judgment  threatened, 
more  than  if  he  had  said,  '  They  shall  arise  that  shall 
bite  thee.' 

Bead  Isaiah  xiii.  and  see  the  burden  of  Babylon,  and 
pass  to  the  14th,  for  this  verse  is  but  a  short  abridg- 
ment of  that  full  prophecy,  and  expoundeth  these  words 
of  my  text,  that  the  Medes  and  Persians  shall  very 
shortly  arise  to  destroy  Assyria,  and  all  the  Chaldeans. 
The  same  judgment  is  threatened  by  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah, chaps.  1.,  li.,  a  nation  coming  out  of  the  north 
to  make  their  land  desolate  ;  for  Media  is  a  city  north 
from  Babylon,  whence  Cyrus  came  against  it.  And 
for  the  manner  of  the  taking  of  Babylon,  it  is  here  set 
down  to  be  sudden  :  *  They  shall  rise  up  suddenly  that 
shall  bite  thee.' 

Herodotus  reports  that  upon  one  of  their  great  holi- 
days, when  all  the  city  were  in  their  dancing  and  dis- 
ports, ex  inopinato  eis  Persa  astiterunt,  on  a  sudden 
the  Persians  came  upon  them ;  they  came  into  the 
city,  and  took  a  part  of  it,  when  the  other  part  sung 
out  their  song,  and  danced  on,  and  knew  not  that  the 
enemy  had  surprised  them.  So  they  were  bitten,  and 
vexed,  and  taken ;  and  the  mighty  and  glorious  great 
city  of  Babylon  was  made  a  booty  and  prey  to  the 
Persians. 

The  greatness  and  riches  of  this  city  of  Babylon,  is 


7er.  6-8.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


113 


by  Herodotus  thus  expressed :  The  whole  dominion 
of  the  Chaldeans  being  laid  and  assessed  to  maintain 
the  king's  wars  for  defence  of  his  state,  for  the  twelve 
months  in  the  year,  the  charge  of  four  months  was 
imposed  on  Babylon,  and  all  the  rest  of  Asia  bore  the 
charge  of  the  eight  months ;  so  that  one- third  of  the 
imposition  lay  upon  Babylon. 

Yer.  8.  Because  thou  hast  spoiled  manij  nations. 
The  first  monarchy  that  we  read  of  in  holy  Scripture 
is  that  of  the  Assyrians,  begun  by  Ninus,  of  whom 
Nineveh  took  name,  and  by  Nimrod,  whom  histories 
call  Belns,  and  after  him  succeeded  by  Semiramis  his 
wife.  This  monarchy  grew,  by  continual  wars  and 
violations  of  their  neighbours,  to  an  exceeding  height 
and  strength.  So  that  the  exaltation  of  that  monarchy 
was  the  ruin  of  many  nations  in  power,  and  their  sub- 
jection to  the  Assyrians  ;  and  this  monarchy  lasted,  as 
some  write,  annos  1300. 

St  Augustine,  de  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  xvi.  cap.  17,  speak- 
ing of  this  monarchy,  saith.  In  Assyria  fiicevaluerat 
dominatus  impia  civitatis,  hujus  caput  erat  ilia  Babylon. 
He  calleth  it  nomen  aptissimum,  confusio,  confusion, 
actively,  for  it  confounded  aU  the  parts  of  Asia,  bring- 
ing them  under  one  regiment,  and  it  came  itself  after 
to  a  shameful  confusion. 

This  victorious  grassation  of  the  Assyrians,  over- 
running all  hke  to  a  deluge  of  waters,  did  so  swell 
them  with  the  pride  above  reproved,  and  here  threat- 
ened, that  the  prophet  Isaiah  doth  call  this  monarchy 
Lucifer:  chap.  xiv.  12,  'How  art  thou  fallen  from 
heaven,  0  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morning  ! '  As  in  the 
judgment  of  the  ancient  learned  fathers,  alluding  to 
the  fall  of  the  angels  that  kept  not  their  first  estate. 

Nimrod  their  founder  is  called.  Gen.  x.  9,  'a  mighty 
hunter  before  the  Lord ;'  that  is,  a  mighty  tyrant  and 
a  great  oppressor  of  men.  The  blood  of  men  was  not 
precious ;  the  land,  the  city,  and  the  inhabitants,  all 
bent  to  spoil  and  to  violence  ;  therefore  it  is  said,  ♦  The 
remnant  of  the  people  shall  spoil  thee.' 

There  was  not  such  an  universal  subjection  to  the 
monarchy  of  the  Assyrians,  but  that  there  were  a 
remnant  left  to  come  upon  them,  and  to  overcome 
them.  These,  as  hath  been  said,  were  the  Medes 
and  Persians,  whom  God  calleth  his  sanctified  ones, 
his  mighty  ones  for  his  anger;  because  he  hath  called 
them,  and  set  them  apart  from  others,  to  be  ministers 
of  his  vengeance  for  the  destruction  of  this  proud 
nation.     For  he  will  make  inquisition  for  blood,  and 


they  that  have  smitten  with  the  sword  shall  now  perish 
by  the  sword.     {De  verbis  hactenus.) 

In  these  words,  which  are  the  declaration  of  God's 
just  judgment  against  the  Chaldeans,  before  we  pro- 
ceed to  the  full  handling  of  them. 

We  must  first  take  notice  of  the  just  process  of  God 
against  this  pride  of  the  Chaldeans ;  for  it  pleaseth 
God  to  give  us  here  an  account  of  his  provocation, 
and  he  giveth  in  evidence  against  them,  that  their 
pride  went  not  alone,  but  was  accompanied  with 
many  sins. 

1.  Their  gripple  covetonsness,  in  seeking  to  increase 
their  own  heap ;  and  covetonsness  is  a  sin  that  God 
abhorreth.  St  Paul  doth  call  it  « the  root  of  all 
evU.' 

2.  Their  violent  invasion  of  the  goods  of  others  by 
injury,  oppression,  and  extortion ;  for  he  increaseth 
that  which  is  not  his.  Not  to  be  content  with  our  own 
is  ungodliness,  but  to  spoil  and  rob  others,  and  to  be 
our  own  carvers  to  take  what  we  can  get,  is  wrong  to 
our  brethren.  Covetonsness  corrupteth  ourselves,  but 
oppression  doth  violate  our  neighbour,  of  whom  the  law 
giveth  such  charge,  ama  proximum  lit  teipsum. 

3.  Their  folly ;  for  what  is  this  great  stock  which 
they  have  gathered,  and  what  is  the  rich  heap  that 
they  have  caught  ?  It  is  but  thick  clay.  And  what 
have  they  done  with  all  their  labour  and  travail,  but 
made  a  burden  thereof  for  themselves  ? 

4.  Their  cruelty  is  charged  upon  them,  which  is  ex- 
pressed in  sundry  circumstances  of  amplification ;  as, 

(1.)  In  the  extremity  of  it,  no  less  than  spoiling, 
which  comprehendeth  all  kinds  of  hard  measure  that 
can  be  ofiered. 

(2.)  In  the  extent  of  it,  which  is  amplified  by  two 
circumstances. 

[1.]  Not  persons,  nor  societies,  towns,  cities,  but 
whole  nations. 

^2.]  Many  nations. 

(3.)  In  the  efi'ect  of  their  cruelty,  which  also  brake 
forth  into  blood,  the  blood  of  men,  a  thing  that  God 
holdeth  at  such  a  price,  that  he  not  only  made  severe 
laws  for  preservation  of  life,  but  he  maketh  a  curious 
inquisition  for  blood,  when  conti-ary  to  his  law  it  is 
unjustly  spilt,  unto  which  God  hath  given  a  voice ;  for 
there  is  vox  sanrjuinis,  a  voice  of  blood,  as  we  see  in 
Abel's  story,  and  to  which  voice  he  lenueth  an  ear, 
for  that  blood  crieth  unto  him. 

(4.)  In  the  general  infection  of  this  cruelty,  which 
hath  corrupted  the  whole  land  of  the  Chaldeans;  the 

201 


114 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


city,  the  great  city  of  Babylon,  and  all  the  people  that 
dwell  therein. 

The  prophet  in  the  former  chapter  did  complain  to 
God  of  the  pride,  and  cruelty,  and  covetousness  of  the 
Chaldeans,  in  which  as  they  exceeded,  so  the  poor 
church  of  God  smarted  ;  and  the  patience  of  God  for- 
bearing to  punish  them,  made  them  think  that  God 
gave  no  regard  to  them ;  and  it  made  many  even 
within  the  church  stagger,  fearing  lest  God  had  taken 
no  notice  of  their  sufferings,  and  their  enemies'  in- 
juries. Do  you  not  now  receive  it  from  the  mouth  of 
God  himself,  that  he  hath  all  those  things  written  in 
his  book,  that  he  keepeth  an  exact  account  both  of  the 
offences  done,  and  of  the  offenders  ? 

(5.)  To  shew  that  they  have  abused  his  patience 
and  longsuffering,  by  continuing  in  the  evils  above- 
mentioned,  he  saith.  How  long  ?  to  shew  that  he  hath 
contended  with  them  in  patience  all  this  while,  and 
that  no  forbearance  will  recover  them  from  their  evil 
ways,  no  spoil  nor  cruelty  will  satisfy  them  in  their 
evil  ways;  therefore  he  proceedeth  to  judgment  against 
them. 

The  argument  of  this  text  is  the  punishment  of  the 
pride  of  the  Chaldeans,  punished, 

1.  With  just  reprehension  of  all. 

2.  With  derision,  they  shall  be  taunted. 

3.  With  spoil  and  destruction. 

Here  we  must  first  take  notice  of  the  justice  of  God's 
process  against  them;  for  he  giveth  account  of  his 
provocation,  and  rendereth  a  reason  of  his  judgments. 

Our  lesson  is,  whensoever  God  punisheth,  there  is 
a  fault  deserving  that  punishment,  for  God  is  just, 
he  doth  not  punish  the  innocent.  Thus  he  began 
with  the  first  sinners  that  we  read  of  in  the  holy  story, 
Gen.  iii.  14.  With  the  serpent,  q^iia  tii  hoc  fecisti, 
*  Because  thou  hast  done  this.'  So  to  Adam,  '  Be- 
cause thou  hast  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  thy  wife,' 
&c.  And  to  Cain,  *  If  thou  do  evil,  sin  (that  is,  the 
punishment  of  sin)  standeth  at  the  door.'  And  for 
the  process  against  the  old  world  :  first,  God  saw  the 
■  fault  thereof,  before  either  he  repented  the  making  of 
it,  or  resolved  the  punishing  of  it;  and  so  forth,  all 
the  Scripture  through,  and  through  the  experience  of 
all  times. 

Reason  1.  Because  God  is  just,  and  justice  is  a 
virtue  that  giveth  suum  cuiqiie,  every  one  his  own. 
Now  rods  are  for  the  back  of  fools,  and  all  sinners  are 
fools,  and  all  men  arc  sinners,  and  therefore  none 
past  the  rod  in  the  justice  of  God. 
202 


Beason  2.  Because  punishment,  in  the  nature  of  it, 
is  evil,  though  in  the  use  of  it  it  be  good,  for  the 
good  it  doth;  and  sin  brought  it  into  the  world,  it  is 
contemporary  with  sin,  it  cleaveth  to  it,  it  cannot  be 
parted  from  it ;  as  the  mortality  of  man  is  joined  with 
the  nature  of  man. 

Therefore  we  may  conclude,  whensoever  we  feel  any 
punishment  in  ourselves,  or  see  any  inflicted  on  others, 
suhest  culpa,  there  is  a  power  that  deserveth  this  pun- 
ishment. 

Against  this  it  may  be  objected  that, 

1.  God  doth  chasten  some  of  his  own  beloved  chil- 
dren with  punishments  for  their  trial,  that  they  may 
come  forth  as  gold  fined. 

2.  God  doth  some  time  correct  his  own  for  example 
of  others. 

3.  The  wicked  and  ungodly  vex  and  torment  the 
righteous,  even  for  the  serving  the  true  God  ;  many 
have  lost  their  goods,  their  liberties,  their  lives  for  the 
testimony  of  the  truth.  Thus  did  all  those  holy  con- 
fessors, and  all  those  glorious  martyrs,  suffer  the 
cruelty  of  the  enemies  of  God. 

4.  The  corruption  of  justice,  and  the  abuse  of  power, 
doth  sometimes  turn  into  tyranny ;  and  so  evil  men 
are  cherished,  and  good  men  punished;  as  the  pro- 
phet Isaiah  saith,  '  He  that  abstaineth  from  evil, 
maketh  himself  a  prey.' 

5.  Sometimes  good  princes  are  abused  by  their 
flatterers  and  lying  informers,  who  possess  them  of  an 
evil  opinion  against  better  men  than  themselves,  as 
in  the  example  of  Mephibosheth,  2  Sam.  xvi.  3,  4 ;  for 
Ziba  his  bailiff  accused  him  falsely  of  treason  to 
David;  and  David,  though  a  king  of  God's  choosing, 
was  not  at  leisure  to  search  into  the  matter,  but  pre- 
sently, not  hearing  the  just  defence  of  Mephibosheth, 
gave  away  to  Ziba  all  that  pertained  to  Mephibosheth. 

6.  Sometimes  just  persons,  in  execution  of  justice, 
are  nimium  justi,  over  wise  ;  and  such  justice  is 
injury;  as  Solomon  saith,  'Be  not  just  over-much:' 
and  the  light  of  nature  taught  the  heathen  to  say, 
Sum  mum.  jus  est  summa  injuria. 

7.  Sometimes  judges  are  swayed  by  the  affection 
they  bear  to  others,  to  regard  rather  the  satisfying  of 
their  envy,  whom  they  love,  than  the  execution  of 
justice,  and  so  wrong  may  be  done  where  it  is  not 
deserved  ;  as  Herod  cut  off  John's  head,  for  no  dislike 
of  him  in  himself,  but  to  please  his  minion. 

In  answer  to  all  these  objections,  put  the  case  how 
you  will,  I  am  sure  God  is  just,  and  will  neither  him- 


Ver.  6-8.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


115 


self  punish,  nor  cause,  nor  suffer  any  to  punish,  but 
where  so  much  punishment  is  well  deserved. 

Peradventure,  he  that  inflicteth  the  punishment 
may  offend  in  it,  and  there  may  be  a  fault  done  in  the 
manner  of  it ;  or  that  for  which  the  punishment  is 
inflicted  may  be  no  just  cause,  or  the  person  may  be 
mistaken  ;  but  still  I  say  God  is  just,  subest  culpa, 
there  is  a  fault ;  the  hand  of  God,  the  will  of  God  is 
in  every  punishment,  and  they  never  do  anything 
without  the  justice  of  God.  Job,  that  justified  his 
integrity  so  stoutly,  as  we  read  in  his  story,  did  never 
deny  himself  to  be  a  grievous  sinner,  and  to  deserve 
the  punishment  that  he  suffered,  though  he  still  did 
stand  upon  it,  that  he  was  not  therefore  punished. 

If  the  punishment  be  for  trial,  the  gold  that  is  tried 
will  be  divided  from  the  dross,  and  that  dross  deserv- 
€th  a  melting.  If  the  punishment  be  for  example, 
know  that  God  will  never  give  so  HI  example  as  to 
punish  an  innocent.  If  men  do  Uke  men  in  the  exe- 
cution of  God's  judgments,  know  that  God  knows 
why  he  suffereth  them  so  to  do,  for  he  searcheth  the 
hearts  and  reins.  Thus,  many  condemned  to  death 
by  the  law,  according  to  probable  evidence,  profess 
their  innocency  at  their  death;  yet  can  find  in  the 
book  of  their  conscience  evidence  enough  to  condemn 
them  worthy  of  death  for  something  else. 

Use.  The  use  of  all  is,  seeing  God  is  just,  and  pun- 
isheth  not  but  where  he  findeth  sin ;  stand  in  awe,  sin 
not,  do  your  best  to  keep  from  the  infection,  lest  you 
come  under  the  dominion  of  sin  ;  abstain  fi-om  all  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  from  the  occasions  and  means  of 
offence ;  resist  Satan ;  quench  not  the  Spirit,  that 
should  help  your  infirmities,  redeem  the  time  in  which 
you  should  do  good,  and  strive  to  enter  into  that  rest. 
Thus  doing,  what  punishment  soever  we  suffer,  it  is 
rather  the  visitation  of  peace  than  the  red  of  fury,  and 
God  will  turn  it  to  oiir  good. 

The  punishment  here  threatened  : 

1,  Just  reprehension.  Shall  not  all  these  take  up  a 
parable  against  them,  and  say,  '  "Woe  to  him  that  in- 
creaseth  that  which  is  not  his  !'  d-o^diy/ja.  I  remem- 
ber the  question  of  our  Saviour  to  his  disciples, 
•  Whom  say  men  what  I,  the  Son  of  man,  am  ?'  It  is 
wisdom  for  any  private  man,  more  for  a  great  state, 
to  inquire  what  fame  it  hath  abroad. 

The  wisdom  of  state  is  such,  as  one  government 
bath  an  eye  to  another ;  I  speak  not  only  of  con- 
federate nations,  which  have   linger*  eyes  in  each 

*  That  is,  '  the  eyes  of  leigers,  or  ambassadora.' — Ed. 


other's  commonwealth,  but  even  of  enemy-states,  and 
such  as  stand  neither  in  terms  of  hostility  nor  in 
terms  of  confederacy;  they  have  their  secret  intelli- 
gence, and  thus  they  know  and  judge  each  of  other. 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  a  most  potent  prince,  yet  his 
neighbours  did  not  approve  his  wisdom ;  they  did  con- 
demn his  violence,  and  cry  out.  Woe  be  to  him.  I 
understand  this  to  be  a  great  punishment  to  this 
mighty  king,  to  be  justly  condemned  for  injustice,  and 
to  deserve  the  curse  of  his  neighbouring  nations.  For 
extremes  do  ever  carry  the  evil  words,  and  the  evil 
wishes  of  aU  that  love  virtue ;  and  they  cry  woe  to 
him  that  increaseth  greedily  and  covetously  that 
which  is  not  his ;  and  woe  to  him  that  wasteth  pro- 
digally that  which  is  not  his.  The  wisdom  of  policy 
doth  hold  violence  and  oppression  hateful  in  great 
princes,  and  it  calleth  them  pusillanimous  and  idle 
that  will  not  stir  in  the  just  defence  of  their  own. 

But  there  is  sapient ia  sacidi  hujiis,  the  wisdom  of 
this  world,  which  calleth  all  his  own  which  he  can 
compass  directly  or  indirectly,  justly  or  unjustly, 
which  St  Paul  doth  call  enmity  with  God.  Just 
princes  are  tender  in  that  pursuit,  holding  that  axiom 
of  Caesar  irreligious  and  unjust.  Si  jus  violandum,  regni 
causa ;  and  therefore,  sapientia  qua  est  desuper,  the 
wisdom  from  above  crieth,  Hand  off,  invade  not, 
usurp  not  aliena  jura,  other  men's  rights  ;  be  content 
with  thine  own,  for  woe  be  to  him  that  increaseth 
non  sua,  that  which  is  none  of  his  own. 

Princes  that  manage  the  sword  of  justice,  which  is 
ffladius  Dei,  the  sword  of  God,  must  be  tender  how 
they  draw  that  sword  against  God  that  committed  it 
to  them  ;  and  every  attempt  that  their  power  maketh 
for  that  which  is  not  theirs,  doth  arm  itself  against 
God. 

Mr  Calvin  observeth  well,  Manent  aliqua  in  cordihus 
hominum  justiticB  et  aquitatis  principia;  idea  consensus 
gentium  est  quadam  vox  natures ;  there  abideth  in  the 
hearts  of  men  certain  principles  of  justice,  therefore 
the  consent  of  nations  is  a  certain  voice  of  nature. 

Those  princes  that  care  not  what  nations  do  think 
and  speak  of  them,  but  pursue  their  own  ends  against 
the  stream  and  tide  oi  jus  naturale,  natural  right,  do 
run  themselves  upon  the  just  reprehension  of  other 
states,  which  wise  and  rehgious  princes  do  labour  to 
avoid. 

1.  Because  the  private  conscience  in  these  public 
persons  can  have  no  inward  peace,  where  public  equity 
is  violated. 

203 


116 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IT. 


2.  Because  the  old  rule  of  justice  is  built  upon  the 
divine  equity  of  nature,  and  confirmed  by  experienco 
of  time,  that  male  parta  facile  dilabuntur,  evil  gotten 
goods  soon  consume. 

3.  Because  all  that  love  this  j»s  naturale,  will  soon 
find  both  will  and  means  to  resist  encroachments, 
fearing  their  own  particular,  as  all  hands  work  to  quench 
a  fire. 

But  what  cares  Nebuchadnezzar,  or  Alexander,  or 

Julias  Caesar,  so  they  may  add  kingdom  to  kingdom  ? 

^nd  what  cares  his  holiness  of  Rome,  so  that  he  may 

be  universal  bishop,  what  other  kings  and  bishops 

say  of  them  ? 

To  make  this  point  profitable  to  ourselves,  for  we 
speak  to  private  persons.     The  rule  is  general. 

All  that  increase  their  own  private  estate  by  oppres- 
sion and  injustice,  multiplying  that  which  is  not  theirs, 
making  prize  of  all  that  th6y  can  extort  from  their 
brethren,  buying  them  out  of  house  and  home,  weary- 
ing them  with  suits  of  molestation,  spending  the 
strength  of  their  bodies  with  immoderate  labours  at 
so  short  wages  as  will  not  sustain  them  with  things 
necessary ;  such,  though  their  power  do  bear  them 
out  in  their  injustice,  yet  do  they  undergo  the  hard 
opinion  and  censure  of  all  that  love  righteousness, 
and  they  do  boar  the  burden  of  many  curses.  Let 
them  lay  this  to  heart,  and  take  it  for  a  punishment 
from  the  hand  of  God. 

2.  The  derision,  taunted. 

What  do  these  men  but  lade  themselves  with  thick 
clay  ?  This  also  may  pass  for  a  sharp  punishment ; 
kings  and  great  persons  are  not  privileged  from  the 
tooth  of  a  satire,  from  the  keen  edge  of  an  epigram, 
from  the  bold  afi'ront  of  a  libel. 

We  live  in  the  age  of  fresh  and  quick  wits,  wherein 
it  is  not  an  easy  thing  for  eminent  persons  to  do  evil, 
and  to  escape  tongue- smiting  and  wit-blasting,  pens 
and  pencils,  a  hand  up  to  blazon  great  ones  and  their 
actions,  and  inferior  persons  want  not  eyes  upon  them 
to  behold  them,  nor  censures  to  judge  them,  nor  rods 
to  whip  them.  I  must  not  draw  from  this  place  any 
authority  to  legitimate  contumelies  and  disgraces,  and 
that  which  we  call  breaking  of  bitter  jests  upon  an- 
other, selling  our  salt  cheap. 

1.  Therefore  understand  that  bitter  taunts,  satires, 
and  libels  may  be  evil  and  unlawful,  and  yet  God  may 
make  a  good  use  of  them  to  lash  and  scourge  those 
that  deserve  ill ;  and  they  that  are  so  girded  and 
jerked  shall  do  well  to  do  as  David  did,  to  confess 
204 


that  God  sent  Shimei  to  curse ;  and  as  for  Shimei,  he 
shall  see  that  God  will  find  a  time  to  pay  him  too. 
That  this  is  a  punishment  sent  from  the  hand  of  God 
we  have  full  evidence  from  the  witness  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture, even  in  this  case. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  threateneth  the  Chaldeans  with 
this  judgment,  '  Thou  shalt  take  up  this  proverb ' — 
the  margin  readeth  this  taunting  speech — '  against  the 
king  of  Babel :  how  hath  the  oppressor  ceased,  the 
golden  city  ceased  !'  &c.,  Isa.  xiv.  4.  You  see  in 
derision  she  is  called  the  golden  city.  And  after, 
ver.  10,  '  All  they  shall  speak  and  say  unto  thee,  Art 
thou  also  become  weak  as  we  ?  art  thou  also  become 
like  unto  us  ?  how  art  thou  fallen  from  heaven,  0 
Lucifer  !'  &c.  Thus  the  great  glory  of  the  mighty 
monarchy  is  become  ladihrium  vulgi,  et  fabula  mundi, 
the  scoff  of  the  vulgar,  and  the  tale  of  the  world. 

So  Jeremiah  declareth  that  this  shall  be  one  part 
of  the  punishment  of  Babylon,  she  shall  be  laughed 
to  scorn.  Read  at  your  leisure  the  50th  and  51st  of 
Jeremiah ;  amongst  many  salt  and  sharp  taunts  spent 
upon  Babel,  this  is  one  for  a  taste:  chap.  li.  8,  'Baby- 
lon is  suddenly  fallen  and  destroyed :  howl  for  her,  take 
balm  for  her  pain,  if  she  may  be  healed.'  It  is  David's 
phrase,  Ps.  lix.  8,  *  But  thou,  0  Lord,  shall  laugh  at 
them  ;   thou  shalt  have  all  the  heathen  in  derision.' 

It  was  no  small  part  of  the  passion  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  subsannations  and  scornful  derisions  of  his  ene- 
mies ;  they  made  sport  with  him,  as  the  Phiastines 
did  with  Samson  :  '  Thou  that  couldest  build  the 
temple,  come  down,'  &c. 

It  pleaseth  God  sometimes  to  suffer  his  good  ser- 
vants to  be  tongue- smitten,  as  we  see  in  the  example 
of  David,  and  of  Jeremiah,  and  Job,  and  others.  And 
have  many  examples  of  his  permission  of  it  in  the 
punishment  of  the  wicked.  This  doth  not  justify 
contumelies,  or  make  libels  and  scandalous  derisions 
lawful,  hut  it  declareth  them  to  be  the  rods  of  God. 

Therefore  let  men  tender  their  reputations,  and  do 
that  which  is  right  in  their  places,  be  they  high  or 
low,  that  they  may  not  deserve  ill  of  the  times  in 
which  they  live,  that  they  may  have  good  report  of 
all  men,  and  of  the  truth  itself. 

Amongst  other  things  which,  by  way  of  caution,  we 
may  take  warning  of, 

1.  Ljt  them  that  would  live  out  of  the  danger  of 
scorn  and  derision,  apply  themselves  to  glorify  God 
in  their  bodies  and  in  their  souls,  and  to  honour  him, 
for  God  hath  spoken  it,    1   Sam.  ii.  30,  '  Ho  that 


Vkr.  6-.S.] 


3LA.RBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


117 


hoDOQreth  me,  him  will  I  honour ;  but  they  that  de- 
spise me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed.' 

2.  Let  such  take  care  that  they  be  no  despisers  of 
their  brethren,  that  they  sit  not  in  the  chair  of  the 
scornful,  for  the  wages  of  the  scomer  is  scorn,  and 
they  that  trust  in  themselves  and  despise  others  go 
away  from  the  sight  of  God  unjustified.  Can  pride 
have  a  fall,  and  the  lookers-on  not  laugh  them  to  scorn? 

3.  Let  such  keep  a  good  tongue  in  their  own  heads, 
for  many  fair  pretenders  of  religion  and  outward  pro- 
fessors are  as  long  as  Pambo  in  Eusebius  taking  out 
of  that  lesson  from  David,  Servabo  circa  os  meinn  capis- 
tram  ne  peccem  lingua,  '  I  will  set  a  watch,'  &c. 

It  was  in  fashion  while  that  they  that  sought  (as 
they  pretended)  refonnation  of  the  church,  sought  it 
in  the  way  of  libelling,  and  breaking  jests  upon  the 
prelates  and  malignants  of  the  church.  But  St  James 
telleth  us,  chap.  i.  26,  that  '  if  any  among  us  seem  to 
be  religious,  and  refraineth  not  his  tongue,  that  man's 
religion  is  in  vain.' 

4.  Let  such  take  out  the  lesson  of  the  apostle :  Col. 
iv.  6,  'Let  their  speech  always  be  with  grace,  seasoned 
with  salt,  that  you  may  know  how  to  answer  every 
man.'  This  is  the  seasoning  of  wisdom  from  above, 
which,  being  the  breath  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is 
the  spirit  of  meekness,  doth  rather  put  the  burdens  of 
our  brethren  upon  us  in  Christian  compassion  than 
heap  burdens  upon  them  in  spite  and  disdain. 

2.  Yet  I  do  not  determine  all  sharp  and  satirical 
tartness  of  speech  unlawful ;  the  acrimony  of  a  taunt 
hath  sometimes  due  place,  and  it  may  be  some  of  the 
fire  from  God's  own  altar,  when  they  do  not  proceed 
from  anger,  envy,  desire  of  revenge,  vain  ostentation 
of  wit,  flattery  of  others  whom  it  may  please,  pride  of 
our  own  hearts.  When  Adam  had  transgressed,  and 
God  had  laid  his  curse  upon  him,  God  said.  Gen. 
iii.  22,  '  Behold,  the  man  is  become  Uke  one  of  us,  to 
know  good  and  evil.'  St  Augustine  saith,  Verba  sunt 
insuUantis,  quod  non  solum  foetus  fuerit  qualis  esse 
voluit,  sed  nee  illud  quod  foetus  fuerat  conservavit. 

God  derideth  the  folly  of  man  fallen  away  from  him. 
It  is  said  of  EUjah,  1  Kings  xviii.  27,  'And  it  came  to 
pass  at  noon,  that  EHjah  awaked*  them,  and  said,  Cry 
aloud  ;  for  hn  is  a  god  :  either  he  is  talking,  or  he  is 
pursuing,  or  he  is  in  a  journey,  or  peradventure  he 
sleepeth,  and  must  be  awaked.'  So  the  prophet  Isaiah 
plays  upon  the  idol  makers  and  idolaters  as  if  he  had 
one  of  our  papists  in  hand,  for  he  sets  a  man  upon  the 
*  Qu.  '  mocked '  ? — Ed. 


stage,  having  cut  down  a  tree:  Isa.  xliv.  16,  17,  '  He 
burneth  part  of  it  in  the  fire  ;  with  part  thereof  he 
eateth  flesh  ;  he  roasteth  roast,  and  is  satisfied  :  yea, 
he  warmeth  himself,  and  saith.  Aha,  I  am  warm,  I 
have  seen  the  fire  :  and  the  residue  thereof  he  maketh 
a  god,  even  his  graven  image  :  he  falleth  down  to  it, 
and  worshippeth  it,  and  prayeth  to  it,  and  saith.  De- 
liver me ;  for  thou  art  my  god.'  Yon  see  what  sport 
the  prophet  maketh  with  idolaters,  and  sure  he  had 
the  Spirit  of  God.  The  apocryphal  book  of  Baruch, 
chap,  vi.,  is  a  very  pleasant  bitterness  against  idols 
and  idolaters. 

Surely  this  example  in  my  text  is  justifiable,  for  it 
taxeth  the  covetous  oppressors  of  the  earth  for  fools, 
that  take  so  much  pain,  and  do  so  much  wrong  to 
load  themselves  with  thick  clay. 

Ohj.  But  is  it  not  an  injury  to  almighty  God  to  set 
no  higher  price,  and  to  give  no  better  title,  to  the 
richest  of  all  metals,  that  which  God  himself  was 
pleased  should  be  used  in  the  choice  vessels  and  orna- 
ments of  his  own  house,  than  thus  to  indignify  it  ? 

Sol.  I  answer,  the  prophet  doth  not  indignify  the 
creature,  but  as  God  said  to  man,  Pulvis  es,  thou  art 
dust,  and  he  told  him  true  out  of  what  materials  the 
frame  of  his  body  was  built,  so  it  is  no  disgrace  to 
gold  to  call  it  thick  clay,  it  being  no  other  in  the 
matter  of  it. 

And  howsoever  good  use  may  be  made  of  these 
outward  riches,  yet  are  they  never  to  be  esteemed  for 
themselves,  but  for  their  use,  which,  if  men  on  earth 
could  once  understand  and  believe,  they  would  not 
set  their  hearts  upon  them.  St  Peter,  1  Peter  i.  18, 
calleth  them  '  corruptible  things  ;'  St  Paul,  1  Tim. 
vi.  17,  calleth  them  '  uncertain  riches.' 

Every  man  is  easily  drawn  to  study  and  labour  to 
the  getting  of  this  burden,  and  so  insatiable  in  desire 
that  few  say  with  Esau,  '  I  have  enough.' 

There  is  a  singular  wisdom  in  the  use  of  riches, 
which  few  do  seek,  because  they  do  not  understand 
for  what  this  thick  clay  serveth.  In  the  Latin  phrase, 
all  those  things  which  we  use  are  called  impedimenta, 
impediments  :  for  as  the  baggage  of  an  army  is  of 
necessary  use,  yet  hindereth  the  speed  of  their  march, 
so  do  our  riches  :  thev  are  the  faculties  of  well-doins, 
yet  we  can  hardly  attain  the  wisdom  to  keep  them  from 
being  hindrances  and  lets  to  us  in  our  journey  home- 
wards. They  serve  us  for  fame  and  reputation,  for 
they  support  our  credit  in  the  world.  They  serve  us 
for  show,  for  they  furnish  the  table  with  dainties,  the 

205 


118 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


back  with  bravery,  &c.  They  serve  us  for  custody,  to 
lay  up  for  posterity.  They  serve  for  dole  and  distri- 
bution, to  be  bestowed  upon  good  uses.  They  serve 
to  buy  out  dangers,  and  to  deliver  us  from  evils. 
They  serve  to  make  us  friends.  And  they  that  can 
plaster  their  walls  with  this  thick  clay  may  keep  off 
many  a  storm,  and  much  foul  weather. 

Yet  we  have  seen  that  all  rich  men  are  not  happy, 
even  in  the  things  of  this  life.  TuUy  saith  of  Rabirius 
Posthumus,  In  studio  ret  amplificandce,  non  avaritm 
pradam,  sed  instnimentum  honitati  quccrebat ;  that  is 
the  best  use  of  them. 

We  see  in  this  example  that  the  walls  of  Babel, 
though  plastered,  and  the  roofs  tiled  with  this  thick 
clay,  so  as  it  was  called  the  Golden  City,  could  not 
privilege  it  from  ruin  and  contempt.  Therefore  let  us 
not  strive  and  study  by  indirect  means,  nor  take  too 
much  and  immoderate  care  by  direct  means,  to  over- 
load ourselves  with  this  thick  clay  ;  we  shall  carry 
none  of  it  away  with  us  when  we  die,  and  we  are  not 
Bure  that  they  shall  enjoy  it  to  whom  we  would  fainest 
leave  it. 

The  third  punishment  of  Babel  doth  shew  that  this 
thick  clay  hath  wings.  It  is  subject  to  spoil.  It 
makes  Babel  a  good  booty  ;  for  when  those  sponges 
have  sucked  in  their  full  draught,  many  of  them  come 
to  the  wringing  and  squeezing  till  they  be  left  dry. 
There  be  such  in  the  world  as  study  the  emptying  of 
those  full  vessels,  and  find  means  to  spring  a  leak  in 
them.  This  fall  from  plenty  and  fulness  to  want,  from 
honour  to  low  condition,  from  power  and  command  to 
subjection  and  awe,  makes  the  proud  man  a  scorn  to 
the  world  ;  for  to  outlive  riches  and  honour  and  power, 
and  to  see  others  decked  in  our  trappings,  whereof  we 
had  wont  to  be  so  proud,  this  pricks  our  bladder,  and 
lets  out  all  the  wind,  and  leaveth  us  lank  and  empty. 

This  is  the  justice  of  God's  proceeding  against  the 
proud,  whom  he  resisteth,  as  you  heard  out  of  Obadiah 
in  the  example  of  Edom,  and  see  now  in  the  example 
of  the  Chaldeans.  As  they  that  despise  others  are 
now  punished  with  contempt,  so  they  that  spoiled 
others  are  now  punished  with  spoil.  One  while  the 
hand  is  receiving  bribes  as  fast  as  it  can  to  get  all,  and 
in  a  moment  the  same  hand  is  giving  of  bribes  as  fast, 
if  it  be  possible  to  save  some.  If,  therefore,  there  be 
no  better  hold  to  be  taken  of  these  outward  things 
■which  make  many  so  proud,  if  riches  increase,  set 
not  thine  heart  upon  them ;  use  them  rather  than 
keep  them. 
206 


Yet  this  is  a  great  comfort  to  all  that  are  oppressed 
by  the  proud  tyranny  of  men,  '  God  is  still  good  to 
Israel,  even  to  all  that  have  true  hearts,'  Ps.  cxxv.  8; 
and  '  the  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest  upon  the  lot 
of  the  righteous.'  God  will  find  a  time  to  spoil  the 
spoiler,  and  to  strip  him  out  of  all.  There  is  neither 
wisdom,  nor  counsel,  nor  strength  against  the  right 
hand  of  God,  and  that  right  hand  will  find  out  all  his 
enemies. 

Greatness  and  power  are  fearful  to  the  common 
man,  yet  nothing  can  restrain  either  the  thoughts  of 
men  and  their  judgments,  but  that  they  will  search 
into  the  actions  of  the  highest,  and  observe  what  is 
done  according  to  the  rules  of  justice,  and  wherein 
religion  and  justice  are  wounded.  Nothing  can  hinder 
but  that  where  men  may  dare  to  communicate  their 
thoughts  to  faithful  ears,  there  the  scroll  of  grievances 
will  be  unfolded,  and  the  injustice  of  tyrannical  op- 
pressions will  be  laid  open. 

Nothing  can  hinder  the  vengeance  of  our  just  God, 
the  king  of  all  the  earth,  but  that  he  will  take  the 
matter  into  his  own  hands,  and  deliver  the  oppressed, 
and  spoil  the  spoiler.  Oppressors  must  die  ;  then 
will  their  names  stink  and  be  abhorred  of  posterity, 
and  there  will  be  black  records  made  of  them  in  the 
books  of  time.  When  God  putteth  his  hand  to  the 
spoiling  of  them,  he  will  spoil  them  in  all  that  they 
trusted  in. 

1 .  In  their  friends  :  they  shall  fall  off,  and  be  the 
first  that  shall  help  to  strip  them. 

2.  In  their  honours  :  every  man  shall  put  an  hand 
to  the  casting  of  dust  upon  them. 

3.  In  their  reputations  :  their  names  shall  be  hate- 
ful upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 

4.  In  their  posterity  :  God  shall  curse  their  seed, 
and  never  trust  any  of  them  again  with  his  power,  or 
the  execution  of  his  judgments. 

Only  let  the  oppressed  wait  the  leisure  of  God  for 
this  :  '  the  vision  is  for  an  appointed  time  ;  but  it 
will  come  to  pass,  it  will  not  fail.' 


Ver.  9—14.  Woe  to  him  that  coveteth  an  evil  covetous- 
ness  to  his  house,  that  he  majj  set  his  nest  on  high,  that 
he  may  he  delivered  from  the  power  of  evil !  Thou  hast 
consulted  shame  to  thy  house  by  cutting  off  many  people, 
and  hast  sinned  against  thy  soul.  For  the  stone  shall 
cry  out  of  the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the  limber  shall 
answer  it.     Woe  to  him  that  huildeth  a  town  with  blood, 


I 


Ver,  9-14] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


119 


and  stablisheth  a  city  by  iniqitity!  Behold,  is  it  not 
of  the  Lord  oj  hosts  that  the  people  shall  labour  in  the 
very  fire,  and  the  people  shall  ireary  themselves  for  very 
vanity  1  For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 

These  words  do  tax  the  Chaldeans  with  another  sin, 
and  denounce  a  punishment  against  it.  Concerning 
the  words,  woe  to  him  that  coveteth  an  evil  covetousness 
to  his  home,  there  is  a  good  covetousness,  which  en- 
grosseth  the  treasure  of  spiritual  graces,  of  which  the 
apostle,  ZriyjaZn  hi  ra  y^a^icfiara  ra  xftirront,  *  Covet 
the  best  gifts,'  1  Cor.  xii.  31.  Here  is  desire  with 
intention  ;  it  must  be  zeal,  and  zeal  with  emulation, 
striving  to  be  before  others,  that  no  man  get  prece- 
dence of  us  therein  ;  but  the  things  desired  be  yo-ik- 
IMLTa,  that  is,  such  gifts  are  given  of  free  grace. 

But  that  covetousness  is  evU  to  a  man's  house,  that 
is,  to  his  estate,  and  family,  and  posterity,  which  is 
joined  with  ambition  of  height :  that  he  may  set  his 
nest  on  high  to  be  above  others,  which  is  joined  with 
distrust  in  God,  and  trust  in  things  temporal ;  that  he 
may  be  delivered  from  the  power  of  evil,  believing  that 
honour  and  high  place  will  set  him  out  of  the  reach  of 
misery. 

Yer.  10.  Tlwu  hast  considted  shame  to  thy  house  in 
cutting  off  much  people.  Here  is  another  sin  added  to 
covetousness  and  ambition,  cruelty  and  shedding  of 
blood,  to  make  their  own  portion  fat ;  and  whereas 
they  have  studied  honour  and  greatness,  all  turns  to 
shame  abroad  in  the  world,  and  to  the  burden  of  a 
guilty  conscience  within  them  :  '  Thou  hast  sinned 
against  thy  soul.' 

Yer.  11,  12.  For  the  stone  shall  cry  out  of  the  wall, 
the  beam  out  of  the  timber  shall  answer  it.  Woe  to  him 
that  buildeth  a  town  with  blood,  and  establisheth  a  city  by 
iniquity.  Here  God  bringeth  in  inanimate  and  sense- 
less things  accusing  and  upbraiding  them.  They  cannot 
look  upon  either  the  stone-work  of  the  walls  or  the  tim- 
ber work  on  the  floors  and  roofs  of  their  buildings,  but 
they  shall  hear  the  voice  of  their  upbraidings  speaking 
to  their  consciences  that  these  are  ill  gotten  :  rapine 
and  cruelty  put  them  together,  and  married  them  in 
that  frame  without  a  licence.  The  voice  of  their 
clamour  is  woe  to  him  that  hath  done  so. 

Yer.  13.  Behold,  is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  that 
the  people  shall  labour  in  the  very  fire,  and  the  people 


shall  weary  themselves  for  very  vanity  ?  I  understand 
him  thus  :  it  is  God's  own  hand  against  them  that  they 
shall  endure  hard  and  extreme  labour,  as  it  were  in  the 
fire,  to  compass  their  own  ends ;  and  when  they  have 
crowned  themselves,  they  shall  reap  a  crop  of  vanity, 
as  David,  '  Man  disquieteth  himself  in  vain.' 

Yer.  11.  For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  That  is, 
God,  who  by  his  long  forbearance  and  remissness,  is 
forgotten  in  the  world,  shaU  now  declare  himself  in 
the  execution  of  justice,  that  he  shaU  be  known :  as 
David  saith,  *  God  is  known  by  executing  judgment, 
ut  aqua,  as  the  waters,'  i.  e.  sine  mensura,  that  is, 
without  measure. 

The  sum  of  this  section  is  the  denunciation  of  that 
judgment  of  God  against  the  Chaldeans,  wherein  we 
consider, 

1.  Peccatum,  the  sin. 

2.  Pcenam,  the  punishment. 

3.  Effectum,  the  eftect. 

1.  Peccatum,  here  is  a  chain.     For, 

(1.)  Here  is  infidelity :  he  would  be  delivered  from 
the  power  of  evil,  but  he  will  not  trust  God  with  pro- 
tecting him  from  it. 

(2.)  Here  is  ambition,  desire  of  high  place  to  build 
his  nest  on  high,  for  more  security. 

(3.)  Here  is  covetousness,  to  get  the  means  of  this 
high  rising. 

(1.)  Here  is  cruelty,  to  break  through  all  impedi- 
ments that  stand  in  the  way. 

2.  Pcena. 

(1.)  Shame  to  his  house. 
(2.)  Sin  against  his  soul. 
(8.)  Loss  of  labour. 

3.  Effectus.  '  The  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,'  &c. 

1.  De  peccato.  One  observation  I  gather  from  this 
whole  point  concerning  this  sin  of  the  Chaldeans.  It 
is  St  Augustine's,  Peccatum  nunquam  est  solitarium, 
sins  grow  in  clusters.  It  is  a  stream  that  runneth  in 
the  channel  of  nature ;  and  the  further  it  runs,  the 
more  corruptions  send  in  their  currents  into  it ;  and, 
as  rivers,  the  further  they  run  the  wider  they  grow,  so 
doth  sin,  viresque  acquirit  eundo.  '  When  lust  hath 
conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin  ;'  and  lust  may  say  of 
that  birth,  as  Leah  did,  when  Zilpah  also  bare  Jacob 
a  son  :  Gen.  xxx.  11,  '  A  troop  cometh,  and  she  called 
his  name  Gad  ;'  for  sin  is  sociable.  *. 

207 


120 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


In  the  temptation  which  corrupted  Eve,  1.  Satan 
suggested  infidelity,  shaking  her  faith  in  the  truth  of 
God's  word.  2.  He  gave  a  touch  upon  the  justice  of 
God,  that  it  was  scarce  equal  that  God  should  except 
any  tree,  and  not  give  Adam  unlimited  power. 

3.  He  suggested  a  titillation  of  pride,  making  her 
believe  that  they  might  be  like  God. 

4.  Wherewith  is  joined  a  suggestion  of  discontent 
with  their  present  state. 

5.  There  went  with  this  a  tang  of  gluttonous  desire. 
So   in  Gehazi's   sin,    who   was   Elisha's   servant, 

2  Kings  V.  20. 

1.  He  grudged  that  Naaman,  the  Syrian,  should  go 
away  with  such  a  favour  done  him,  and  carry  away 
the  whole  present  that  he  rendered  to  his  master. 

2.  He  had  a  covetous  desire  to  have  some  of  it. 

8.  He  went  after,  and  told  Naaman  a  lie :  '  My  mas- 
ter hath  sent  me.' 

4.  Another  lie  followed  :  *  There  be  two  young  men 
of  the  sons  of  the  prophets.' 

5.  He  was  sent  to  demand  a  talent  of  silver,  and 
two  changes  of  raiment  for  them. 

6.  He  dissembled.  He  must  be  urged  to  take  two 
talents. 

7.  He  made  a  cunning  conveyance.  He  bestowed 
them  in  the  house,  and  let  the  young  men  go  secretly. 

8.  He  shut  up  all  with  another  lie  :  '  Thy  servant 
went  no  whither.' 

David's  sin  had  many  sins  in  it. 

1.  A  sin  against  God  in  the  disobedience  of  his  law. 

2.  Sin  against  his  own  body,  in  defiling  it. 

3.  A  sin  against  the  body  of  his  neighbour's  wife. 

4.  A  sin  against  the  religion  which  was  so  scan- 
dalised. 

5.  A  sin  against  his  neighbour's  life,  (1 .)  Inebria- 
vit  eum  :  (2.)  Jussit  occidi. 

6.  Which  followed  all  these,  a  neglect  of  God's  ser- 
vice for  ten  months  together,  in  which  he  continued 
impenitent. 

St  James  saith,  chap.  ii.  10,  '  Whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  is  guilty 
of  all.' 

Quest.  How  can  a  man  keep  the  whole,  and  yet 
break  the  whole  law  of  God  ? 

Sol.  He  is  called  here  a  keeper  of  the  whole  law, 
either, 

1.  By  supposition,  and  so  it  is  but  a  case  put  thus. 
Put  the  case  a  man  could  keep  the  whole  law,  save 
only  in  some  one  thing. 
208 


2.  Or  by  his  own  opinion  of  himself. 

3.  Or  by  his  endeavour  to  keep  all. 

Yet  this  man  offending  in  one,  breaketh  the  whole  law. 

1.  Because  there  is  such  a  concatenation  of  the 
duties  of  religion  and  justice,  that  he  which  offendeth 
in  one  breaketh  the  chain. 

2.  Because  any  one  sin  unrepented,  violateth  love 
and  obedience,  which,  if  it  be  not  full,  it  is  no  love, 
no  obedience  at  all. 

For  the  breach  of  one  commandment  doth  distaste 
all  the  rest  of  our  obedience,  as  a  little  leaven  soureth 
the  whole  lump  ;  therefore,  though  we  cannot  sa}'  that 
he  which  breaketh  the  Sabbath  committeth  adultery, 
or  that  he  that  stealeth  is  a  murderer,  yet  we  may 
say  that  he  that  doth  break  the  least  commandment 
of  the  law,  is  guilty  of  the  breach  of  the  whole  law  in 
omission,  though  not  in  commission,  seeing  the  obe- 
dience that  the  law  requireth  failing  in  one  duty  cor- 
rupteth  all  that  we  do,  say,  or  think. 

Let  us  now  behold  the  concurrence  of  sins  in  the 
Chaldean,  and  begin, 

1.  At  his  incredulity,  for  he  would  be  delivered 
from  evil ;  but  he  trusteth  not  God  with  it,  but  goeth 
his  own  way  to  it.  This  is  the  mother  sin  of  all  evil 
ways  and  means  unlawfully  used  to  accomplish  men's 
ends  here  on  earth,  distrust  in  God.  For  when  we 
use  fraud,  and  lying,  and  dissembling  and  concealing 
of  the  ti'uth,  and  bind  untruths  with  oaths,  to  gain 
credit  to  what  we  say  untruly  ;  when  we  make  no  con- 
science of  injury,  which  may  be  hidden  with  cunning, 
or  borne  out  with  violence,  all  this  proceeds  from  dis- 
trust in  God.  And  so  we  grow  guilty  of  the  two  great 
evils  of  which  God  himself  complaineth  :  Jer.  ii.  13, 
*  For  my  people  have  committed  two  evils  :  they  have 
forsaken  me,  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed 
them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no 
water.'  Again  this  :  Heb.  iii.  12,  *  Take  heed,  lest 
there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in 
departing  from  the  living  God.'  The  heart  that  dis- 
trusteth  in  God,  departeth  from  him ;  therefore  he 
saith,  *  It  is  a  people  that  do  err  in  their  hearts,  be- 
cause they  have  not  known  my  ways.' 

The  corruption,  then,  is  in  the  heart ;  for  if  that 
did  love  truly,  it  would  trust  God  wholly  ;  for  where 
we  love  faithfully,  we  trust  boldly.  '  But  the  god 
of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which 
believe  not,'  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  That  answereth  his  ques- 
tion, '  Who  hath  bewitched  you,  that  you  should  not 
obey  the  truth  ?'  ^ 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


121 


Infidelity  is  the  root  of  all  evils  in  us ;  for  we  can- 
not fear  any  threatening,  where  we  do  not  believe  any 
danger.  We  cannot  hope  for  any  benefit  where  we 
do  not  beUeve  any  promise ;  for  infidelity  doth  take 
away  all  wisdom  from  us.  This  makes  us  to  with- 
draw ourselves  from  the  Lord,  and  it  is  a  note  of  the 
wicked  man,  '  neither  is  God  in  all  his  ways.' 

Thus  saith  the  Lord,  Jer.  xvii.  5-8,  '  Cursed  be 
the  man  that  trnsteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his 
arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord :  for 
he  shall  be  like  the  heath  in  the  desert,  and  shall  not 
see  when  good  cometh ;  but  shall  inhabit  the  parched 
places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  and  not  inha- 
bited. Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord, 
and  whose  hope  the  Lord  is  :  for  he  shall  be  a  tree 
planted  by  the  waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  her 
roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh, 
but  her  leaf  shall  be  green ;  and  shall  not  be  careful 
in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yield- 
ing fruit.' 

I  need  not  say  more  of  this  argument.  Here  is  rea- 
son enough  given  why  you  should  commit  your  way  to 
the  Lord  ;  why  you  should  cast  your  care  upon  him  ; 
why  yoa  should  not  leave  him,  to  trust  to  yourselves. 
David  saith,  '  He  made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves :'  he 
saw  us  imperfect  in  the  womb :  he  fashioned  us.  '  Thy 
hands  have  made  me,  and  fashioned  me ;'  '  he  took  me 
from  the  womb.'  He  addelh,  '  Upon  thee  have  I  de- 
pended ever  since  I  hung  upon  the  breasts  of  my 
mother.'  When  we  are  hungry,  he  giveth  bread  that 
strengtheneth  man's  heart.  When  we  had  not  wit  and 
understanding  to  shift  for  ourselves,  who  fed  and 
clothed,  and  preserved  us  then  ?  '  Surely  his  hand  is 
not  shortened,  but  his  arm  is  stretched  out  still.' 
Suppose  that  without  him  we  could  get  bread,  '  man 
liveth  not  by  bread  only.'  Suppose  that  without  him 
we  could  sow  much  seed,  *  it  is  only  he  that  giveth 
increase.' 

Let  us  observe  the  examples  of  God's  judgments 
upon  such  as  forsake  God,  and  trust  their  money,  or 
their  friends,  or  corrupt  means,  to  preserve  them  : 
'  One  day  telleth  another.'  The  Chaldeans  trust  not 
in  God  :  their  own  net  is  their  god,  their  own  yarn  is 
their  idol,  they  kiss  their  own  hands.  But  *  fear  ye 
the  Lord,  all  his  saints,  and  trust  in  him  ;  for  he  never 
faileth  them  that  trust  in  him.' 

I  have  blamed  some  for  buying  and  selling  on  the 
Sabbath  ;  they  have  answered  that  they  are  poor,  and 
are  forced  to  it,  to  help  to  feed  them.     Is  not  tbi> 


infidelity  ?  They  dare  not  trust  God  for  their  meat ; 
they  dare  trust  to  their  own  ways  against  the  precise 
commandment  of  God. 

Unlawful  recreations  on  the  Sabbath  are  so  de- 
fended ;  poor  labouring  men,  that  work  all  the  six 
days,  must  have  some  time  to  refresh  themselves. 
But  I  would  fain  know  by  what  indulgence  they  may 
dispense  with  the  law  of  the  Sabbath.  God  hath 
bidden  thee  to  remember  to  keep  the  whole  day  holy ; 
if  thy  recreations  be  holy,  thou  keepest  the  law  ;  if 
unholy,  thou  breakest  it. 

When  some  are  detected  of  fraud  and  theft,  their 
plea  is  their  necessity.  Here  is  a  root  of  infidelity  ; 
for  doth  God  lay  a  necessity  upon  any  man  to  break 
his  law  ?  He  hath  laid  on  thee  a  necessity  of  labour ; 
if  that  will  not  do,  he  hath  given  the  rich  charge  of 
thee. 

The  truth  is,  that  this  root  of  infidelity  doth  yet 
remain  in  the  hearts  of  most  of  us,  and  is  the  cause 
of  all  the  sins  that  are  committed.  For  the  light  of 
the  gospel  doth  shine  much  more  clear  now  than  ever 
it  did  in  this  land,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  is 
more  spread  than  ever  before  here.  Yet  never  was 
there  greater  corruption  of  maimers,  nor  more  cunning 
shifts  devised  for  the  advancing  of  men's  particulars. 

The  crying  sins  of  the  Jews,  injuries  done  between 
man  and  man  ;  corruption  and  contempt  of  religion  ; 
corruption  of  justice  ;  to  all  these  our  land  doth  plead 
guilty.     Where  is  the  fault  ? 

Have  you  not  heard,  have  you  not  been  taught,  the 
ways  of  the  Lord  ?  Have  you  not  been  admonished 
of  your  duty  ?  Have  you  not  been  chidden  and 
threatened  for  these  things  ?  Hath  not  the  seal  of 
God's  judgments,  written  within  and  without  with 
lamentations,  mourning,  and  woe,  been  opened  and 
read  to  you  ? 

Hath  not  God  rained  examples  thick  of  his  justice 
and  judgment  against  high  and  low  for  these  things  ? 
Why,  then,  is  not  this  amended  ? 

There  is  a  root  of  infidelity ;  we  do  not,  we  dare 
not,  trust  God  ;  and  from  hence  comes, 

1.  In  some  atheism  ;  they  live  without  God  in  the 
world. 

2.  In  others  epicurism  ;  they  hve  all  to  delight. 

3.  In  others  temporising,  and  following  and  serving 
men. 

4.  In  others  heresy,  embracing  their  own  opinions. 

5.  In  others  apostasy  from  religion  and  faith. 

6.  In  others  hypocrisy,  seeming  what  they  are  not. 

209 
0 


J22 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  11. 


7.  In  most  carnal  security,  not  caring  for  threaten- 
ings. 

8.  In  many  wilful  ignorance,  not  caring  for  the 
knowledge  of  God* 

But  tliou,  man  and  woman  of  God,  fly  these  things, 
and  know  the  Lord.  The  more  thou  knowest  him,  the 
more  thou  lovest  him  ;  the  more  thou  servest  him,  the 
more  thou  trustest  him,  and  the  more  he  blesseth  thee. 

2.  Ambition  :  '  that  he  may  set  his  nest  on  high.' 

Ambition  is  a  limb  of  pride,  and  it  is  well  set  forth 
iln  my  text.  It  is -a  building  of  a  nest  on  high  ;  it  is 
but  a  nest  that  the  ambitious  man  doth  set  up,  but  he 
•would  have  it  high,  to  overlook  all ;  yet  that  doth  not 
make  it  safe,  for  there  be  clouds 'that  can  carry  fire 
from  below  to  consume  it,  and  there  is  lightning  from 
above  to  inflame  it,  and  there  is  tempests  and  strong 
winds  to  shake  it.  And  the  axe  is  laid  to  the  root  of 
the  tree  in  which  the  nest  is  built,  and  with  the  fall 
of  that  tree  the  nest  comes  to  the  ground.  The  highest 
tree  for  a  subject  to  build  his  nest  in  is  the  favour  of 
the  prince  ;  yet  David  saith,  '  Trust  not  in  princes, 
for  there  is  no  help  in  them  :  their  breath  departeth, 
they  return  to  the  earth,  and  their  thoughts  perish.' 
It  may  be  that  he  that  sitteth  next  in  the  chair  of 
sovereignty  will  be  no  tree  for  the  same  birds  to  build  in. 

Ambition  is  an  inordinate  desire  of  honour.  St 
Gregory  hath  a  rule  which  would  stop  the  mouth  of 
suitors  and  competitors  for  honours  :  Locus  regiminis 
desiderantibus  negandus  est,  fugientibiis  offerendus.  Vir- 
tutibus  ergo  pollens,  coactus  ad  regimen  veniat. 

Naturally,  the  love  that  every  man  beareth  to  him- 

f  ^and  the  good  opinion  that  pride  putteth  into  him 
of  himself,  doth  make  him  desire  to  set  his  nest  high  ; 
and  therefore  every  man  observeth  the  course  of  the 
times  in  which  he  liveth,  to  see  which  is  the  readiest 
way  to  rise. 

The  king  is  called  the  fountain  of  honour,  for  from 
the  ruler  of  the  people  all  subordinations  of  rule  de- 
rive themselves  ;  and  therefore,  Prov.  xxix.  26,  '  Many 
■seek  the  face  of  the  ruler.'  The  way  of  preferment  is 
fioon]  found,  and  ambition  hath  a  foot  for  it.  The 
prophet's  phrase,  Pes  superbia;,  the  foot  of  pride.  If 
only  virtue  were  the  way,  only  virtue  would  be  studied. 

But  I  look  not  so  low  as  the  throne  of  earthly 
princes  for  the  fountain  of  honour.  I  hear  the  psalmist 
say,  Ps.  Ixxv.  6,  7,  '  For  promotion  cometh  neither 
from  the^east,'nor  from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south. 
But^God  is  judge  :  he  putteth  down  one,  and  setteth 
up  another.' 
210 


Many  are  ambitious  of  high  places  who  have  both 
friends  and  means,  and  yet  cannot  climb  ;  many  more 
unlikely  speed  before  them ;  and  I  can  ascribe  this  to 
nothing  but  the  supreme  hand  of  God,  from  whom  all 
promotion  cometh  ;  he  will  have  his  will  done. 

Some  he  raiseth  to  their  own  ruin,  others  to  the 
punishment  and  correction  of  the  sins  of  the  time  in 
his  anger ;  others  for  the  good  of  men,  in  favour  of 
his  church  and  the  commonwealth. 

It  becomes  not  us  to  censure  the  powers  that  are 
ordained  of  God,  as  the  apostle  teacheth,  or  to  envy 
their  high  nests  ;  but  let  every  soul  be  subject  to  the 
ordinance  of  God,  and  rest  in  his  will,  by  whom 
princes  reign,  and  by  whom  they  advance  where*  he 
pleaseth  to  set  up. 

But  ambition  of  high  nests  is  tke  theme  of  our  dis- 
course, which  is  an  inordinate  desire  of  honour ;  and 
that  is  a  sin.  It  corrupted  the  angels  which  fell,  and 
they  impoisoned  our  parents  with  it  in  paradise ;  both 
desired  to  be  like  God,  neither  stood  content  with  the 
glory  of  their  creation.  Concerning  which,  understand 
that  the  state  of  creation  did  give  man  no  further 
dominion  than  this  :  Gen.  i.  28,  '  Replenish  the  earth, 
and  subdue  it ;  and  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of 
the  sea,  and  over  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  over  every 
living  thing  that  moveth  upon  the  earth.'  Here  is  no 
dominion  given  to  man  over  man  ;  but  all  mankind  is 
endowed  with  equal  dominion  over  all  these  things, 
and  man  is  to  acknowledge  no  sovereign  lord  but  God 
his  Maker.  But  presently  after  the  fall,  for  the 
punishment  of  the  woman,  who  had  brought  the  desire 
of  her  husband  subject  to  her,  by  tempting  him  to  eat 
of  the  forbidden  fruit,  God  said  to  her,  Gen.  iii.  16, 
'  Thy  desire  shall  be  subject  to  thy  husband,  and  he 
shall  rule  over  thee.'  Yea,  when  God  saw  Cain's 
countenance  cast  down,  he  called  him  to  account  for 
it ;  and  knowing  his  discontent  to  be  against  Abel,  he 
said  to  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  7,  '  Unto  thee  his  desire  shall 
be  subject,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  him  ;'  which  St 
Chrysostom  doth  expound,  de  privilegio  primogenilurcB. 

But  as  sin  brought  in  the  law,  for  justo  non  est 
posita  lex,  so  sin  brought  in  magistracy  for  execution 
of  the  law,  and  brought  down  the  sword  of  God 
amongst  men  ;  and  the  equal  condition  of  mankind  in 
his  creation  by  sin  was  changed  into  male  and  female, 
not  in  sex,  but  in  subjection,  high  and  low,  rich  and 
poor,  bond  and  free.     So  that  this  ambition  of  an 

*  Qu.  '  whom  •  ?— Ed. 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


123 


higher  nest  came  in  with  sin,  and  being  so  brought  in 
at  first,  it  cannot  be  without  sin.] 

St  Jerome  speaks  bugs*  words,  Catx  honores  quos 
sine  culpa  tenere  non  potes ;  sublimitas  honorum  mag- 
nitudo  scelerum.  And  St  Augustine  complains  of  no- 
thing more  than  that  he  was  made  a  bishop  ;  he  was  an 
holj  man,  but  a  man,  and  his  passion  transported  him. 
In  nullo  seutio  Deiim  ita  iratum  tnihi  qiiam  in  hoc, 
quod  cum  indignus  essem  poni  ad  remum,  positus  sum 
ad  amplustre^  sive  gubeniaculum  ecclesm.  But  how- 
soever his  humility  unworthied  him  to  himself,  it  was 
God's  great  blessing  to  his  church,  not  only  then,  but 
in  all  succeeding  ages,  that  God  so  promoted  him. 

One  thing  among  the  rest  maketh  ambition  an  un- 
manly sin,  for  two  contraries  meet  in  the  ambitious, 
that  is,  pride  and  a  base  mind  :  pride  striving  to 
cUmb  high,  and  a  base  mind  servilely  attending  the 
means  of  rising,  waiting  and  observing  such  as  may 
help  him  up,  as  one  that  climbeth  embraceth  every 
bough,  and  huggeth  in  bis  arms  what  he  shortly 
treadeth  under  his  foot. 

But  Seneca  saves  me  a  labour,  for  he  doth  describe 
such  a  man  to  the  life  :  Amhitiosus  semper  est  paridus. 
Timet  quod  dicat  rel  faciat,  quid  oculis  hominum  dis- 
pliceat;  Iionestatem  tiientitur,  humilitatem  simulat,  cunc- 
tis  adulatur,  cunclis  inclinat,  omnium  est  servus  et 
tributarius,  gravem  habet  in  se  pugnam. 

The  end  of  the  Chaldean's  ambition  to  set  his  nest 
so  high,  is  that  he  may  be  delivered  from  the  power 
of  evil.  Herein  is  a  great  fallacy,  for  be  high  nests 
the  safest,  and  is  greatness  security  ?  May  not  we 
that  have  lived  to  see  in  few  years  great  changes, 
say  that  high  preferments  be  giddy  and  slippery, 
feriuntque  summos  fulmina  monies? 

The  reasons  why  ambition  maketh  men  unhappy. 

1.  The  ground  of  it  is  pride,  which  is  an  over- ween- 
ing ourselves  and  our  own  worth ;  and  this  robbeth 
God  of  glory;  for  quid  habes  quod  non  accepisti,  there- 
fore God  resist€th  the  proud. 

2.  The  whole  operation  of  ambition  is  by  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world,  and  that  is  folly.  Petrus  Ravenna 
doth  set  it  out  well : 

Ambitio  est  qucedam  simia  charitatis :  charitas  pa- 
tiens  e^t  pro  ceternis:  ambitio  patitur  omnia  pro  caducis: 
charitas  benigna  est pauperibus,  ambitio  divitibus:  chari- 
tas omnia  suffert  pro  veritate  ;  ambitio  pro  ranitate  ; 
utraque  omnia  credit,  omnia  sperat,  sed  dissimili  modo. 

*  Qu.  '  big  '  ?  Or  is  it  worda  that  may  frighten  us,  as  a 
bugbear?— Ed. 


3.  It  is  altogether  uncharitable ;  for  charitas  ut  teip- 
sum.  It  is  Job's  phrase  of  the  fatherless,  he  was 
brought  up  with  me  as  with  a  father  ;  so  doth  charity 
bring  up  inferiors,  and  equals  grow  together ;  but 
ambition  doth  not,  cannot  affect  magnitudinem  suam, 
sine  partita te  aliena. 

4.  It  is  before  expressed  to  be  insatiable,  quis  enim 
modus  adsit  honori  /  A  man  desireth  first  to  be  emi- 
nent in  the  street  wherein  he  Uves,  and  then  in  the 
city ;  and  yet  having  attained  his  desire,  as  Seneca 
saith,  Navis  qua  in  flumine  magna  est,  in  mari  parrula 
est.  One  that  is  high  and  great  in  the  city,  in  the 
country  where  he  lives,  in  the  university,  let  him 
come  to  the  court,  and  he  shall  see  how  many  spheres 
of  gi'eatness  do  move  above  him.  Here  is  more  work 
for  ambition :  if  we  remember  the  law,  proximum  tit 
teipsum,  '  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,'  we  will  no  more 
desire  to  exceed  one  the  other  in  the  state  wherein  we 
live,  than  a  man  desireth  one  hand  or  one  leg,  in  pro- 
portion of  strength  and  bigness,  to  exceed  the  other 
in  his  body. 

5.  "We  have  a  fair  example  in  our  elder  brother, 
for  though  he  was  such  as  to  whom  it  was  said,  Heb. 
ii.  17,  Adorent  eum  omnes  angdi  ejus,  '  worship  him, 
all  ye  angels,'  yet  to  become  our  brother ;  '  In  all 
things  it  behoved  him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  breth- 
ren.' He  could  not  do  this  without  humiliation ;  there 
was  no  power  above  him  to  humble  him,  and  '  he 
thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God;'  the 
power  that  did  it  was  in  himself,  humiliarit  semet  ip- 
sum,  he  humbled  himself. 

Ambition,  therefore,  putteth  us  out  of  the  way  of 
life.  Christ  humbled  himself:  Et  qui  vult  esse  dis- 
cipulus  mens  sequatur  me,  'He  that  will  be  my  disciple 
must  follow  me.' 

The  doctrine  of  contentedness  doth  still  offer  itself 
to  us,  commanded  in  the  last  of  the  ten,  for  non  con- 
cupisces  aliena  saith,  sorte  tua  contentus,  be  contented 
with  thy  lot.     This  also  serveth  for  the  next  point. 

3.  They  are  charged  with  covetousness,  of  which 
Christ  saith,  'Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetousness,' 
giving  us  a  double  caution  against  it. 

The  apostle  giveth  a  reason,  because  it  is  the  root 
of  all  evil,  1  Tim.  vi.  10  ;  but  that  reason  doth  not 
draw  blood,  for  where  the  conscience  is  not  tender, 
malum  culpa,  the  evil  of  punishment*  is  not  feared. 
But  it  folio weth,  '  "Which  while  some  have  coveted 


•   Qn.  *oin'?— Ed. 


211 


124. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


after,  they  have  erred   from  the  faith,  and   pierced 
themselves^through  with  many  sorrows.' 

Ambition' hath  this  handmaid  to  attend  it,  this  fac- 
tor to  negotiate  for  it ;  for  ambition  is  not  supported 
without  great  charge.  Our  own  times  tell  us  so,  and 
ambition  cannot  be  a  great  spender,  if  covetousness 
be  not  a  great  getter.  Covetousness  is  an  inordinate 
desire  of  the  wealth  of  this  world,  aud  is  many  ways 
culpable. 

1.  Because  God  hath  given  man  dominion  of  the 
earth,  and  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  let  not 
us  remove  them,  and,  as  David  saith,  let  us  not  cor 
ajqwnere,  set  our  heart  upon  them. 

Gold  and  silver  are  lower  put  under  us  than  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  for  they  grow  within  the  bowels 
of  the  earth,  nearer  to  hell,  to  shew  the  danger  that  is 
in  them.  Therefore  the  apostles  had  these  things  not 
put  into  their  bosoms,  or  into  their  hands,  but  laid  at 
their  feet. 

2.  Because  the  Scripture  hath  expressed  the  woe 
of  God  belonging  to  the  covetous,  as  you  have  heard, 
Vce  liomini  qui  covrfiegat  non  sua,  woe  to  the  man 
which  gathereth  not  his  own. 

They  that  are  covetous  do  carry  stateram  dolosam, 
a  deceitful  balance,  Hosea  xii.  7,  for,  lay  the  con- 
science in  one  scale,  and  the  least  gain  that  is  in  the 
other,  the  conscience  is  found  too  light,  as  St  Augus- 
tine, Lucrum  in  and,  damnuin  in  conscientid. 

For  St  Paul,  Eph.  v.,  calleth  covetousness  idolatry  ; 
and  Christ  calleth  Mammon  the  god  of  the  covetous  : 
'  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  Mammon.'  This  is  clear; 
for  where  doth  the  covetous  man  bestow  and  place  his 
faith,  hope,  and  love,  but  in  his  wealth,  which  we  do 
owe  to  God  ? 

The  rich  man  sang  a  requiem  to  his  soul,  Luke  xii. : 
*  Now  my  soul,  make  merry,  for  thou  hast  goods 
enough  laid  up  for  many  years.' 

3.  Because  covetousness  is  a  fruitful  sin ;  the 
daughters  thereof  are  commonly 

(1.)  Usury;  (2.)  rapine;  (3.)  fraud;  (4.)  bribes; 
(5.)  simony. 

(1.)  Concerning  usury,  let  me  out  of  ihe  word  say 
only  to  you,  that  he  shall  dwell  in  the  Lord's  taber- 
nacle, that  is,  shall  rest  under  God's  protection  on 
earth ;  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  holy  hill,  that  is, 
possessions  in  heaven,  who  '  putteth  not  his  money 
out  to  usury,'  Ps.  xv.  Where  he  shall  dwell  that  doth 
80,  you  may  easily  conclude. 

If  you  will  hear  the  judgment  of  a  parliament,  the 
212 


statute*  concerning  the  forbidding  of  usury  doth  be- 
gin thus :  *  Forasmuch  as  all  usury  by  the  laws  of  God 
is  sin,  and  detestable.  Be  it  therefore  enacted,'  &c. 

If  thou  wilt  know  the  judgment  of  learned  divines, 
fathers  both  of  the  eastern  and  western  churches, 
councils,  later  divines  have  written  against  it,  and  de- 
tected it  unlawful,  so  that  it  is  of  all  learned  evil 
spoken  of. 

But  the  covetousness  of  the  Chaldeans  was  not  of 
this  sort,  therefore  not  of  purpose  to  be  handled,  but 
incidentally  to  be  remembered ;  yet  non  sine  morsu  in 
transitu,  yet  not  without  a  lash  in  the  way. 

(3.)  Fraud  is  another  of  the  daughters  of  covetous- 
ness, when  we  by  any  wit,  or  the  art  of  seeming,  do 
over-reach  one  another  in  matter  of  negotiation,  of 
which  the  apostle,  1  Thes.  iv.  6 :  '  That  no  man  go 
beyond,  or  defraud  his  brother  in  any  matter,  because 
the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all  such,  as  we  also  have 
forewarned  you,  and  testified.' 

(4.)  Bribes  is  another  daughter  of  covetousness. 
It  was  part  of  Samuel's  purgation  of  himself:  1  Sam. 
xii.  3,  '  Of  whom  have  I  received  bribes  to  blind  mine 
eyes  therewith  ? '  For  Solomon  saith,  Prov.  xvii.  23, 
'  A  wicked  man  taketh  the  gift  out  of  the  bosom,  to 
pervert  the  ways  of  judgment.'  Micah  deseribeth 
more  than  his  own  times:  chap.  iii.  11,  'The  heads 
of  Sion  judge  for  reward,  and  the  priests  thereof  teach 
for  hire,  and  the  prophets  thereof  divine  for  money  : 
yet  will  they  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and  say,  Is  not  the 
Lord  among  us  ?  no  evil  can  come  upon  us,'  Read 
on. 

(5.)  Simony  is  another  daughter  of  covetousness. 
I  say  no  more  of  it,  but  leave  it  with  St  Peter's  bless- 
ings, Pereat  argenlum  tuum  tecum,  '  let  thy  money 
perish  with  thee.' 

But  rapine  was  the  proper  and  natural  daughter  of 
the  covetousness  of  the  Chaldeans  ;  they  bad  their 
angle,  and  their  net,  and  their  drag  ;  nothing  could 
escape  them.  The  great  fish  did  eat  up  the  little 
ones  ;  oppression  was  the  crying  sin  of  Babylon,  all 
their  neighbours  did  groan  under  it. 

(1.)  This  sin  doth  destroy  jus  naturah,  natural 
right,  which  is,  quod  tibi fieri  non  vis,  alteri  nefeceris, 
do  as  thou  wouldst  be  done  to  ;  out  of  which  principles 
these  two  do  arise  : 

1.  Ne  cui  noccas,  hurt  none. 

2.  Vt  communi  bono  descrvias,  serve  the  common 
good. 

*  An.  14  Elizab. 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKL'lL 


12.: 


(2.)  It  offendeth  the  written  law,  which  doth  not 
only  restrain  actum  rapina,  non  furaberis,  the  act  of 
rapine,  thou  shalt  not  steal,  but  voluntatem  rapina, 
non  conciipisces,  but  the  will,  thoa  shalt  not  covet. 

Agur  the  son  of  Jakeh  saith,  Prov.  xxx.  14,  '  There 
is  a  generation  whose  teeth  are  as  swords,  and  their 
jaw-teeth  as  knives,  to  devour  the  poor  from  oflf  the 
earth,  and  the  needy  from  among  men.'  This  gene- 
ration is  not  yet  grown  barren.  Christ  saith,  Pauperes 
semper  habibitisvobiscum,  you  shall  have  always  the  poor 
with  you ;  and  this  generation  of  oppressors  wiU  be 
ever  teeming  so  long  as  they  have  such  matter  to  work 
upon,  for  the  rich  and  mighty  will  shift  for  themselves. 
(3.)  It  incurreth  the  severe  censure  of  God's  jas- 
tice  ;  for  if  God  say,  '  Go,  ye  cursed,'  to  them  that 
did  not  dare  sua,  give  their  own,  quid  faciei  eis  qui 
rapuerunt  aliena  /  woe  to  them  that  take  that  which 
is  none  of  theirs. 

(4.)  This  sin  of  rapine  doth  incur  the  curses  of 
them  that  are  robbed  ;  for  every  man  crieth  woe  to 
each  as  congest  that  which  is  not  their  own. 

(5.)  This  sin  doth  hinder  the  ascent  of  the  prayers 
of  them  that  commit  it.  God  will  not  admit  them  to 
his  presence,  for  so  God  saith,  Isa.  i.  18,  •  Relieve 
the  oppressed ;  judge  the  fatherless  ;  plead  for  the 
widow.     Come  now,  ani  let  us  reason  together.' 

(6.)  The  time  shall  come  when  those  that  snffer 
wrong  shall  judge  their  oppressors,  for  '  the  saints 
shall  judge  the  world.' 

Therefore  let  every  man  make  conscience  of  doing 
violence.  '  Doubtless  there  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in 
the  world.'  Let  us  value  men  as  our  brethren,  and 
seek  their  good  ;  let  us  direct  our  intentions  and  sub- 
ventions to  that  only  end,  that  he  that  loveth  God 
may  declare  it  by  loving  his  brother  also  ;  let  our 
brethren  grow  up  with  us,  and  let  us  joy  in  their  pros- 
perity. 

4.  Cruelty  is  charged  upon  them. 
For  they  build  in  blood,  and  cruelty  is  also  one  of 
the  companions   of  ambition   and  covetousness.      If 
Ahab  have  a  desire   for   Naboth's  vineyard,  either 
Naboth  must  part  with  his  vineyard  or  his  life. 

They  are  not  all  innocent  of  this  great  offence  that 
keep  themselves  from  shedding  of  blood.  They  that 
invade  the  means  of  the  maintenance  of  life,  that 
pinch  the  labourer  in  his  wages,  or  that  make  the 
hireUng  work  for  nothing,  or  that  let  their  hire  sleep 
in  their  custody,  whilst  he  pineth  for  want  of  things 
necessary,  are  all  guilty  of  this  accusation  of  blood. 


It  was  the  provocation  wherewith  God  was  provoked 
against  the  old  world,  for  which  he  brought  upon 
them  the  great  flood  that  destroyed  them  all.  This 
was  Edom's  sin  in  Obadiah. 

There  is  a  manifold  cruelty,  as  yon  then  heard. 

1.  Cruelty  of  combination,  when  we  make  ourselves 
strong  in  a  faction,  to  oppress  all  that  oppose  us,  and 
go  not  our  way. 

2.  Cruelty  of  the  eye,  when  we  can  be  content  to 
look  on,  to  see  injuries  done  to  our  brethren,  without 
any  compassion  or  subvention. 

3.  Cruelty  of  heart,  when  we  rejoice  against  them 
that  suffer  wrong,  and  make  ourselves  merry  with 
their  afflictions. 

4.  Cruelty  of  the  tongue,  when  we  insult  over  them 
and  brand  them  with  taunts. 

5.  Cruelty  of  the  hands,  when  we 

(1.)  Either  persecute  their  persons  with  molesta- 
tion ; 

(2.)  Or  touch  their  liberty  with  unjust  restraint; 

(3.)  Or  rob  them  of  their  goods  by  cruel  direptions  ; 

(4.)  Or  hinder  the  course  of  justice  that  should  do 
them  right ; 

(5.)  Or  procure  their  death  because  they  do  stand 
in  our  light,  and  hinder  our  rising.  Of  all  these  I  have 
spoken  heretofore.  We  now  hast<;n  to  the  declaration 
of  God's  just  vengeance  against  this  ambition. 

2.  The  punishment. 

1.  They  consult  shame  to  their  own  house. 

2.  They  sin  against  their  own  souls. 

3.  They  labour  in  vain,  and  without  success. 

1.  They  consult  shame  to  their  own  house.  Am- 
bition doth  affect  to  build  up  an  house,  to  establish  a 
name  that  may  continue  in  the  blood  and  posterity 
in  succeeding  generations  with  glory  and  honour. 
David  hath  a  cross  prayer,  which  is  in  the  hearts  and 
mouths  of  many  that  hate  such  pride  :  '  Let  not  their 
wicked  imagination  prosper,  lest  they  grow  too  proud.' 
These  words  do  shew  that  ambitious  pride  shall  not 
prosper  ;  and  whereas  they  study  honour,  and  consult 
glory,  in  their  aim  and  intention,  God  turneth  it  all 
to  shame  in  the  event. 

The  words  of  my  text  are  the  words  of  God  ;  he 
knoweth  what  he  meaneth  to  do,  and  he  saith,  '  they 
consult  their  own  shame,'  because  he  purposeth  to 
turn  all  their  glory  into  shame. 

Shame  is  the  thing  that  an  ambitious  man  doth 

desire  to  decline  above  all  things  ;  all  his  studies  bend 

j  their  strength  against  it,  and  pursue  glory,  which  is 

213 


]2G 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


the  contrary  to  it.  To  this  purpose  covetous  men 
gather  riches,  and  then  with  money  purchase  great 
offices  and  great  titles  to  make  great  houses,  and 
nominous  families  upon  earth  to  survive  them. 

But  where  this  greatness  is  begun  by  ambition, 
maintained  and  supported  by  rapine  and  cruelty,  pride 
will  have  a  fall ;  he  that  meaneth  to  give  it  the  fall 
saith  so.  God,  whose  power  none  hath  ever  resisted, 
he  will  turn  that  glory  into  shame. 

The  wise  man  saith,  Prov.  xv.  27,  '  He  that  is 
greedy  of  gain  troubleth  his  own  house.'  For,  Prov. 
xiv.  11,  *  the  house  of  the  wicked  shall  be  overthrown.' 
He  doth  not  mean  domus,  the  house,  but  familia,  the 
family,  the  whole  name  and  posterity,  the  glory  ;  all 
shall  perish  and  come  to  shame. 

And  Prov.  xv.  25,  Solomon  tells  us  who  shall  do  it : 
'  The  Lord  will  destroy  the  house  of  the  proud.'  This 
is  their  shame,  to  come  down  again,  when  men  have 
been  aspiring,  and  settled  their  nest  on  high,  and 
made  themselves  believe  that  their  honour  shall  be 
established  upon  their  house  ;  for  then, 

1.  God  shall  laugh  them  to  scorn,  the  Lord  shall 
have  them  in  derision,  saying,  Behold,  the  man  is  be- 
come as  one  of  us. 

2.  Men  shall  laugh  at  them  and  say  :  Ps.  Hi.  7, 
•  Lo,  this  is  the  man  that  made  not  God  his  strength  ; 
but  trusted  in  the  abundance  of  his  riches,  and 
strengthened  himself  in  his  wickedness.'  For  Solo- 
mon saith,  Prov.  xi.  10,  *  When  the  wicked  perish, 
there  is  shouting.' 

3.  The  Lord  shall  be  glorified  in  the  shame  of  the 
proud,  covetous,  cruel  man  ;  for  every  man  shall  say. 
Rev.  xviii.  8,  *  Strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth 
them,'  as  over  Babel.  Thus  is  God  praised  :  ver.  20, 
'  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles 
and  prophets  ;  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her.' 

This  point  is  of  excellent  use. 

Use  1.  For  doctrine,  it  teacheth  us  that  which 
Solomon  hath  said,  Prov.  x.  24,  '  The  fear  of  the 
wicked  shall  come  upon  him.'  The  proud  man  feareth 
nothing  so  much  as  shame,  the  covetous  man  feareth 
nothing  so  much  as  want,  the  cruel  man  nothing  so 
much  as  revenge,  the  glutton  nothing  so  much  as  hard 
fare,  the  drunkard  nothing  so  much  as  a  cup  of  cold 
water  ;  and  God  hath  threatened  these  offenders  with 
all  these  judgments. 

Use  2.  It  commendeth  to  us  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  humility,  and  all  holy  virtues,  for  they  be 
all  builders,  and  raise  up  houses,  and  lay  the  founda- 
214 


tion  sure.  Ps.  cxii.  7,  Ah  auditione  mail  non  timehit. 
'  The  just  man  is  bold  as  a  lion,'  as  Solomon,  Prov. 
xxviii.  1.  '  The  wicked  are  overthrown,  and  are  not : 
but  the  house  of  the  righteous  shall  stand,'  Prov. 
xii.  7.  Humility  layeth  the  foundation  of  it  low. 
Faith  worketh  by  love  to  furnish  it.  Honour  and 
much  glory  are  the  roof  of  it ;  peace  is  the  fence  about 
it,  and  prosperity  the  demesnes  belonging  to  it.  And 
the  guard  of  angels  pitch  their  tents  round  about  it. 
This  house  is  built  upon  a  rock,  yet  it  must  endure 
the  winds  and  waves. 

Use  3.  This  hath  deceived  many,  for  they  have 
thought  unrighteousness  the  better  and  safer  way, 
because  they  have  seen  the  wicked  flourishing,  and 
spreading  like  to  a  green  bay  tree.  Job  dlsturbeth 
them  in  their  ruflf,  and  glory,  and  fulness,  and  fat- 
ness :  Job  XX.  9,  '  Tiieir  houses  are  safe  from  fear, 
neither  is  the  rod  of  God  upon  them.'  It  goeth  plea- 
santly for  two  or  three  verses,  but,  ver.  13,  'in  a 
moment  they  go  down  to  the  grave.' 

It  is  an  admirable  wisdom  that  Job  hath  recorded 
to  direct  our  observation  of  such  :  ver.  16,  '  Lo,  their 
good  is  not  in  their  hand.'  They  are  not  masters  of 
their  happy  estate  ;  which  he  proveth  :  ver.  17,  '  How 
oft  is  the  candle  of  the  wicked  put  out ;'  it  is  but  a 
candle,  and  it  is  put  out  often  ;  '  for  God  distributeth 
sorrows  in  his  anger.'  God  is  angry ;  he  doth  not 
cover  them  over  with  sorrows,  and  overwhelm  them 
with  woe  here,  but  he  distributes  sorrow,  giving  them 
some  luc'ula  intervaUa. 

This  varnish,  and  paint,  and  gilding  of  unrighteous- 
ness with  temporal  happiness,  doth  make  it  deceive 
many :  Ps.  xcii.  6,  *  A  brutish  man  knoweth  not ; 
neither  doth  a  fool  understand  this.  When  the  wicked 
spring  as  the  grass,  and  all  the  workers  of  iniquity 
flourish,  it  is  that  they  shall  be  destroyed  for  ever.' 
Who  would  have  thought  it  ?  every  man  saith  when 
he  seeth  pride  have  a  fall.  No;  for  the  psalmist 
saith,  '  Thy  thoughts  are  very  deep.' 

Here  God  himself  declareth  that  ambition  shall  end 
in  shame  ;  and  the  candle  of  the  wicked,  when  it  is 
put  out,  will  end  in  a  foul  and  stinking  smoke. 

Use  4.  This  admonisheth  and  exhorteth  all  that  love 
their  houses,  and  study  their  own  honour,  to  seek  it 
in  the  way  of  piety  and  charity ;  let  such  serve  God, 
let  them  not  neglect  the  Lord's  house,  the  Lord's  day, 
the  Lord's  table  ;  let  them  suffer  their  brethren  to 
dwell  in  peace  by  them,  and  to  grow  up  with  them, 
and  to  be  the  better  for  them. 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


127 


It  is  not  the  riches  that  we  leave  behind  us  to  our 
heirs  that  doth  build  our  house,  but  that  we  bestow 
well  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  our  brethren 
where  we  live.  You  shall  see  it  in  our  Saviour's  sen- 
tence :  Mat.  XXV.  35,  '  I  was  hungry,  and  you  fed 
me :  I  was  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me,'  etc.  Not  the 
meat  that  we  do  eat  ourselves,  nor  the  clothes  that 
we  do  wear  ourselves,  nor  the  money  and  land  that 
we  demise  to  our  posterity,  maketh  us  friends  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord,  but  what  we  dispose. 

A  worthy  citizen  of  our  city,  that  had  been  his  own 
steward  of  his  goods,  and  disposed  them  to  many 
charitable  uses,  was  his  own  poet  for  his  epitaph,  and 
caused  this  line  among  others  to  be  insculped  on  his 
grave. 

That  I  gave,  that  I  have. 

Which  calls  to  my  remembrance  a  story  that  I  read 
in  Peraldus,  bishop  of  Lyons  in  France,  how  a  great 
lord,  thinking  his  tenant  somewhat  too  rich,  and 
meaning  to  share  with  him,  required  of  him  a  true 
inventory  of  his  estate,  and  what  his  wealth  was.  He 
answered,  it  was  in  all  six  hundred  crowns.  It  was 
objected  that  he  dissembled  his  estate :  such  a  grange, 
such  a  house,  such  a  farm,  and  many  other  things  of 
good  value  belonging  to  him  were  not  named ;  he  an- 
swered :  lUa  non  sunt  mea,  sed  domini  mei,  qui  quando 
voluerit  potest  en  accipere ;  sed  quod  dedi  pro  Deo  in 
manus  pauperuin  in  salvd  custodid  posui,  ita  quod  nuUiis 
potest  mihi  illud  au/erre.  These  are  not  mine,  but 
my  lord's,  who,  when  he  please,  may  take  them  from 
me ;  but  what  I  have  for  God  given  to  the  poor,  I 
have  laid  that  in  safe  custody,  so  as  none  is  able  to 
take  that  from  me. 

The  riches  wherewith  we  honour  God  do  build  our 
house,  always  provided  that  they  be  riches  well  gotten ; 
for  if  charity  have  been  violated  in  the  getting  of 
wealth,  the  charity  of  giving  it  away  to  the  poor  will 
not  redeem  the  breach  of  justice.  Justice  must  ever 
go  before  charity  in  the  dispensation  of  our  goods. 
First,  suum  cuique,  to  every  one  his  own  ;  then  tuum, 
thy  own ;  so  Zacchcus,  he  began  at  reddo,  I  restore  ; 
and  from  thence  went  to  do,  I  give. 

2.  Punishment.  '  And  hast  sinned  against  thy 
soul.' 

The  meaning,  as  I  take  it,  is,  that  all  this  evil  shall 
one  day  smart  upon  the  soul  of  the  Chaldeans.  The 
doctrine  is, 

Boct.  All  sins  committed  against  the  law  of  God, 
are  done  against  the  souls  of  them  that  commit  them. 


The  committers  of  sin  are  of  two  sorts  : 
1.  The  elect ;  2.  The  reprobate. 
The  elect  sin  against  their  souls.     1.  Cu/pa,  inthe 
fault.     2.  Plena,  in  the  punishment. 

1.  Propter  culpam,  in  regard  of  the  fault. 

1.  Because  every  sin  that  a  man  committeth  doth 
defile  the  soul,  and  polluteth  the  temple  where  the 
Holy  Ghost  should  dwell;  so  that  Christ  saith  to 
every  soul,  '  Except  I  wash  thee,  thou  hast  no  part 
with  me.' 

2.  Because  every  sin  that  a  man  committeth  doth 
hinder  the  influence  of  grace,  and  maketh  the  soul 
the  more  uncapable  of  light  and  heat  from  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  ;  for  every  sin  is  an  eclipse  of  that  Sun, 
which  is  thus  proved. 

1.  In  our  hearing  of  the  word  ;  if  we  be  either  like 
the  highway,  where  the  seed  is  lost  quite.  Mat.  xiii.  3 ; 
or  Uke  the  stony  ground,  where  the  seed  cannot  take 
root;  or  like  the  thorny  ground,  where  it  may  take 
root  and  spring  up,  but  is  choked  in  the  growth  ;  the 
good  seed  never  cometh  to  an  harvest.  Our  sins 
must  be  removed,  to  make  the  soil  good  and  fruit- 
ful. 

2.  In  our  prayer:  Ps.  Ixvi.  18,  '  If  I  regard  wicked- 
ness in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me.' 

3.  In  our  receiving  the  sacrament:  1  Cor.  xi.  29, 
'  If  I  eat  and  drink  unworthily,  I  eat  and  drink  dam- 
nation.' 

4.  In  alms  :  Mat.  vi.  1,  If  I  do  it  to  be  seen  of 
men,  I  lose  my  reward ;  for  I  have  it  here. 

Sin  is  leaven,  it  corrupteth  the  whole  soul  of  man, 
and  maketh  it  a  trespasser  in  all  that  it  doth ;  so  that 
the  elect  man,  in  respect  of  his  fault,  doth  sin  against 
his  ovrn  soul,  and  defileth  it. 

2.  Propter  pcenam,  in  respect  of  the  punishment. 

1.  Because  it  bringeth  forth  guilt  of  conscience, 
which  maketh  us  confounded  and  ashamed  in  our- 
selves, so  that  we  dare  not  lift  up  our  eyes  to  heaven, 
nor  look  our  God  in  the  face,  whose  mercy  we  have 
abused,  whose  anger  we  have  provoked,  whose  good- 
ness we  have  oflended. 

2.  Because  sin  maketh  matter  of  sorrow  in  the 
soul  of  the  offender ;  and  a  godly  sorrow  troubleth 
and  disquieteth  the  soul  within  us.  In  that  case  was 
Job,  Job  vii.  20,  Peccavi,  quid  faciam  tibi  J  Quid 
feci  ?     '  I  have  sinned,  what  shall  I  do  unto  thee  ?' 

3.  Because  the  soul  hath  no  peace  till  it  hath 
wrought  a  revenge  upon  itself,  and  upon  the  body'too 
in  which  it  committed  sin. 

215 


128 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


I 


David's  Humilavi  mnmam  meam,  Ps.  xxxv.  13 ; 
and  St  Paul's  Castigo  corims  mewn,  1  Cor.  ix.  27. 

There  must  be  afflictio,  and  amaritudo  animce,  Isa. 
xxxviii.  17  ;  we  carry  rods  about  us  for  the  nonce  ; 
even  our  own  hearts  will  smite  us,  as  David's  did. 
This  brings  God  home  to  us  again :  '  For  I  dwell 
with  the  humble  and  contrite,'  Isa.  Ivii.  15  ;  and  then 
salvation  is  come  home  to  our  house  once  again. 

2.  Impii  autem  non  sic.  Not  so  with  the  wicked  ; 
they  sin  against  their  souls,  because  all  the  evils  of 
their  whole  life  are  written  in  the  book  of  God's  remem- 
brance, and  folded  up  in  the  roll  of  their  own  con- 
science, which  shall  be  opened  against  them  in  the 
last  day,  and  they  shall  be  judged  according  to  all 
that  is  written  in  those  books  ;  and  there  shall  be 
'judgment  without  mercy  to  them  that  shewed  no 
mercy,'  James  ii.  13. 

This  doth  not  exclude  temporal  punishments  ;  for 
so  shall  they  smart  also,  they  shall  have  no  peace  in 
this  life,  for  ever  and  anon,  as  Job  saith,  '  their 
candle  shall  be  put  out,  and  God  shall  distribute  his 
sorrows  amongst  them.'  They  shall  have  many  great 
shames,  many  great  fears,  many  sad  affronts  of  care 
and  discontent,  though  commeddled  with  some  fair 
weather,  good  cheer,  ease,  delights,  and  such  sweeten- 
ings as  the  flattery  of  the  world  and  the  favour  of  the 
times  shall  yield  them.  Yet,  in  the  end,  all  the  evil 
that  they  have  studied  and  intended  against  others, 
shall  fall  upon  their  own  heads.  But  still,  the  worst 
is  behind  ;  their  souls  and  bodies  shall  smart  for  it  in 
the  last  day,  and  the  hand  of  God  shall  then  pay  home. 

For  them  I  take  no  care ;  be  it  unto  them  as  they 
have  deserved,  and  the  Lord  requite  it  at  their  hands, 
and  requite  it  upon  them. 

But  for  so  many  as  follow  righteousness,  and  fear  God, 
and  would  walk  in  his  ways,  let  us  stir  up  one  another 
in  the  fear  of  God,  to  seek  the  Lord  whilst  he  may  be 
found,  and  to  tender  our  souls.  The  sins  that  we 
commit  with  such  delight  will  cost  us  many  an  heart- 
breaking sigh,  many  floods  of  salt  water,  tears  of  bitter- 
ness, which  are  sanguis  animce,  the  blood  of  the  soul, 
hanging  down  of  the  head,  beating  of  the  breast,  fast- 
ing from  our  full  fare,  and  stripping  our  bodies  out  of 
their  soft  raiment  into  sackcloth,  and  changing  our 
sweet  powders  into  ashes. 

There  is  no  such  disease  incident  to  man  as  this 
tremor  cordis,  the  trembling  of  the  heart  for  sin ;  this 
anima  dolct,  the  learning  of  the  physician,  the  art  of  the 
apothecary  have  no  receipt  for  it. 
216 


As  Saint  Paul  saith  of  the  law,  that  it  is  the  strength 
of  sin ;  so  I  may  say,  that  at  first,  in  the  beginning  of 
the  cure,  the  very  remedy  is  the  strength  of  the  disease, 
and  makes  the  disease  double  the  distress  thereof,  as 
in  David. 

1.  The  prophet  came  to  heal  him,  and  he  saith, 
Ps.  cxvi.  11,  *  I  said  in  my  haste.  All  men  are  liars,* 
prophets  and  all,  if  they  speak  of  any  comfort  to  me. 

2.  God  himself  presented  himself  to  his  thought, 
and  that  would  not  do.  '  I  thought  upon  God,  and 
I  was  troubled ;  my  fear  came,  and  ceased  not ;  my 
soul  refused  comfort.' 

Yea,  there  is  such  a  sweetness  in  revenge  that  a 
penitent  man  doth  take  upon  himself,  that  he  hath  a 
kind  of  delight  in  his  own  self-punishment,  as  in 
Isaiah's  example  :  Isa.  xxii.  4,  '  Look  away  from  me  ; 
I  will  weep  bitterly,  labour  not  to  comfort  me.' 

There  is  nothing  that  makes  us  sin  with  so  much 
appetite  and  so  little  fear  as  this.  We  have  banished 
confession,  which  biyngeth  shame  upon  us,  and  penance, 
which  bringeth  smart ;  we  have  taken  the  matter  into 
our  own  hands,  and  no  man  hateth  his  own  flesh. 
Repentance  is  rather  matter  of  discourse  and  contem- 
plation than  of  practice  and  passion ;  and  so  we  sin, 
and  our  souls  are  not  much  troubled  at  it.  But  who- 
soever is  touched  in  conscience  throughly  with  the 
remorse  of  sin  will  say.  There  is  no  disease  to  a 
wounded  spirit,  and  the  costliest  sacrifice  that  a  man 
can  ofier  to  God  is  a  contrite  spirit  and  a  broken 
heart. 

3.  Punishment,  labour  in  vain.  '  Is  it  not  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  that  this  people  shall  labour  in  the 
very  fire,  and  weary  themselves  with  very  vanity  ? ' 

1.  Here  is  labour ;  it  is  labor  improhus,  that  useth 
to  carry  all  before  it.  It  is  amplified,  for  here  is 
'  labour  in  the  fire  ; ' 

Multa  tulit  fecitque  pucr,  sudavit  et  alsit ; 

labour  even  to  weariness. 

2.  Here  is  much  ado  about  nothing ;  for  all  this  is 
vanity,  '  very  vanity.' 

3.  Who  crosses  them  ?  '  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  ? ' 

Annon  ecce  a  Jehova  exercituum  ?  Calvin.  Nonne 
ecce  a  cum  Domino  /  Interlin. 

From  the  first,  here  is  labour.  This  sin  is  very 
painful. 

Doct.  Covetousness  to  gather  wealth  together,  and 
cruelty  to  destroy  so  many  to  strip  them,  and  ambi- 


Ver.  9-U.] 


MARBUBT  ON  HABAKKtns:. 


129 


tion  to  purchase  high  place  hereby.     We  may  truly 
say,  Uic  labor,  hoc  opus  est. 

Is  it  not  strange  ?  The  way  to  hell  is  all  down  the 
hill,  yet  it  is  very  uneasy  and  very  weary  travelling 
thither.  Christ  calleth  to  him  all  that  are  weary  and 
heavy  laden,  and  promiseth  to  refresh  them,  Matt, 
li.  28.  And  God  sheweth  his  people  a  rest,  say- 
ing, I«a.  xxviii.  12,  '  This  is  the  rest  wherewith  you 
may  cause  the  weary  to  rest,  and  this  is  the  refresh- 
ing.' 

But  this  rest  is  not  promised  to  them  that  weary 
themselves,  and  work  in  the  fire,  rising  early  and  going 
late  to  bed  to  work  shame  for  their  own  houses,  and 
to  sin  against  their  own  souls ;  such  shall  one  day 
complain,*  *  We  have  wearied  ourselves  in  the  ways  of 
wickedness  and  destruction;  yea,  we  have  gone  through 
deserts  where  there  was  no  way ;  but  as  for  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  we  have  not  known  it.' 

II(/»);5oc,  which  signifieth  a  wicked  man,  cometh  of 
cowc,  which  signifieth  labour ;  for  it  is  a  great  deal  of 
labour  that  they  take  that  Uve  in  pursuit  of  honour, 
in  the  oppression  and  molestation  of  their  brethren,  in 
the  racking  vexation  of  covetous  congestions  of  wealth. 
Cain  vexeth  himself.  Nimrod  must  be  a  mighty 
hunter  before  the  Lord.  Lamech  must  kill  a  man. 
The  earth  must  be  full  of  cruelty  to  have  their  own 
will.  This  is  labour  in  the  very  fire  to  do  mischief. 
The  head  of  wickedness  must  be  always  plotting  and 
projecting.  They  imagine  wickedness  upon  their  bed ; 
it  will  not  sufier  them  to  sleep.  The  hand  of  wicked- 
ness must  be  always  working.  The  foot  of  pride  must 
be  always  climbing.     The  eye  of  envy  is  ever  waking. 

Shall  I  give  you  a  fail  description  of  the  labour  of 
the  unrighteous  drawn  to  the  life  ?  Dent,  xxviii.  65, 
♦  The  Lord  shall  give  thee  there  a  trembling  heart, 
and  failing  of  eyes,  and  sorrow  of  mind.  And  thy  life 
shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee,  and  thou  shalt  fear 
day  and  night,  and  thou  shalt  have  none  assurance  of 
thy  hfe.  Li  the  morning  thou  shalt  say.  Would  God 
it  were  even  !  and  at  even  thou  shalt  say,  Would  God 
it  were  morning !  for  the  fear  of  thine  heart  which 
thou  shalt  fear,  and  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  which 
thou  shall  see.' 

Here  is  unquietness  even  npon  the  bed  of  rest 
The  reason  is  given  :  Isa.  xxviii.  20,  •  For  the  bed  is 
shorter  than  a  man  can  stretch  himself  on  it,  and  the 
covering  narrower  than  he  can  wrap  himself  in  it;' 
for  '  there  is  no  peace  to  the  wicked  man.' 
*  Wisdom  V. 


It  is  one  of  Satan's  suggestions,  that  the  way  of 
righteousness  is  painful,  and  denieth  a  man  the  con- 
tent of  his  heart.  And  from  hence  arise  these  flatter- 
ing temptations,  Shall  I  labour  and  travail  all  my  days 
to  sustain  my  life  with  mine  own  pains,  when  a  little 
violence  will  strip  my  neighbour  out  of  all  that  he 
hath  gotten  together,  and  make  it  mine  own  ?  Shall 
I  make  conscience  of  an  oath  or  a  lie,  when  it  may  get 
me  more  wealth  in  an  hour  than  my  labour  shall  earn 
in  a  year  ?  Shall  I  work  myself  when  I  may  make 
prize  of  the  labours  of  other  men,  and  drink  down 
merrily  the  sweat  of  others'  brows  '?  Shall  I  sit  low 
and  be  despised  in  the  world,  when  I  may  lay  my 
neighbours  on  heaps  under  me,  and  raise  up  myself 
upon  their  ruins  ?  Shall  I  undergo  the  charge  of  a 
family  and  the  care  of  posterity,  when  rich  gifts  and 
fair  words  may  subdue  change  of  beauties  to  my  wel- 
come desires  and  lusts  of  the  flesh  ?  Shall  I  expect  a 
slow  and  lingering  advancement  by  the  worth  of  virtue 
in  the  service  of  God,  when  I  see  the  servants  of 
mammon  carry  all  honours  and  preferments  before 
them  ?  Shall  I  be  humble  when  I  see  the  proud 
happy  ?  Mai.  iii.  15,  Shall  I  live  a  godly  life,  when 
they  that  work  wickedness  are  built  ? 

Let  us  here  observe  how  these  wicked  ones  do  work 
to  compass  their  ends ;  they  labour  in  the  very  fire, 
the  fire  of  hell.  '  The  way  of  peace  they  have  not 
known.' 

2.  The  next  point  casteth  up  the  account  of  their 
gettings,  and  it  is  a  nought,  a  mere  cipher  in  arith- 
metic ;  vanity,  very  vanity. 

Is  it  riches  ?  Then  is  it  a  thing  corruptible  ;  it  is 
a  thing  uncertain,  acd  httle  of  it  is  for  use  ;  and  what 
profit  hath  the  possessor  thereof  in  the  surplusage  but 
the  beholding  thereof  with  his  eye  *?  When  a  man 
considers  his  wealth  gotten  by  oppression  and  injury, 
how  can  he  but  think  it  may  be  so  lost  as  it  was  gotten  ? 

Is  it  in  the  favour  of  princes  and  great  men  ?  True, 
they  be  gods  npon  earth ;  bat  they  die  like  men  at 
last,  and  they  change  their  minds  often  before  they 
die.  One  day  Haman  rides  about  in  pomp ;  he  is 
6  fi'iyag,  and  Mordecai  waiteth  at  the  lane  gate. 
Another  day  Mordecai  is  set  upon  the  king's  beast, 
and  Haman  leadeth  the  horse,  and  proclaimeth  him 
honourable ;  and  the  next  day  Haman  is  hanged,  and 
Mordecai  rules  all  under  the  king. 

Is  it  honour  that  thou  labourest  for  ?  That  also  is 
vanity.  Honour  is  in  honorante,  as  Aristotle  saith. 
It  is  very  unhappy  for  a  man  to  have  his  honour 

217 


130 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


without  himself,  his  priJe  within  him,  and  his  happi- 
ness without  him. 

Wise  Solomon,  that  had  all  temporal  felicity  in  the 
fullest  measure,  and  all  of  the  gift  of  God,  yet  called 
all  those  things  '  vanity  of  vanities.' 

I  will  shut  up  this  point  in  the  words  of  David,  Ps. 
xxxix.  6,  '  Doubtless  man  walketh  in  a  shadow,  and 
disquieteth  himself  in  vain.' 
3.  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  ? 

Many  cross  betidings  befall  the  ungodly,  and  they 
never  observe  who  opposeth  them.  It  is  the  Lord 
that  bringeth  all  the  labours  of  the  ungodly  to  loss 
and  vanity,  that  when  they  come  to  thrash  their  crop 
of  travail  in  the  world,  they  find  nothing  but  straw 
and  chaff.  To  express  his  power  to  do  this,  he  is 
here  called  the  God  of  hosts,  for  all  things  serve  him, 
and  he  resisteth  the  proud,  he  and  his  hosts.  He 
layeth  their  honours  in  the  dust ;  he  disperseth  their 
riches,  and  giveth  them  to  the  poor ;  he  spoiled  them 
of  all  their  treasures  ;  he  that  exalted  them  made 
them  low,  he  that  gave  to  them  taketh  away.  They 
had  need  be  made  to  see  this  ;  therefore  he  saith, 
Nonne  ecce  d,  Domino  hoc,  is  it  not  of  the  Lord  '? 

In  the  time  of  the  persecutions  under  the  bloody 
emperors,  if  at  any  time  they  succeeded  not  in  their 
wars,  they  cried,  Christiani  ad  f ureas,  ad  leones.  Chris- 
tians, to  the  gallows !  to  the  lions !  They  saw  not  the 
hand  of  God  against  them  ;  this  makes  Balaam  smite 
his  ass  :  he  seeth  not  God's  angel.  In  the  process  of 
human  affairs,  they  that  go  on  in  these  sins  which 
God  himself  threateneth  with  woe,  though  they  find 
these  sins  profitable  and  to  afford  them  large  revenues, 
that  they  live  plentifully  upon  the  wages  of  unright- 
eousness, yet  have  they  many  crosses  in  their  ways, 
many  gi'eat  losses  they  sustain  ;  these  they  impute  to 
second  causes,  and  lay  great  blame  upon  those  whom 
they  do  oppress,  because  they  stand  not  to  it  whilst 
oppression  grindeth  them  ;  they  observe  not  the  hand 
of  God  against  them,  yet  saith  God,  '  Is  it  not  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  that  they  weary  themselves  for  very 
vanity  ?' 

It  is  a  great  matter  to  know  who  it  is  that  protecteth 
his  servants,  that  crosseth  the  designs  of  their  ene- 
mies. David,  Ps.  cix.  27,  prayeth  for  God's  saving 
help  to  them,  and  that  they  may  know  that  this  is 
thy  hand,  that  thou,  Lord,  hast  done  it.  For  let  all 
offenders  in  this  kind  of  oppression,  and  indeed  in  all 
kinds  of  bold  and  presumptuous  sins,  know  that  they 
sin  with  an  high  hand.  They  are  '  a  people  that 
218 


provoke  God  to  anger  continually  to  his  face,'  Isa. 
Ixv.  3. 

If  you  observe  the  text  well,  you  will  find  two  things 
in  it,  and  they  are  two  great  judgments,  and  both  of 
the  Lord  : 

1.  '  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  that  the  people 
shall  labour  in  the  very  fire,  and  shall  weary  them- 
selves ?' 

2.  '  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  the  people 
shall  labour  for  very  vanity  ?' 

For  the  hand  of  God  is  in  both  for  their  punish- 
ment, both  in  putting  them  to  extreme  labour,  and  in 
turning  all  their  labour  into  vanity. 

He  asketh  the  question  as  if  he  should  say.  Come 
now,  and  let  us  reason  together  ;  to  what  do  you  im- 
pute it  that  this  people  take  such  pains  and  prosper 
so  ill  ?  Do  you  not  perceive  that  God's  hand  is  in 
it,  and  that  I  the  Lord  do  undo  all  that  they  do  ? 

1.  It  is  of  the  Lord  that  they  labour  in  the  fire. 

For  God  saith.  Ego  creo  malum,  labour  and  travail 
is  the  curse  of  man,  the  wages  of  sin  ;  In  lahore  ves- 
ceris,  in  sudors  vultus,  Here  is  fire  that  melteth  and 
dissolveth  us  into  water. 

All  the  pains  that  is  taken  here  on  earth  to  do  evil 
is  of  the  Lord. 

1 .  In  respect  of  the  strength  and  wit  used  therein, 
for  in  him  we  live  and  move :  he  planted  the  ear,  &c. 

2.  In  respect  of  his  permission,  for  he  hath  chains 
to  bind  up  Satan  and  his  instruolent?!,  and  he  can  carry 
snares  when  he  will  to  catch  sinners.  This  is  not  ap- 
probation, but  toleration  for  a  time. 

3.  It  is  of  the  Lord  in  respect  of  his  will,  for  he 
scourgeth  a  man  with  his  own  sins  in  just  judgment, 
and  letteth  the  wicked  wear  out  themselves  with  ex- 
treme labours  for  their  punishment ;  whereas  if  he  have 
a  favour  to  any  he  calls  upon  them,  Ps,  cxxvii.  2,  '  It 
is  vain  for  you  to  rise  up  early,  to  sit  up  late,  to  eat 
the  bread  of  sorrows ;  for  he  giveth  his  beloved  sleep.' 
And  our  Saviour  saith,  Nolite  soliciti  esse,  '  Be  ye  not 
careful.'  But  the  Egyptians  shall  gather  jewels  of 
silver  and  jewels  of  gold  together  :  it  is  of  the  Lord, 
Exod.  xiv.  25,  and  they  shall  pursue  Israel  into  the 
sea;  and  to  make  them  work,  he  took  off  their  chariot 
wheels,  that  they  drave  them  heavily. 

2.  It  is  of  the  Lord  that  all  their  labour  is  lost. 

For  the  jewels  of  gold  and  jewels  of  silver  which 
the  Egyptians  have  gathered,  the  Israelites  shall  carry 
away.  And  they  and  their  chariots  which  they  have 
driven  long,  shall  all  be  covered  with  the  sea. 


Ver.  9-1-t.] 


MARBUKY  OS  HABAKKUK. 


131 


The  prophet  putteth  them  together  :  Micah  vi.  15, 
'  ThoQ  shalt  sow,  but  thou  shalt  not  reap ;  thou  shalt 
tread  the  olives,  but  shalt  not  anoint  thee  with  the 
oil ;  and  sweet  wine,  but  thou  shalt  not  drink  wine  ;' 
for  God  professeth  it,  Lev.  xxvi.  24,  '  I  will  walk  con- 
trary unto  you,  and  punish  you  seven  times  for  your 
sins.' 

It  is  a  great  wisdom  in  our  labour  to  consider  whe- 
ther God  be  with  us  and  walk  with  us,  or  walk  con- 
trary to  us  ;  for  if  we  fear  God  and  walk  in  his  ways, 
we  are  said  to  walk  with  God  ;  but  if  we  do  that  which 
is  evil  in  his  sight,  and  covet  an  evil  covetousness,  to 
build  our  nests,  and  to  gather  riches  by  xmlawfal 
means,  such  as  God  in  his  word  hath  forbidden,  we 
shall  see  and  find  that  God  will  walk  contrary  to  us. 
The  proud  man  shall  find  that  when  he  is  at  the 
highest.  God  can  cast  him  down.  The  extortioner 
shall  find  that  no  bonds  nor  statutes  will  hold  his 
debtors  ;  they  will  say,  We  ^ill  break  these  bonds, 
and  cast  away  these  cords  from  us.  The  wanton 
shall  find  that  the  sins  of  bis  youth  shall  ache  in  the 
bones  of  his  age,  and  they  that  sow  in  wickedness 
shall  reap  in  shame. 

There  be  many  that  meet  with  grievous  inconveni- 
ences in  their  life,  manifold  crosses  in  their  health,  in 
their  friends,  in  their  children,  in  the  afiairs  of  life, 
especially  such  as  concern  their  estate,  and  they  do 
not  observe  two  things  most  of  all  to  be  heeded  : 

1.  That  God  walketh  contrary  to  them,  and  cross- 
eth  them. 

2.  The  cause  why  God  doth  so. 

Here  it  is  plain  that  these  crosses  are  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  himself  revealeth  the  cause,  and  giveth 
account  of  his  judgments,  for  pride  and  covetousness, 
&c.  Observe  how  the  prince  of  darkness  hath  blinded 
our  eyes ! 

Sugffest.  1.  The  sins  that  bring  in  profit  and  make 
the  pot  seethe,  though  Moses  and  his  prophets,  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  do  tell  them  that  they  are  sins,  and 
such  as  lead  the  offenders  to  hell,  they  will  not  believe 
them  all  against  their  profit,  but  cry,  as  the  Ephesians 
did  for  Diana,  Great  is  mammon;  this  is  called.  Mat. 
xiii.,  'the  deceitfulness  of  riches.' 

Oh  who  hath  bewitched  the  heart  of  man,  that  he 
should  value  his  soul,  for  which  Christ  died,  at  so  low 
a  rate,  that  he  will  sell  it  for  corruptible  things  ?  So 
St  Peter  calls  gold  and  silver :  1  Peter  i.  18,  '  Foras- 
much as  ye  know  that  you  were  not  redeemed  with 
corruptible  things,  as  gold  and  silver.' 


Suggest.  2.  These  sins  be  thought  little  sins  where 
they  be  confessed,  because  they  make  a  man  able  to 
make  God  some  part  of  amends  in  alms  and  good 
works  ;  so  the  oppressor  of  his  brethren  tumeth  his 
oppressions  into  sacrifices,  as  if  oppressions  of  injury 
could  be  sacriBces  of  righteousness.  This  suggestion 
seemeth  supported  by  the  words  of  Christ :  Luke 
xi.  41,  *  Give  alms  of  such  things  as  you  have,  and 
behold  all  things  are  clean  to  you  ;'  so  that  he  which 
hath  congested  wealth  by  oppression  shall  purify  all 
his  goods  by  giving  alms  of  part  thereof. 

They  mistake  our  Saviour  there ;  observe  him  well : 
he  found  the  pharisees  faulty  in  this  sin  here  threat- 
ened with  judgment,  for  their  outside  was  a  fair  pro- 
fession of  religion,  their  inside  was  full  of  rapine  and 
wickedness. 

1.  Our  Saviour  opposeth  alms  against  rapine.  Ra- 
pine corrupteth  all  the  goods  that  we  possess,  even 
the  finits  of  our  honest  labours  in  our  callings ,  the 
fruits  of  our  inheritance  from  our  parents.  Goods 
unlawfully  gotten  from  our  brethren,  against  the  law 
and  word  of  God,  do  make  all  unclean  ;  they  defile 
all,  and  bring  a  rust  and  canker  upon  our  treasure, 
but  charity  by  distribution  of  alms  doth  purify  and 
keep  clean  all  our  wealth. 

2.  This  charity  must  have  matter  to  work  upon, 
and  that  is  rd  hCvra,  that  is,  such  things  as  are  in 
our  power ;  we  may  give  no  alms  de  alieno,  of  what 
is  another's,  and  there  is  nothing  in  our  power  to 
dispose  of  but  what  we  may  rightly  call  our  own. 
This  utterly  despaireth  the  hope  of  the  oppressor,  that 
he  may  make  a  sacrifice  of  his  rapines. 

And  further,  whereas  the  custom  of  gathering  wealth 
by  injury  which  robbeth  our  brethren  doth  pass  it  over 
lightly  as  a  small  sin,  let  me  teU  yon  that  ill  gotten 
goods  do  bring  such  a  sin  upon  a  man  as  cannot  be 
purged  but  with  two  pills  :  1,  unfeigned  repentance ;  2, 
just  restitution. 

Observe  it  in  Zaccheus,  Luke  xix.  8 ;  he  joined 
charity  and  restitution  ;  his  charity  was  of  his  own 
goods,  dimidium  bonorum  meorum.  It  is  theft  what- 
soever is  not  God's  gift,  and  nothing  is  the  gift  of  God 
but  what  is  warrantable  by  the  law  and  word  of  God. 

For  this,  a  man  that  feareth  God  wiU  rather  be  God's 
Lazarus,  and  beg  crumbs,  than  the  devU's  Dites,  and 
fare  deUciously. 

Suggest.  3.  The  oppressors  of  their  brethren  that 
live  at  ease  and  rest  in  plenty,  and  surfeit  drinking 
the  sweat  of  their  brethren's  faces,  and,  to  use  the 

219 


132 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


phrase  of  David,  '  drinking  the  blood  of  their  brethren,' 
when  any  cross  or  loss  betideth  them,  because  they 
observe  some  formal  customary  profession  and  practice 
of  religion,  they  smooth  it  over  with  this  comfort,  that 
God  doth  exercise  the  patience  of  his  servants  in  this 
life  with  some  trials. 

To  whom  I  say,  take  heed,  be  not  deceived,  take  not 
that  for  an  exercise  of  thy  patience,  which  is  a  punish- 
ment of  thy  sin. 

1.  Thou  mistakest  God  ;  he  is  not  thy  friend,  but 
is  contrary  to  thee. 

2.  Thou  mistakest  thyself.  Thou  callest  thee  the 
servant  of  God  ;  no,  mammon  is  thy  god,  for  thou 
goest  against  the  word  of  God  to  gather  wealth.  It 
is  but  a  false  worship  that  thou  givest  to  God  :  God 
loves  no  divided  hearts. 

3.  Thou  mistakest  the  cause  of  thy  disease  and  thy 
physician,  for  thou  thinkest  it  to  be  some  propension  in 
thee  to  sin,  which  needeth  some  preventing  physic, 
whereas  it  is  a  corroding  plaster  to  eat  out  dead  flesh ; 
yet  flesh  and  blood  hath  many  inventions.  We  use  to 
shoot  another  arrow  after  the  first,  and,  like  Balak, 
try  in  another  place  and  see  if  it  will  prosper  there. 

Ver.  14.  For  the  earth  shall  be  Jilted  irith  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea. 

3.  The  efi'ect  (vide  supra,  page  119). 

It  is  plain  that  God's  remissness  in  the  execution 
of  his  just  judgments  upon  the  proud  and  cruel  Baby- 
lonians, and  the  miserable  state  of  the  church,  dis- 
figured with  tears,  her  voice  hoarse  with  roaring  for 
help,  her  throat  dry,  her  heart  aching,  and  no  relief 
appearing ;  all  this  had  not  only  made  the  ungodly 
and  profane  confident  that  there  was  no  such  thing  as 
Providence,  but  it  appeareth  by  this  prophet  that  the 
faith  of  God's  children  was  staggered  hereby. 

But  when  God  shall  declare  his  justice  against 
these  his  enemies,  then  he  shall  recover  his  glory. 
Then  shall  they  both  know  that  Christ  is  the  Lord  ; 
both  the  oppressor  shall  know  it,  and  the  delivered 
shall  know  it,  and  they  that  are  no  parties  to  the 
cause  of  any  side  shall  all  understand. 

The  words  of  God  in  this  text  are  full  of  marrow 
and  fatness,  for  God  is  rich  in  mercy,  aperit  manum  et 
iwplet,  so  he  dilateth  his  favours. 

1.  In  the  latitude,  all  the  earth  over. 

2.  In  the  plenitude,  the  earth  shall  be  filled. 

3.  In  the  magnitude,  the  knowledge  of  God's  glory. 

220 


4.  In  the  profundity,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 

Doct.  We  are  taught  from  hence  that  the  delivery 
of  God's  church  from  the  power  of  the  enemies,  and 
his  vengeance  upon  them,  doth  give  honour  to  the  name 
of  God  upon  earth  :  so  David,  Ps.  Ixxix.  9,  '  We  are 
in  great  misery.  Help  us,  0  God  of  our  salvation, 
for  the  glory  of  thy  name,  and  deliver  us.' 

Reason  1.  Because,  if  the  wicked  overcome  the 
church,  they  will  triumph  against  God :  so  Moses, 
Exodus  xxxii.  12,  '  Wherefore  shall  the  Egyptian 
speak  and  say.  He  hath  brought  them  out  maliciously 
to  slay  them  ?'  Rabshakeh,  the  general  of  Sennache- 
rib's forces,  proudly  insulteth,  Isa.  xxxvi.  20,  '  Who 
is  he  among  all  the  gods  of  these  lands  that  hath  de- 
livered their  country  out  of  my  hands  ?' 

But  God,  delivering  his  church  and  punishing  the 
enemies  thereof,  is  magnified  thereby,  as  Hezekiah  did 
pra3%  Isa.  xxxvii.  20,  'Now  therefore,  0  Lord  our  God, 
save  thou  us  out  of  his  hand,  that  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  earth  may  know  that  thou  only  art  the  Lord.' 

Reason  2.  Because,  as  the  school  saith,  gloria  est 
clara  notitia  cum  laude  ;  and  what  doth  more  make  the 
name  of  God  known  with  praise  than  his  present  help 
to  his  church,  his  quick  vengeance  upon  the  enemies 
thereof  ?  The  heathen  shall  say,  '  The  Lord  hath 
done  for  them  great  things.' 

Reason  3.  Because  this  declareth  the  justice  of  God, 
for, 

First,  He  is  just  and  faithful  in  performing  the 
gracious  promises  that  he  hath  made  to  his  church. 

Secondly,  He  is  just  in  the  punishment  of  oppression 
and  iniquity,  which  his  soul  abhorreth. 

Vse.  The  use  of  the  point  is  to  tench  us  that  when- 
soever we  see  the  church  or  any  part  thereof  delivered 
from  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  and  so  the  righteous 
God  taking  vengeance  upon  them,  that  we  ascribe  glory 
to  God  for  the  same. 

Moses'  song  is  a  good  example  of  this  duty  ;  for 
when  the  Egyptians  that  pursued  Israel  into  the  Red 
Sea  were  covered  and  destroyed  by  the  return  of  the 
waters  of  the.  sea  upon  them,  Exod.  xv.  1,  '  Then  sang 
Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel  this  song  unto  the 
Lord,  and  spake  saying,  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord,  for 
he  hath  triumphed  gloriously  :  the  horse  and  his  rider 
hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea.' 

This  deliverance  was  a  type  of  the  final  deliverance 
of  the  church  from  all  her  enemies  ;  and  therefore 
in  John's  vision  it  is  said.  Rev.  xv.  3,  4,  •  They  sang 
the  song  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


133 


the  Lamb,  saying,  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works, 
Lord  God  Almighty  ;  jast  and  true  are  all  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  saints.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O 
Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name,  for  thou  only  art  holy ; 
for  all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before  thee,  for 
thy  judgments  are  made  manifest.' 

We  have  great  and  gracious  examples  at  home  of 
this.  Our  blessed  queen,  of  happy  memory,  Queen 
Elizabeth,  anno  1588,  after  the  defeat  of  the  Spanish 
Armada,  came  in  person  to  the  chief  church  in  her 
kingdom,  where,  having  upon  her  knees  devoutly 
given  the  glory  of  that  deliverance  to  God,  she  heard 
the  sermon  at  Paul's  Cross,  and  taught  her  people  by 
her  godly  example  to  know  the  glory  of  God  ;  for  in 
those  days  Spaniards  loved  us  not,  and  we  thought  it 
a  great  favour  of  God  to.  be  delivered  from  them. 

The  like  public  declaration  did  our  sovereign  that 
now  is  make  of  the  glory  of  God,  for  the  deliverance 
of  his  royal  person,  crown  and  posterity,  the  religion 
and  peace  of  the  kingdom,  in  the  last  session  of  that 
first  parliament,  delivered  by  the  hand  of  God  from 
the  bloody  design  of  the  papists,  whose  religion  was 
also  in  those  times  thought  dangerous  to  this  com- 
monwealth. His  speech  and  recognition  of  the  protec- 
tion of  God  is  extant  in  print. 

And  as  states  and  great  commonwealths  have  their 
dangers  and  deliverances,  wherein  as  every  one  thut  is 
a  member  thereof  hath  their  share  of  benefit,  so  from 
every  one  is  growing  a  debt  of  duty  to  acknowledge 
the  same  ;  so  that  Hezekiah  sa'th,  Isa.  xxxviii.  19, 
'  The  father  to  the  children  shall  make  known  the 
truth  of  God.' 

So  in  our  particular  estates,  we  have  many  tastes 
of  the  sweetness  of  God,  in  our  deliverances  from 
dangers  at  sea,  on  shore  from  sickness,  imprisonment, 
infamy,  and  many  other  evils  which  annoy  our  life  ; 
in  all  which  God  revealeth  to  us  the  knowledge  of  his 
glory,  and  we  shall  do  him  l^ut  right,  to  give  him,  as 
David  saith,  '  the  glory  due  to  his  name  ;'  and  to 
invite  our  brethren,  as  David  did,  '  I  will  tell  yon, 
quid  Deiis  fecit  anvna  meet,  what  God  hath  done  to 
my  soul.' 

Doct.  2.  Seeing  God  promiseth  to  fill  the  earth 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  we  are  taught 
that  God  is  glorious,  and  so  we  ought  to  conceive  of 
him.  Our  Saviour  hath  taught  us  so,  to  acknowledge 
in  the  close  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  Tua  est  gloria,  '  thine 
is  the  glory.'  St  Stephen  saith.  Acts  vii.  2,  '  The 
God  of  glory  appeared  to  our  fathers.'     And  of  this 


God  is  so  jealous,  that  he  saith,  Isa.  xlii.  8,  '  My  glory 
will  I  not  give  to  another.'     Hold  this  fast. 

Reason  1.  The  devil,  when  he  tempteth  as  to  sin, 
doth  not  find  an  easier  way  to  fetch  us  about,  than  to 
blemish  the  glory  of  God,  and  to  dim  that  to  our  sights 
and  opinions.  As  in  the  first  temptation,  he  told  the 
woman,  '  Ye  shall  not  surely  die,  for  God  doth  know 
that  when  ye  eat  thereof  ye  shall  be  as  gods ;'  bring- 
ing the  woman  into  divers  dishonourable  thoughts  of 
God,  as  concerning  his  truth,  his  justice,  his  love  to 
man.  For  in  tempting  her  to  eat  against  the  press 
and  precise  commandment  of  God, 

1.  She  must  think  that  God  would  not  bring  death 
upon  her  for  her  fault,  as  he  had  threatened,  which 
toucheth  the  truth  of  God. 

2.  She  must  suppose  that  the  ofi'ence  of  eating, 
taken  at  the  worst,  is  a  small  offence,  and  so  not  likely 
to  be  avenged  and  mulcted  with  any  such  punishment, 
which  toucheth  the  justice  of  God. 

3.  She  must  suppose  that  God,  who  shewed  so 
much  favour  to  man,  to  give  him  all  the  fruit  for  his 
meat,  but  that,  had  he  loved  man  as  he  made  show, 
would  not  have  left  that  fruit  for  a  snare  to  catch  him 
and  bring  him  to  ruin ;  or  if  he  did  so,  he  was  too  lov- 
ing to  man  to  work  upon  the  advantage. 

Yet  in  this  very  suggestion,  wherein  he  infuseth  so 
many  dishonourable  thoughts  into  the  heart  of  the 
woman,  to  dim  the  brightness  of  God's  excellent  glory, 
observe  how  ho  doth  secretly  confess  that  God  is 
jealous  of  his  glory,  for  he  saith.  Gen.  iii.  5,  '  He 
doth  know  that  in  the  day  that  ycu  eat  thereof  you 
shall  be  as  gods.'  That  is  to  say,  as  well  as  he  loves 
you,  he  would  not  admit  you  into  the  society  of  bis 
glory,  for  man  was  created  in  the  likeness  of  God's 
holiness  and  righteoasness,  but  not  in  the  similitude 
of  his  glory.  That  Satan  knew  well,  and  therefore 
suggested  that  ambition  which  he  knew  would  ruin 
mankind,  for  that  had  cast  him  out  of  heaven. 

Here  by  the  way,  let  me  shew  you  the  sting  of  the 
first  sin  :  God  had  said  to  Adam,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
eat.'  2.  Qua  die  comederis,  morte  morieris,  '  what  day 
thou  eatest  thou  shalt  die.' 

1.  Li  the  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  the  command- 
ment of  God  was  broken  ;  therein  man  rebelled. 

2.  In  the  eating,  being  threatened  with  death  for 
punishment  of  their  eating,  there  must  either  be, 

(1.)  Presumption  upon  the  goodness  of  God,  which 
should  make  him  merciful  against  his  truth  and 
justice  ;  or, 

221 


ir>4 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


(2.)  Unbelief  of  his  power  to  inflict  that  punish- 
ment ;  or, 

(3.)  Contempt  of  his  power  ;  or, 

(4.)  A  carelessness.   I  will  taste,  come  of  it  what  will. 

And  in  all  these  the  glory  of  God  is  much  defaced. 

3.  In  the  eating,  to  be  as  gods,  that  most  nearly 
touched  the  glory  of  God,  for  it  was  a  base  opinion  of 
God  in  the  heart  of  the  woman,  to  conceive  him  such 
as  she  might  come  to  be  as  wise  as  he  ;  this  laid 
home  upon  the  crown  of  God's  glory. 

In  which  passage  let  me  commend  one  observation 
of  mine  own  upon  the  text  to  your  judgments. 

Satan  tempted  the  woman  only,  not  the  man  ;  and 
he  sugared  his  temptation  with  these  two  arguments 
only  :  1.  Non  vioriemini,  ye  shall  not  die  ;  2.  Eritis 
sicut  del,  ye  shall  be  as  gods.  There  was  aculeiis  in 
Cauda,  a  sting  in  the  tail,  for  that  last  stung  her  to  the 
quick. 

When  she  came  after  to  tempt  her  husband,  it 
seemeth  that  her  inducements  were  three  : 

1.  It  was  good  for  food. 

2.  Pleasant  to  the  eye. 

3.  To  be  desired  to  make  one  wise. 

Here  is  no  mention  of  this  temptation,  to  be  like 
God. 

Which  makes  me  think  that  Adam's  sin  did  not 
violate  the  glory  of  God  so  much  as  the  woman's  did, 
and  that  therefore  the  apostle  saith,  1  Tim.  ii.  14, 
'  Adam  was  not  deceived,  but  the  woman  was  deceived, 
and  was  in  the  trangression.'  For  though  I  cannot 
clear  Adam  from  doing  injury  that  way,  yet  as  the 
school  saith,  he  that  cannot  be  excused  a  toto,  may  be 
excused  a  tanto. 

But  the  point  which  I  wish  terrible  in  your  remem- 
brance, is  that  suggestions  to  sin  do  lay  their  foundation 
in  some  unworthy  opinion  of  God,  which  trespasseth 
his  glory  here  spoken  of. 

God  himself  declares  as  much  to  the  ungodly  :  Ps. 
1.  21,  '  When  thou  sawest  a  thief,  thou  consentedst 
with  him,'  &c.  '  These  things  thou  hast  done,  and  I 
kept  silence ;  then  thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  alto- 
gether such  a  one  as  thyself.'  Ps.  xiv.  1,  '  The  fool 
saith  in  his  heart,  Non  est  Deus,  there  is  no  God,' 
that  he  may  sin  the  more  securely. 

David  stiiTeth  up  God  the  avenger  against  the  un- 
godly :  Ps.  xciv.  5-7,  '  That  boast  themselves  in  evil, 
that  break  in  pieces  God's  people,  and  aflQict  his  heri- 
tage ;  that  slay  the  widow  and  the  stranger,  that 
murder  the  fatherless.'  How  dare  they  do  all  this  ? 
222 


'  Yet  they  say,  The  Lord  shall  not  see,  neither  shall 
the  God  of  Jacob  regard  it.' 

Augustine  to  such  :  Infelix  homo,  ut  esses  curavit 
Deus,  non  curat  ut  bene  esses  ?  is  not  this  a  great  tres- 
pass against  the  honour  of  God,  to  deny  his  providence? 

There  be  presumptuous  sinners  that  go  on  in  very 
great  sins,  sins  which  Ood's  word  detecteth,  and  re- 
proveth,  and  threateneth  ;  yet,  as  the  prophet  saith, 
Micah  iii.  11,  '  They  will  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and 
say.  Is  not  the  Lord  among  us  ?  no  evil  shall  come 
upon  us.'  Thus  they  dishonour  God,  that  make  him 
the  patron  of  their  persons  and  their  sins. 

But  they  that  have  true  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God,  they  behold  him  in  majesty,  and  that  not  only 
opening  his  hand,  and  giving  and  filling,  but  stretch- 
ing out  his  arm  and  striking  ;  and  so,  in  that  one 
sight,  they  behold  both,  Ecce  quantam  charitatem,  and 
seientes  terrorem  Domini,  '  behold  how  great  love,'  and 
'knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord.'  In  the  due  conside- 
ration of  his  justice  and  mercy,  both  governed  with 
wisdom,  to  moderate  exuberancy,  consisteth  the  know- 
ledge of  God's  glory. 

Use  1.  This  point  serveth  to  good  use.  For  first 
it  assureth  us,  that  the  God  whom  we  serve  is  the  true 
God  ;  because  he  is  so  jealous  of  his  glory,  that  he 
will  have  none  to  share  with  him  therein.  For  the 
gods  of  the  heathen  were  such  good  fellows,  as  they 
would  admit  society.  Baal,  and  Melchom,  and  Mo- 
loch, and  Rempham,  the  god  of  Ekron,  Dagon,  the 
devil  and  all,  I  do  not  hear  of  any  great  jealousy 
between  them  ;  but  the  true  God  is  impatient  of  co- 
rival  in  glory. 

Use  2.  Because  God  claimeth  glory  in  such  extent 
all  the  earth  over,  which  none  of  the  gods  of  the  hea- 
then did,  but  were  content  with  their  territories  ;  and 
knowing  him  to  be  the  true  God,  we  are  taught  that 
there  ought  nothing  be  so  dear  to  us  as  the  glory  of 
God. 

Do  but  observe  what  remembrancers  we  have  to  pat 
us  in  mind  of  this. 

The  law  begins,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who 
brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.'  That  implies, 
who  brought  thee  into  the  land  of  Egypt. 

The  Lord's  prayer :  *  Our  Father  which  art  in 
heaven ;'  and  the  first  petition,  Sancti/icetur  nomen 
tuum  ;  then  adveniat  regnum  ;  then  fiat  voluntas ;  all 
glory. 

The  Creed  :  Credo  in  Dcum,  Patrem  omnipotentem , 
all  beginning  to  season  us  with  a  reverent  estimation 


Ver.  9-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


135 


of  God,  and  to  infuse  into  us  the  knowledge  of  his 
glory  ;  therefore  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 

Doct.  3.  This  also  serve th  to  shew  how  excellent  a 
knowledge  it  is  to  know  the  glory  of  God,  seeing  God 
maketh  such  account  of  it,  that  he  will  have  it  spread 
all  the  earth  over. 

Reason  1.  To  animate  us  so  much  the  more  ear- 
nestly, and  with  appetite  to  seek  it ;  and  indeed  there 
is  no  knowledge  to  be  compared  to  it. 

1.  In  regard  of  this  life.  For  if  man  know  no 
better  nature  than  that  of  the  creatures  beneath  him, 
though  that  serve  to  shew  him  how  great  a  lord  he  is, 
and  how  much  is  subject  to  him,  yet  in  them  he  be- 
holdeth  a  society  that  he  hath  with  them,  in  much 
evil,  in  all  weakness,  and  in  a  certain  mortality,  which 
can  be  no  great  comfort  to  him  if  he  stay  there. 

But  if  he  look  up  to  heaven  above  him,  and  behold 
mdiorem  naturam,  a  better  nature  ;  that  of  the  angels, 
and  himself  but  a  little  low'er ;  and  above  them, 
naturam  naturantem,  the  naturating  nature,  the  glorious 
author  of  all  being ;  this  puts  mettle  into  him,  and 
teacheth  him  how  to  preserve  the  image  of  his  Maker 
in  him,  which  advanceth  him  above  human  frailty. 

Hence  are  those  ejaculations  :  that  of  Paul,  Cupio 
dissolvi,  *  I  desire  to  be  dissolved  ;'  *  Our  conversation 
is  in  heaven ;'  Veni  cito,  '  we  walk  by  faith,  and  not 
by  sight.' 

Reason  2.  In  the  life  to  come,  this  is  the  happiness 
of  the  blessed  souls,  they  shall  see  God ;  for  this  Christ 
desired,  that  the  elect  might  be  where  he  was,  that 
they  might  see  his  glory. 

And  this  maketh  all  those  that  wisely  apprehend 
this  joy  in  the  glory  of  God  to  love  the  very  earthy 
house  which  we  call  the  church  of  God,  because  it  is 
'  the  place  where  his  honour  dwelleth,'  because  '  every 
whit  of  it  speaketh  of  his  honour ;'  because  thither 
the  tribes  go  up  to  testify  to  Israel,  to  give  testimony 
of  their  faith  and  zeal ;  because  there  the  voice  of 
God's  promise  is  heard,  and  the  whole  house  is  filled 
with  his  glory. 

It  was  the  blessing  of  God  given  in  the  consecra- 
tion of  Solomon's  temple  :  2  Chron.  v.  14,  '  The  glory 
of  the  Lord  filled  the  house  of  God.'  But  it  was  gloria 
in  nuhe,  glory  in  a  cloud.  That  cloud  is  much  re- 
moved in  our  church  since  the  veil  of  the  temple  rent ; 
for  Christ  hath  made  all  things  more  clear,  and  re- 
moved the  veil.  Let  us  therefore  love  the  church  well, 
for  the  glory  of  God  revealed  therein. 

Much  more  do  such  long  after  the  house  of  God's 


clean  glory  in  heaven,  wherein  one  day  in  those  courts 
is  better  than  a  thousand  otherwhere,  and  where  they 
shall  behold  a  full  revelation  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Use.  Let  us  all  labour  for  this  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God,  for  the  purchase  whereof  we  must  study 
both  the  creatures  of  God  and  the  word  of  God.  For 
in  these  two  books  the  wisdom  of  God  is  set  forth  to 
the  soul,  that  we  may  say,  if  we  be  students  in  these 
books.  Vidimus  gloriam  ejus,  we  have  seen  his  glory ; 
for  the  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  to  the  eye, 
and  God  is  glorious  in  the  least  of  his  creatures,  mag- 
uus  in  minimis ;  so  that  every  part  of  his  work  doth 
declare  him  a  wise  omnipotent  Creator,  a  wise  and 
faithful  preserver  of  all  things. 

And  for  the  book  of  God,  he  that  saith,  '  This  is 
life  eternal,  t^^  iinow  thee,'  and  saith,  that  he  *  came 
to  give  life  eternal,'  saith  also,  Dedi  eis  verbum,  tuum, 
'  I  have  given  them  thy  word.' 

There  is  no  labour  that  better  rewardeth  itself  than 
the  pursuit  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God.  For 
there  is  libertas  gloria,  the  hberty  of  glory,  which  the 
creature  doth  even  long  after,  and  travaileth  with  the 
burden  of  corruption,  desiring  to  be  quit  of  it,  Rom. 
viii.  22. 

There  be  diiitice gloria,  riches  of  glory,  Rom.  ix.  23, 
made  known  upon  the  vessels  of  mercy  ;  for  God  will 
declare  his  glory  in  shewing  mercy.  There  is  also 
cetentum  poiulus  glorice,  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  'an  eternal 
weight  of  glory;'  iixere  is  splendor  gloria  Dei  patris,  'the 
brightness  of  the  glory  of  God  the  Father  ;'  and  this 
is  the  true  light  that  enlighteneth  all  that  come  into 
the  world,  that  lights  us  the  way  to  this  glory. 

But  to  know  the  glory  of  God  here  on  earth,  we 
must  observe  the  course  of  his  judgments,  and  we  shall 
therein  see  both  his  favour  to  his  church,  howsoever 
it  be  distressed,  which,  though  it  be  gloria  in  nuhe, 
'  glory  in  a  cloud,'  the  faithful  wiU  see  through  the 
cloud. 

We  shall  also  see  his  certain  truth  and  justice  in 
his  hatred  of  sin,  and  in  the  sharp  revenge  that  he 
taketh  upon  those  that  disease  his  church ;  which, 
though  it  be  slow,  for  God  is  slow  to  wrath,  yet  he 
that  believeth  will  not  make  haste.  God  '  giveth  this 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ,'  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 

1.  Mercy.  Crucifixus,  mortuus,  sepultus,  crucified, 
dead,  and  buried. 

2.  Justice.  Venit  judicare  vivos,  he  cometh  to  judge 
the  live  and  dead. 

223 


136 


MARBURY  ON  llABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


Ver.  15-17.  Woe  to  him  that  giveth  his  neighbour 
drink,  that  puttest  thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him 
drunk  also,  that  thou  mayest  look  on  their  nakedness  ! 
Thou  art  filled  with  shame  for  glory  :  dnnk  thou  also, 
and  let  thy  foreskin  be  uncovered :  the  cup  of  the  Lord's 
right  hand  shall  be  turned  unto  thee,  and  shameful 
spewing  shall  be  on  thy  glory.  For  the  violence  of 
Lebanon  shall  cover  thee,  and  the  spoil  of  beasts,  which 
made  them  afraid,  because  of  men's  blood,  and  for  the 
violence  of  the  land,  of  the  city,  and  of  all  that  divell 
therein. 

Now  doth  God  rouse  up  bis  justice  against  another 
sin,  the  great  and  crying  sin  of  drunkenness. 

1.  Concerning  the  words. 

Woe  to  him  that  giveth  his  neighbour  [socium  or  ami- 
CM??i  others  read)  drink,  that  jJuttest  thy  bottle  to  him. 
Some  read  Constringens  calorem  tuinn ;  others,  ad- 
hibens  venenum  tuum  ;  others,  iram. 

He  meaneth,  woe  be  to  him,  that  when  be  sees  his 
neighbour  in  drink,  comes  in  with  bis  pot,  or  pint,  or 
quart,  to  inflame  him. 

Thou  makest  him  drunk,  thai  thou  mayest  look  on  their 
nakedness.  For  it  is  said  that  the  king  of  Babylon 
did  use  in  his  conquests  to  bring  forth  groat  quantity 
of  wine,  and  to  make  the  people  drink  drunk,  tbat  be 
might  make  sport  with  them  ;  for  in  those  drunken  fits 
many  shameful  and  bestial  acts  of  lasciviousness  were 
publicly  shewed,  drunkenness  inflaming  them  with  lust. 

Mr  Calvin  doth  interpret  all  this  figuratively,  not  of 
drunkenness  with  strong  drink,  but  of  immoderate  de- 
sire of  augmenting  their  dominions  ;  of  which  kind  of 
drunkenness  he  spake  before,  comparing  the  Babylo- 
nians to  such  as  transgress  with  wine. 

So  doth  Ribera,  a  learned  Jesuit,  understand  this, 
of  the  insolent  triumph  of  the  Babylonian  king,  mak- 
ing sport  in  the  conquest  of  kings,  and  exercising  on 
them  cruelties  to  discover  their  nakedness,  how  he 
hath  stripped  them  out  of  all.  But  Saint  Jerome  re- 
porteth  that  Nebuchadnezzar  did  abuse  Zedekiah  the 
king  at  a  banquet  in  a  very  foul  manner. 

And  because  that  kind  of  drunkenness  was  before 
touched  to  the  quick,  I  follow  Arias  Montanus  in  the 
literal  exposition  of  these  words,  which  I  have  before 
delivered,  that  the  king  made  his  associate  kings,  and 
bis  conquered  enemies,  drunk,  to  make  him  sport. 
Which  sin  of  his  is  threatened. 

Ver.  16.  Thou  art  filled  with  shame  for  glory ;   for 
this  turned  to  the  shame  of  the  Babylonians. 
224 


Though  Mr  Calvin  expound  it,  satiatus  es  probro  non 
tuo  sed  alieno,  that  the  Babylonian  did  even  satisfy 
himself  with  the  disgrace  done  to  his  enemy,  rather 
I  take  it  for  a  punishment  inflicted  on  the  Babylonian, 
that  shame  should  come  to  him  for  this  sport  that  he 
made  himself,  as  it  also  foUoweth,  '  Drink  thou  also, 
and  let  thy  foreskin  be  discovered.  The  cup  of  the 
Lord's  right  hand  shall  be  turned  unto  thee,  and 
shameful  spewing  shall  be  on  thy  glory.' 

This,  I  take  it,  was  not  only  figuratively  revenged 
upon  Nebuchadnezzar,  when  the  glory  of  his  conquests 
ended  in  the  shame  of  bis  transformation,  the  most 
wonderful  example  that  we  do  read  in  all  the  book  of 
God  :  Dan.  iv.  33,  '  The  same  hour  was  the  thing 
fulfilled  upon  Nebuchadnezzar;  and  he  was  driven  from 
men,  and  did  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet 
with  the  dew  of  heaven,  till  his  hairs  were  grown  like 
eagles'  feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds'  claws.'  For 
thus  did  the  king  continue  in  this  shameful  punish- 
ment the  whole  term  of  seven  years. 

But  literally  this  was  fulfilled  in  Belsbazzar,  Dan. 
v.  1,  who  made  a  great  feast  to  a  thousand  of  his 
lords,  and  drank  wine  before  the  thousand  ;  in  which 
drunken  feast,  wherein  the  consecrate  vessels  of  the 
temple  were  abused  in  quafiing  and  carousing,  the 
fingers  of  an  band  were  seen  on  the  wall  over  against 
the  king,  writing  the  doom  of  his  shameful  downfall. 
For  observe  the  end  :  ver.  30,  '  In  that  night  was 
Belsbazzar  the  king  of  the  Chaldeans  slain,  and  Darius 
the  Median  took  the  kingdom.'  So  he  did  drink  also, 
and  bis  nakedness  was  laid  open,  and  the  Medians 
came  in  and  took  away  all  their  glory. 

Ver.  17.  For  the  violence  of  Lebanon  shall  cover  thee, 
and  the  spoil  of  beasts  which  made  them  afraid.  This 
overthrow  of  the  Chaldean  monarchy  he  calleth  the 
violence  of  Lebanon  covering  them. 

Junius  doth  understand  this  place  thus  :  that  the 
enemy  should  come  upon  the  Babylonian  with  the 
same  violence  that  hunters  use,  who,  pursuing  the  wild 
beasts  in  the  forest  of  Lebanon,  having  pitched  their 
nets  and  tents  for  them,  do  suddenly  set  upon  them, 
and  drive  them  into  their  nets  ;  so  sudden  a  surprise 
shall  the  Babylonian  sufier. 

Master  Calvin  doth  give  this  as  a  cause  of  their 
punishment,  and  understandeth  the  words  thus,  that 
God  will  cover  the  Babylonian  with  shame  for  the 
violence  that  he  offered  to  Lebanon,  and  to  the  beasts 
thereof,  foraging  Judea,  and  destroying  not  only  men 


Ver.  1 5-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


137 


and  women  in  towns,  but  the  very  wild^beasts  of  the 
forest  of  Lebanon,  which  was  near  to  Jerusalem.  So 
that  this  expresseth  the  cause  of  God's  provocation 
against  the  Babylonian,  and  withal  the  comfort  of  the 
church,  that  God  would  revenge  the  wrong  done  to 
their  land,  not  only  to  the  people  thereof,  but  to  the 
very  wild  beasts  of  the  forest.     De  verbis  hactenus. 

The  parts  of  this  text  are  two :  1,  Peccatum,  sin ; 
2,  Pcena,  punishment. 

1.  Peccatum,  in  which, 

1.  Quid  ;  potant  amicum  vel  socium. 

2.  Ad  quid  ;  ut  videant  nuditatem. 

1.  Potant  ricinum  ;  two  faults.  1,  Drink  drunk; 
2,  make  drunk. 

1.  They  be  drunk. 

Drunkenness  itself  is  an  horrible  sin  ;  it  is  one  of 
the  fruits  of  the  flesh  :  Gal.  v.  21,  '  Of  which  I  tell 
you,  as  I  have  also  told  you  in  times  past,  that  they 
which  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.'  Drunkenness  is  confessed  of  all  men  to  be 
a  sin  ;  and  they  that  love  it  best,  and  use  it  most,  will 
be  very  angry  with  you  if  you  call  them  drunkards. 
For  it  is  not  agreed  upon  as  yet  what  drunkenness  is. 
Our  statute  law  doth  impose  a  penalty  of  five  shillings 
upon  every  one  that  is  convicted  of  drunkenness.  Oar 
articles  given  to  sworn  men  do  charge  them  to  inquire 
if  there  be  any  drunkards  in  our  parishes,  and  to  pre- 
sent them.  But  neither  the  ecclesiastical  canon  nor 
the  act  of  parliament  doth  direct  the  inquisition,  by 
describing  what  persons  must  be  esteemed  drunk. 

I  will  tell  you  whom  the  Scripture  denoteth. 

Lot  was  drunk  when  he  committed  incest  with  his 
daughters.  Gen.  xix.,  and  so  overgone  with  wine  that 
he  neither  knew  of  their  coming  to  his  bed,  nor  of 
their  going  from  him.  Noah  was  drunk  when  he  lay 
uncovered  in  his  tent.  Gen.  ix.  ;  these  were  far  spent 
in  the  highest  degree.  Uriah,  the  husband  of  Bath- 
sheba,  was  drunk  too,  2  Sam.  xi.  The  text  saith, 
David  made  him  drunk ;  yet  he  was  so  much  master 
of  his  own  thoughts,  and  of  his  charge  committed  to 
him,  that  he  would  not  go  home  to  his  own  house,  as 
the  king  would  have  had  him.  Amnon,  the  son  of 
David,  was  drunk,  2  Sam.  xiii.  28,  yet  it  is  said  of 
him,  his  heart  was  merry  with  wine.  Elah,  king  of 
Israel,  made  himself  drunk,  1  Kings  xvi.  9,  and  Zimri 
his  servant  killed  him.  Nabal  made  a  great  feast,  1 
Sam.  XXV.  86,  and  was  so  drunken  that  Abigail  thought 
not  fit  to  tell  him  of  the  danger  that  his  churlishness 
had  like  to  have  brought  upon  him,  till  he  had  slept 


it  out.  A  king  that  drinketh  wine  is  described  then 
to  be  drunk,  when  they  drink  and  forget  the  law,  and 
pervert  the  judgment  of  the  afflicted,  Prov.  xxi.  5.  So 
that  to  drink  so  deep  as  to  forget  the  law  of  our  law- 
ful calling,  and  to  do  things  contrary  to  the  same,  is  to 
drink  drunk.  Christ  calleth  the  overcharge  of  the 
heart  with  drink  drunkenness,  Luke  xxi.  34.  His 
word  is  j3asvvd'2i<Jiv,  signifying  the  laying  on  of  a  burden 
upon  the  heart.  For  so  much  as' we  drink  for  neces- 
sity, or  for  moderate  refection,  doth  cheer  and  refresh 
and  lighten  the  heart ;  but  excessive  drinking  doth  lay 
an  heavy  burden  upon  it.  Therefore,  Eph.  v.  18, 
'  Be  not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein  is  excess.' 

Now,  what  is  excess  ?  Not  so  much  as  layeth  us 
under  the  table  only,  not  so  much  as  makes  us  stagger 
and  reel  as  we  go,  and  taketh  away  the  use  of  our 
memory,  speech,  and  good  manners  ;  but  they  are 
drunkards  that  *  sit  at  the  wine  till  it  inflame  them,' 
Isa.  V.  11.  Wine  is  allowed  to  warm  the  stomach, 
not  to  set  it  on  fire. 

Some  man  excuseth  himself  that  he  drank  not  above 
his  strength,  but  was  able  to  carry  it.  Ver.  22,  '  Woe 
unto  them  that  are  mighty  to  drink  wine,  and  men  of 
strength  to  mingle  strong  drink  !' 

This  shews  that  all  excess  in  drinking,  which  is 
beyond  the  measure  which  maintaineth  health,  is 
drunkenness ;  call  it  good  fellowship,  or  making  merry, 
or  keeping  good  company,  or  whatsoever  fair  colours 
you  will  lay  upon  it,  it  is  drunkenness.  It  turns 
grace  into  wantonness,  and  medicine  into  disease ;  it 
maketh  the  body,  which  should  be  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  very  cellar  of  Bacchus. 

The  evils  that  grow  out  of  this  sin  are  many. 

1.  The  great  commandment  is  broken,  which  biddeth 
us  to  love  God  above  all  things  ;  for  the  drunkard 
makes  his  belly  his  god,  and  delighteth  in  his  shame, 
neither  is  God  in  all  his  ways.  Of  whom  doth  the 
name  of  God  more  sufier  than  of  the  drunkard ;  and 
who  do  make  less  conscience  of  the  Sabbath  than  such 
do,  who  make  that  day  of  all  others  the  most  licen- 
tious, the  most  lascivious,  despising  the  commandment 
of  God? 

2.  It  is  a  sin  against  himself  who  committeth  it;  for 
he  shameth  himself  to  beholders,  he  wasteth  his  estate, 
hurteth  his  own  body,  drowneth  his  understanding, 
judgment,  memory,  and  depriveth  himself  of  the  use  of 
reason ;  as  Solomon  saith,  Prov.  xxiii.  29-35,  *  Who 
hath  woe  ?  who  hath  sorrow  ?  who  hath  contentions  ? 
who  hath  babbUng  ?  who  hath  wounds  without  cause  ? 

225 


].38 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


who  hath  redness  of  eyes  ?  they  that  tarry  long  at  the 
wine.  At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent,  and  stingeth 
like  an  adder.' 

It  corrupteth  the  affections,  and  inflameth  lust : 
'  Thine  eyes  shall  behold  strange  women.'  It  cor- 
rupteth the  speech  :  '  Thine  heart  shall  utter  perverse 
things.'  It  maketh  a  man  insensible  of  his  punish- 
ment :  '  They  have  stricken  me,  and  I  was  not  sick ; 
they  have  beaten  me,  and  I  felt  it  not.' 

It  groweth  into  an  habit,  and  cannot  be  easily  given 
over.  Drunkenness  is  like  a  quartan,  the  dishonour 
of  physicians  ;  so  it  is  the  dishonour  of  preachers,  they 
cannot  cure  it.  We  would  have  cured  the  drunkard, 
and  he  would  not  be  healed  :  '  When  shall  I  awake,  I 
will  yet  seek  it  again.'  As  St  Gregory  saitb,  Qid  hoc 
facit,  non /acit  peccatum,  sed  totus  est  peccatum. 

3.  It  is  a  sin  against  our  neighbour,  for  it  is  a  waster 
and  consumer  of  the  provisions  which  God  hath  given 
to  nourish  and  sustain  many;  and  so  he  becomes  a 
thief,  robbing  the  hungry  and  thirsty.  For  it  is  pmiis 
pauperis  et  vinum  dolentis,  the  bread  of  the  poor  and 
the  wine  of  the  sorrowful,  that  is  thus  swilled  and 
swallowed. 

It  toucheth  upon  the  commandment  of  murder ;  for 
to  take  away  life,  and  to  take  away  the  means  that 
should  support  hfe,  are  so  set,  that  we  can  hardly 
draw  a  line  between  them. 

It  inflameth  lust ;  as  Ambrose,  Pascitur  libido  con- 
viviis,  vino  accenditur,  ehrietate  injiammatur.  It  filleth 
the  tongue  with  all  kind  of  evil  words  which  corrupt 
good  manners,  tiupiloquium,  multiloquium,  vanihquium, 
fasiloquiiim ;  and  where  be  the  good  names  of  men  more 
foully  handled  than  upon  the  ale-bench,  when  a  drunken 
senate  meeteth  ? 

And,  to  conclude,  it  dishonoureth  parents ;  for  the 
laws  of  the  church  and  the  laws  of  the  commonwealth 
do  forbid  it,  and  design  punishment  for  it. 

Yet  this  sin  is  the  Diana  of  our  Ephesus ;  and  if 
all  the  preachers  of  England  do  cry  it  down  in  pulpits, 
the  court  of  good  fellowship  will  cry  it  up  again. 
Though  we  shew  you  the  scroll  of  God,  and  open  all 
the  folds  of  it,  and  read  it  to  you  written  within  and 
without,  with  nothing  but  lamentations,  mourning,  and 
woe  against  this  sin ;  though  we  bind  the  sinners  in 
this  kind  by  the  power  given  to  us  by  Christ,  saying, 
*  Whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained  ;'  yet 
do  men  run  headlong  into  this  sin,  without  fear  or  wit. 

But  when  sin  is  once  grown  into  fashion,  we  may 
stretch  out  our  hands  all  the  day  long  against  it,  and 
226 


spend  our  strength  in  vain  ;  yet  I  will  not  despair  of  a 
blessing  upon  our  faithful  labours  against  it ;  and  thus 
much  I  will  undertake  to  do,  as  the  apostle  saith,  '  I 
will  yet  shew  you  a  more  excellent  way.' 

I  will  yet  shew  you  approved  remedies  against  this 
sin,  and  there  is  no  time  of  the  year  unseasonable  for 
the  soul  to  take  physic. 

Remedia  ; 

Remedy  1.  Take  David's  physic  :  '  I  have  kept  thy 
word  in  my  heart,  that  I  might  not  sin  against  thee,' 
for  that  word  will  answer  the  temptation,  as  Joseph 
did,  '  How  then  shall  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and 
so  sin  against  my  God  ?'  Remember  the  fearful 
threatenings  of  woe  and  judgment  against  this  sin ; 
remember  the  day  of  judgment,  wherein  every  man 
must  give  account  to  God  of  himself  and  of  all  his 
ways ;  remember  the  bitterness  of  the  latter  end 
thereof,  all  this  is  clearly  denounced  in  the  word  of 
God  ;  remember  that  '  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  living  God,  for  our  God  is  even  a 
consuming  fire.' 

2d  Remedy  is,  a  constant  practice  of  mortification  ; 
for  they  that  humble  their  souls  with  fasting,  and 
chasten  their  bodies,  and  bring  them  in  subjection, 
that  watch  and  pray,  and  call  their  sins  every  day  to 
account,  and  examine  their  consciences  by  the  law  of 
God,  he  that  doth  these  things  well,  shall  soon  come 
to  their  diet,  of  whom  the  psalmist  speaketh,  Ps. 
Ixxx.  6,  '  Thou  feedest  them  with  the  bread  of  tears, 
and  givest  them  tears  to  drink  in  great  measure.* 
Then  thou  wilt  go  mourning  all  the  day  long. 

3d  Remedy  is,  withdrawing  thyself  from  such  com- 
pany as  use  drunkenness,  from  such  places  wherein  it 
is  used;  as  Solomon  adviseth,  Prov.  xxiii.  20,  21, 
'  Be  not  amongst  wine-bibbers,  amongst  riotous  eaters  of 
flesh ;  for  the  drunkard  and  the  glutton  shall  come  to 
poverty,  and  drowsiness  shall  clothe  a  man  with  rags.' 
So  St  Paul  chargeth  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor.  v.  11, 
'  But  now  I  have  written  unto  you  not  to  keep  com- 
pany, if  any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  forni- 
cator, or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a 
drunkard,  or  an  extortioner,  with  such  an  one,  no, 
not  to  eat.'  It  is  company  that  corrupts  many;  there 
are  few  that  love  drunkenness  so  well  that  they  will 
sit  down  and  drink  themselves  drunk,  as  Elah  king  of 
Israel  did,  1  Kings  xvi.  9  ;  but  good  fellowship  spoils 
all,  and  one  pot  draweth  on  another. 

4th  Remedy  is,  1  Cor.  vii.  20, '  Let  every  man  abide 
in  the  calling  wherein  he  was  caUed.'     God  hath  given 


Yer.  15-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


139 


his  angels  charge  of  thee  to  keep  thee  in  all  his  ways. 
So  it  is  said  of  the  drunkard,  that  he  is  out  of  the  way; 
for  did  he  exercise  himself  in  his  calling  within  his  way, 
he  could  not  miscarry  :  Prov.  xxi.  25,  26,  '  The  desire 
of  the  slothful  killeth  him :  for  his  hands  refuse  to 
labour ;  he  coveteth  greedily  all  the  day  long.' 

5th  Remedy  is,  a  consideration  of  the  hunger  and 
thirst  which  Christ  sustained  on  earth  for  thee,  and  of 
the  hunger  and  thirst  which  Christ  yet  in  his  members 
doth  suffer.  Remember  what  he  hath  done  for  thee ; 
do  not  waste  that  untbriftily  which  would  serve  to 
relieve  Jesus  Christ.  He  hungered  to  satisfy  thee,  do 
not  thou  surfeit  to  make  him  hungry  ;  he  thirsted,  it 
was  one  of  the  last  words  that  he  spake  on  the  cross, 
Sitio,  I  thirst ;  do  not  thou  make  thyself  drunk  with 
that  which  should  quench  his  thirst,  lest  thy  last 
draught  be,  like  his  vinegar,  mingled  with  gall. 

6th  Remedy  is,  a  consideration  that  we  are  required 
to  pray  continually,  and  in  all  things  to  give  thanks, 
which  holy  duty  we  cannot  perform  so  long  as  we 
are  in  our  cups.  These  duties  require  a  sound  judg- 
ment, a  clear  understanding, '  an  heart  established  with 
grace  ;'  as  the  apostle  saith,  '  Xot  in  gluttony  and 
drunkenness,  not  in  chambering  and  wantonness ;  but 
put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  have  no  care  to  the 
flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.' 

We  were  created  to  glorify  God  in  our  bodies  and 
in  our  souls,  for  they  are  God's  ;  and  therefore,  '  whe- 
ther you  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  you  do,  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God.' 

7th  Remedy.  Consider  that  we  are  bidden  guests  to 
the  supper  of  the  Lamb :  Rev.  xxii.  17,  '  And  the 
Spirit  and  the  Bride  saith,  Come  ;  and  let  whosoever 
heareth,  say,  Come,  and  take  of  the  water  of  life 
freely.'  We  cannot  tell  when  this  supper  time  is,  till 
God's  messenger,  death,  cometh  and  telleth  us  all 
things  are  prepared  ;  come  now,  let  not  us  overcharge 
our  hearts  with  surfeiting  and  drankenness,  lest  that 
day  come  upon  us  unawares,  Luke  xxi.  Si ;  they  that 
are  drunk  already,  and  full  gorged  with  wine  and  strong 
drink,  have  left  no  room  for  the  waters  of  life;  ras 
plenum  plus  non  recipit.  It  is  a  work  for  our  life  on 
earth  to  travail  and  take  pains,  and  to  exercise  our 
Bouls  to  godliness,  and  all  to  get  us  a  stomach  to  this 
supper  of  the  Lamb.  Here  is  meat  enough,  the  fat- 
ness of  God's  house,  we  shall  be  fed  as  it  were  with 
marrow ;  here  is  the  hidden  manna  for  bread ;  here 
is  calix  inebrians,  we  shall  be  made  to  drink  of  the 
rivers  of  God's  pleasures ;  '  for  at  his  right  hand  are 


pleasures  for  evermore.'  Here  are  good  guests  ;  for. 
Mat.  viii.  11,  '  Many  shall  come  from  the  east  and 
west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  They  that  come 
there,  let  them  drink  and  spare  not,  but  let  them  keep 
their  stomachs  till  then.  I  conclude  this  point  in  the 
words  of  our  Saviour,  John  xiii.  1 7,  '  If  ye  know  these 
things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them.' 

2.  They  gave  their  neighbours  drink,  and  put  their 
bottle  to  him,  adding  heat  to  heat. 

Drunkenness,  as  you  have  heard,  is  a  grievous  sin ; 
but  this  is  a  degree  of  fuller  unrighteousness,  to  make 
others  drunk.  Amongst  all  the  sins  that  David  did 
commit,  nothing  sat  so  close  to  him,  nor  left  so  foul 
a  stain  upon  the  honour  of  his  memory,  as  did  his 
carriage  toward  the  Hittite  Uriah :  1  Kings  xv.  5, 
'  David  did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  and  turned  from  nothing  that  he  commanded 
him  all  the  days  of  his  life,  save  only  in  the  matter 
of  Uriah  the  Hittite.'  This  excuse  of  David  in  all 
other  things  wherein  through  human  frailty  he  failed 
often,  doth  shew  how  God  passeth  over  the  sins  of  the 
elect,  as  the  apostle  saith,  u-n^ioujv,  which  thi-ough  in- 
firmity they  do  commit ;  but  this  special  notice  taken 
of  the  matter  of  Uriah  the  Hittite,  declareth  it  to  have 
been  peccaliim  prima;  marjiiitudinis,  a  sin  of  the  first 
magnitude,  in  a  vessel  of  glory,  because  so  many  sins 
met  together  in  it.  To  name  the  most  eminent :  first, 
adultery  ;  then  the  making  of  Uriah  drunk ;  then  the 
murdering  of  Uriah ;  wherein  you  see  that  this  foul 
sin  doth  make  weight  in  the  burden  of  David. 

The  Holy  Ghost,  to  declare  how  foul  and  hideous  a 
sindrunkenness  is,  hath  not  spared  to  leave  the  dis- 
honour of  God's  good  servants  upon  record,  oflending 
therein ;  as  of  Noah,  who  is  much  to  be  excused,  be- 
cause, having  planted  a  vine,  and  out  of  the  grapes 
having  pressed  the  first  liquor  that  we  read  made  of 
grapes,  and  not  knowing  the  strength  thereof,  being 
also  old,  he  was  overtaken  with  it  once,  and  no  more. 
Surely  it  was  the  will  of  God  so  early  to  let  the  danger 
of  wine  appear,  even  at  the  first  drinking  thereof,  that 
all  succeeding  times  might  beware. 

So  the  example  of  David,  who  made  Uriah  drunk, 
against  whom  the  matter  of  Uriah  is  upon  record,  for 
terror  that  men  should  fear  this  great  sin  of  making 
their  neighbours  drunk,  for  that  is  part  of  '  the  matter 
of  Uriah  the  Hittite.' 

Will  you  hear  the  decision  of  the  canon  law*  in 
*  Summa  Anglica,  Elnetate. 

227 


140 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


their  cases  of  conscience  concerning  this  sin  :  Ille  qui 
procurat  ut  quis  inehrietur,  mortaliter  peccat,  quia  con- 
sentit  in  damnum  notahile  proximi. 

This  is  now  the  crying  sin  of  our  land  ;  court,  cit}', 
country,  all  defiled  with  it ;  and  I  must  confess  a 
truth  which  the  sun  seeth,  not  all  innocent  of  it  who 
should  by  authority  from  God  reprove  it  by  the  word, 
and  punish  it  by  the  sword ;  it  is  a  sin  in  fashion. 

Yet  at  the  great  feast  which  Ahasueras  made  to  his 
princes,  it  is  specially  noted :  Esther  i.  8,  '  And  the 
drinking  was  by  an  order ;  none  might  compel :  for  so 
the  king  had  appointed  to  all  the  officers  of  his  house, 
that  they  should  do  according  to  every  man's  plea- 
sure.' Lyran  his  note  is,  Nolebat  rex  ut  in  aula  sua 
aliquis  uteretur  modo  incomposito  et  irrationabili,  more 
barbarorum,  qui  nimis  importune  inducebant  homines  ad 
bibendum. 

Reason  1.  It  is  our  duty  to  stir  up'one  another,  and 
to  provoke  one  another  to  all  Christian  duties ;  of 
these,  to  act  sobriety  in  the  moderate  using  of  meat 
and  drink,  and  fasting,  in  the  abstinence  from  them 
for  a  season.  St  Paul,  '  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  do 
all  to  the  glory  of  God  ;'  Christ,  quando  jejunatis. 

To  omit  this  duty  is  a  great  sin,  to  commit  the  con- 
trary evil  is  most  abominable.  This  the  prophet 
sheweth,  Isa.  xxii.  12,  13  :  'In  that  day  did  the  Lord 
God  of  hosts  call  unto  weeping  and  mourning,  &c. 
And  behold  joy  and  gladness,  slaying  oxen  and  kiUing 
sheep,  eating  flesh  and  drinking  wine,'  eating  and 
drinking,  eras  moriemur ;  and  it  was  declared  in  the 
ears  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  '  Surely  this  iniquity  shall 
not  be  purged  till  ye  die.' 

How  then  shall  they  appear  before  God,  who,  in- 
stead of  calling  to  fasting,  call  to  drinking,  and  press 
the^drinking  even  to  the  making  of  their  neighbour 
drunk  ? 

Reason  2.  If  we  contrive  against  our  neighbour's 
life  to  take  it  from  him,  we  are  murderers  ;  if  against 
his  wife  to  defile  her,  we  are  adulterers ;  if  against  his 
goods  to  rob  him  of  them,  we  are  thieves  ;  if  against 
his  good  name,  we  are  false  witnesses.  Consider  then 
what  thou  dost  when  thou  attemptest  thy  neighbour 
to  make  him  drunk,  for  thou  seekest  to  perish  his 
understanding,  to  rob  him  of  the  use  of  reason,  which 
should  distinguish  him  from  a  brute  beast,  to  expose 
him  a*  spectacle  of  shame  and  filthiness  to  all  be- 
holders, and  to  make  him  a  transgressor  of  the  law  of 
God,  the  church,  and  the  commonwealth. 

Yet  they  that  are  thus'overtaken,  do  commonly  ex- 
228 


cuse  themselves  that  they  have  been  amongst  their 
friends  ;  but  this  pot-friendship,  which  hath  the  power 
to  divide  a  man  from  himself,  will  scarce  prove  a  glue 
strong  enough  to  unite  and  knit  him  to  another.  The 
kisses  of  such  friends  betray  thee,  and  thou  mayest 
say  rather,  '  Thus  was  I  wounded  in  the  house  of  my 
friends.'  It  was  David's  prayer,  let  it  be  thine,  Ps. 
cxli.  5,  *  Let  the  righteous  smite  me,  for  that  is  a 
benefit;  and  let  him  reprove  me,  and  it  shall  be  a 
precious  oil,  that  shall  not  break  my  head  ;'  but  '  In- 
cline not  mine  heart  to  evil,  that  I  should  commit 
wicked  works  with  men  that  commit  iniquity ;  and  let 
me  not  eat  of  their  delicates,  nor  drink  neither.'  It 
is  a  good  observation  of  Cardinal  Bellarmine  here, 
ubique  nocet  conversatio  malorum,  sed  nusquam  magis, 
quam  in  conviviis,  et  compotationibus. 

This  is  no  new  danger,  but  a  disease  of  fonner  ages, 
infectiously  transmitted  by  imitation  to  our  times,  and 
in  them  grown  epidemical. 

St  Ambrose  describeth  a  surfeiting  and  drunken 
meal:  Prima  minoribus  poculis  velut  velitari  pugnd prm- 
luditur  ;  verum  hcec  non  est  sobrietatis  spes,  sed  bibendi 
disciplina;  ubi  res  calere  cmperit,  poscunt  majoribus  2w- 
culis,  certant  pocula  cum  ferculis.  Delude  procedente 
potu  longius  contentiones  diversa;,  et  magna  certamina 
quis  bibendo  prcEcellat.  Nota  gravis  si  quis  se  excuset. 
All  you  that  call  God  father,  and  do  desire  either 
the  honour  of  his  name,  or  the  coming  of  his  kingdom, 
or  the  fulfilling  of  his  will,  make  conscience  of  this 
great  sin,  call  it  no  longer  good-fellowship ;  for  St 
Ambrose  saith,  Vocatis  ut  amicos,  emittitis  inimicos. 
Vocas  ad  jucunditatem,  cogis  ad  mortem ;  invitas  ad 
prandium,  efferre  vis  ad  sepuUuram ;  vina  pra-tendis, 
venena  suffundis. 

Say  to  him  that  tempteth  thee  to  drink  drunk,  Vade 
retro  me,  Sathana,  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan ;  '  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  nor  drink,'  God  shall  find 
thee  out,  thou  hast  his  woe  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
see  anon  how  he  will  punish  thee. 

.2.  Ad  quid .'  ut  videant  nuditatem.  It  is  the  boast 
of  brave  drunkards,  how  long  they  have  sat  at  it,  how 
many  pots  and  pottles  they  have  swallowed,  how  many 
they  have  made  drunk  ;  this  is  thy  nakedness. 

Literally  drunkenness  doth  make  men  do  things 
uncomely.  Some  use  this  lewd  practice  to  make  way 
for  their  lust,  some  to  take  advantages  otherwise. 
Modesty  cannot  utter  what  unclean  provocations  do 
arise  from  drunkenness,  what  lewd  and  unchaste 
actions  are  done,  what  profane  and  filthy  words  are 


Yer.  15-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HARAKKUK. 


Ul 


spoken.    Noah  himself,  fall  of  wine,  doth  lie  uncovered 
in  his  tent,  and  sheweth  his  nakedness. 

St  Ambrose  complaineth  of  women  that,  fall  of 
wine,  did  come  immodestly  into  the  street,  singing  and 
dancing:  Irritantes  in  se  juvenum  Ubidines.  Ccelutn  im- 
puro  contaminatur  aspectu,  terra  turpi  saltatione  pol- 
luitur,  aer  obscenis  cantibus  verberatur. 

Oh  the  miserable  stat€  of  man  in  whom  sin  reigneth! 
He  is  not  only  tempted  to  do  evil,  horrible  and  shame- 
ful evil,  to  drink  drunk,  but  to  be  his  neighbour's 
devil,  to  draw  him  into  evil  by  making  him  drunk ;  and 
also  this  propter  malum,  even  to  discover  the  naked- 
ness of  his  brother. 

Some  shew  themselves  in  their  pots  like  lions,  furi- 
ous and  quarrelsome  ;  others  are  dull  and  heavy,  only 
serving  for  whetsones  to  sharpen  the  wits  of  the  com- 
pany ;  others  drowsy  and  sleepy ;  others  talkative, 
every  man  in  his  humour,  all  in  their  nakedness.  To 
do  evil  that  good  may  come  of  il  is  an  heinous  sin,'for 
God  needs  not  Satan's  help.  But  to  do  evil  ourselves 
to  draw  others  into  evil,  for  so  evil  an  end,  this  doth 
make  sin  out  of  measure  sinful. 

1.  Take  nakedness  literally,  for  the  discovering  of 
those  parts  which  modesty  doth  hide  out  of  sight.  So 
after  the  transgression  the  man  and  woman  saw  that 
they  were  naked,  and  they  were  ashamed,  being  but 
themselves  alone  in  the  garden  ;  and  they  sewed  fig- 
leaves  together  to  hide  their  nakedness  from  each 
other's  sight.  So  much  remained  in  them,  that,  having 
left  primas  sapientia,  they  yet  retained  secundas  mo- 
desiia,  and  could  not  for  shame  behold  each  other's 
nakedness.  The  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  xii.  23:  'These 
members  of  the  body  which  we  think  to  be  less 
honourable,  upon  these  we  bestow  more  abundant 
honour,  and  our  uncomely  parts  have  more  abundant 
comeliness.'  The  honour  here  meant  is  the  decent 
hiding  of  their  nakedness,  and  the  modest  covering  of 
our  shame.  Where  the  apostle  doth  declare  the  care 
that  is  in  the  natural  body ;  the  comely  parts,  which 
need  no  hiding  from  sight,  do  cover  the  uncomely  parts 
from  sight.  Therefore  they  that  uncover  naked- 
ness do  shew  themselves  to  be  no  members  of  the 
body  ;  so  that  such  drunkards  as  give  strong  drink  to 
their  neighbour,  to  this  end  to  discover  their  naked- 
ness, declare  themselves  to  be  no  parts  of  the  body  of 
the  church. 

Surely  much  nakedness  is  discovered  in  many 
drunken  meetings ;  and  no  marvel,  when  men  and  wo- 
men, having  laid  aside  reason  and  temperance,  religion 


and  the  fear  of  God,  if  they  then  turn  beasts,  and  do 
those  things  that  are  uncomely. 

2.  Take  this  nakedness  in  a  spiritual  sense.  Then 
St  Ambrose  will  tell  you.  Lib.  de  Noe  et  Area,  c.  30, 
Omnis  impius  quoniam  ipse  deviits  discipline  est,  alio- 
rum  lapsus  pro  sui  erroris  solatia  accipit,  quod  consortes 
invenerit  culpa.  Then  is  the  season  for  the  cozener 
to  invade  the  purse  of  his  neighbour,  for  the  cunning 
insidiator  to  take  advantage  of  words  to  find  out  the 
infirmities  of  his  brother,  that  he  may  keep  him  in 
awe  thereby.  I  cannot  dive  so  deep  into  this  mys- 
tery of  iniquity  as  to  declare  all ;  and  again,  I  fear  to 
go  far  in  it,  lest  I  might  teach  the  ignorant  sinner  more 
ctmning  than  he  had  before. 

This  I  dare  say,  that  it  is  not  love  that  maintaineth 
drunken  acquaintance ;  for  true  love  is  a  coverer  of 
nakedness.  If  literal,  you  may  see  it  in  Shem  and 
Japhet ;  if  spiritual,  you  may  hear  it  from  the  apostle, 
'  Love  covereth  a  multitude  of  sins.'  And  out  of  that 
love  David  weeps  for  them  that  keep  not  the  law. 

It  becomes  them^best,  in  my  text,  who  know  not 
God,  but  were  abominable,  and  to  every  good  work 
reprobate,  to  make  men  drunk  to  make  them  sport ; 
but  these  things  must  not  be  so  much  as  named 
amongst  those  that  call  God  our  Father,  that  come  to 
church,  that  hear  the  word,  that  ofier  themselves  to  be 
guests  at  the  Lord's  board. 

But  I  remember  the  wise  man  saith,  '  Rods  be  for 
the  backs  of  fools.'  WTiat  greater  folly,  then,  to  sell 
our  inheritance  in  heaven  for  strong  drink  ?  A  worse 
bargain  than  Esau's,  and  a  harder  pennyworth. 

The  rods  for  this  are, 

2.  Pana  peccati,  the  punishment  of  sin. 

1.  '  Thou  art  filled  with  shame  for  glory.' 

2.  It  shall  be  thine  own  case  ;  '  for  thou  also  shalt 
drink,  and  thy  nakedness  discovered.' 

3.  The  avenger  shall  do  thee  right  is  the  Lord: 
'  The  cup  of  the  Lord's  right  hand  shall  be  turned 
unto  thee.' 

4.  *  Shameful  spewing  shall  be  thy  glory.' 

5.  *  The  violence  of  Lebanon  shall  cover  thee,  and 
the  spoil  of  beasts.' 

I  may  resolve  all  these  particulars  to  this  total,  that 
God  will  take  the  punishment  of  this  sin  into  his  own 
hand,  and  shall  turn  his  cup  unto  them,  and  they  shall 
do  him  right  therein.  But  for  our  better  direction  in 
this  passage,  let  me  observe, 

1 .  Who  will  punish  this  sin  ?    God  himself. 

2.  How  he  will  punish. 

229 


142 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


3.  Why  he  will  punish. 

1.  Who  will  punish  this  drunkenness. 

It  is  the  Lord.  Is  it  not  he  whose  glory  the  Baby- 
lonians have  given  to  their  idols  ;  yea,  in  the  pride  of 
their  heart  assumed  it  to  themselves  ?  Is  it  not  he 
whose  people  they  persecute  and  destroy  cruelly  ? 
whose  goods  they  gather  greedily  ?  whose  fruits  of 
the  earth  they  abuse  to  surfeit  and  drunkenness  ?  It  is 
for  such  as  these  that  God  saith,  Isa.  xlv.  7,  *  I  form 
the  light  and  create  darkness ;  I  make  peace  and 
create  evil :  I  the  Lord  do  all  these  things.' 

God  hath  ever  declared  himself  an  enemy  to  this 
sin ;  you  may  see  it  clearly  in  the  first  example  of  it 
in  Noah,  upon  whom  God  laid  two  great  punishments, 
which  show  how  much  that  sin  offended  him. 

1.  That  his  own  son  should  expose  him  to  shame. 

2.  That  this  fault  should  be  kept  in  eternal  record 
in  the  living  book  of  the  holy  word. 

You  may  see  it  in  Lot's  example,  wherein  God 
would  have  it  appear, 

1.  How  strong  liquor  may  prevail  against  a  strong 
brain. 

2.  How  easily  a  good  man,  and  one  that  feareth 
God,  may  be  overtaken  with  it  by  temptation, 

3.  How  horribly  he  may  offend  in  it. 

4.  How  temptation  may  relapse  him  into  it,  and  in 
the  sins  which  follow  it. 

5.  God  would  have  us  see  his  just  indignation 
against  this  sin  in  the  punishment  of  it. 

In  both  these,  the  first  we  read  of  transgressing  in 
wine,  God  doth  declare  his  judgments  upon  this  sin  of 
drunkenness. 

1.  Because  this  sin  doth  much  deface  the  image  of 
our  Maker  in  us,  which  is  chiefly  stamped  in  our 
spiritual  and  intellectual  part ;  for  let  reason  once  fail, 
and  man  ceaseth  to  be  himself  for  the  time,  and  be- 
cometh  like  to  a  brute  beast. 

2.  Because  God's  love  is  violated  by  drunkenness. 
Do  you  remember  how  sharply  God  punished  old  Eli, 
the  priest  of  the  Lord,  for  not  reproving  his  ungodly 
sons,  to  whom  he  said,  '  Thou  honourest  thy  sons 
more  than  me,'  1  Sam.  ii.  29.  The  drunkard  loveth 
his  strong  drink  above  the  Lord ;  therefore  he  threat- 
eneth  them :  Joel  i.  5,  *  Awake,  ye  drunkards,  and 
weep ;  and  howl  all  ye  drinkers  of  wine,  because  of 
the  new  wine,  for  it  is  cut  off  from  your  mouth.'  Ob- 
serve it,  that  he  biddeth  drunkards  awake,  both  because 
drunkenness  doth  beget  drowsiness,  et  quia  vigilando 
dormiunt,  for  they  say  and  do  they  know  not  what ;  and 

230 


he  sheweth  them  that  as  soundly  as  they  sleep,  they 
shall  not  sleep  out  his  judgment,  but  shall  feel  the 
storm  thereof.  It  is  a  contrary  course  that  God 
holdeth  with  them  that  love  and  serve  him ;  for  he 
biddeth  them,  Isa.  xxvi.  20,  '  Come,  my  people,  enter 
into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee ; 
hide  thyself,  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the 
indignation  be  overpast.' 

Quest.  There  is  a  question  in  the  cases  of  conscience 
in  the  canon  law,  Uirum  ehrletas  excumt  d  peccato, 
Whether  drunkenness  may  excuse  from  sin  ?  We  have 
many  examples  of  men  in  their  drink,  some  speaking 
profanely  and  lewdly  to  the  dishonour  of  God,  swear- 
ing and  blaspheming ;  others  depraving  and  slander- 
ing their  neighbours;  others  furiously  smiting  and 
hurting,  some  killing ;  their  excuse  is,  alas,  they  were 
not  themselves,  and  their  drunkenness  is  the  excuse 
of  their  fault. 

I  find  it  favourably  judged  in  the  canonists,  Excusat 
ehrietas  non  a  toto,  sed  a  taiito,  it  excuseth  not  alto- 
gether, but  in  part.  Some  go  further,  and  search 
whether  the  drunkenness  be  a  common  disease  of  the 
party,  and  that  he  useth  in  his  drink  to  behave  him- 
self so  ;  and  in  that  case  being  found  culpable,  he  is 
adjudged  to  be  irregular :  but  if  a  man  be,  by  the 
temptation  of  such  whom  he  taketh  to  be  his  friends, 
overtaken  with  drink,  who  is  known  to  be  one  that 
useth  not  to  commit  that  fault,  the  law  doth  favour 
such  a  one.  Others  resolve  it  thus  :  Ebrius  est  irre- 
gularis, ut  ei  imputantur  ad  panam  omnia  qucB  se- 
quuntur. 

I  find  in  this  example  that  God  doth  threaten  to 
visit  these  Chaldeans  for  the  sins  committed  in  their 
drunkenness,  because  it  was  wilful.  Vide  legem,  Exod. 
xxi.  28,  29. 

The  school  distinguisheth  well  between  voluntary 
and  involuntary  drunkenness.  They  call  that  volun- 
tary drunkenness,  when  men  do  sit  at  the  wine  till  it 
inflame  them,  knowing  the  strength  of  wine,  and  their 
own  weakness,  and  seek  it  with  delight  in  it.  Ox 
used  to  gore.  Involuntary  they  call  that  which  over- 
taketh  a  man,  not  using,  not  loving  it,  who  also  is 
sorry  for  it,  and  wary  to  decline  it  hereafter ;  and  that 
they  hold  excuseth  a  tanto,  in  part. 

Use.  Methinks  this  should  be  a  great  argument  to 
dissuade  drunkenness,  and  to  make  men  afraid  of  it, 
for  God  is  the  punisher  of  it ;  the  God  that  formed 
thee,  and  gave  thee  being,  the  God  that  took  thee  from 
thy  mother's  womb,  the  God  that  hath  preserved  theo 


Ver.  1-5-17.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


143 


from  thy  youth  up  until  now.  That  great  God  who 
breweth  and  filleth  a  cup,  and  maketh  all  the  wicked 
thereof  drink  it  off,  dregs  and  all,  Ps.  Ixxv.  8.  This 
Isaiah,  chap.  li.  17,  calleth  *  The  cup  of  the  Lord's 
fury,'  and  he  giveth  his  own  children  a  taste  of  it,  not 
ad  ruinavt,  but  ad  dignam  emendationem,  not  to  their 
ruin,  but  amendment.  It  is  called  also  *  The  cup  of 
trembling.'  God  himself  calleth  it  *  The  wine- cup  of 
his  fury,'  Jer.  xxv.  15. 

It  is  called  in  Ezekiel,  chap.  xxii.  32,  '  deep  and 
large.'  And  as  the  apostle  saith,  2  Cor.  v.  11,  speaking 
of  the  judgment  to  come,  '  Knowing,  therefore,  the 
terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men.' 

If  men  will  not  be  persuaded,  let  him  that  is  filthy 
be  filthy  still;  let  him  that  is  a  drunkard  be  a  drunkard 
still :  but,  as  the  apostle  St  Peter  saith,  1  Peter  iv.  3, 
if  we  look  well  about  us,  *  The  time  past  of  our  life 
may  suffice  us  to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, when  we  walked  in  laschiousness,  lusts,  excess 
of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,'  &c. 

Yet,  better  late  than  never  ;  for  if  God  have  taken 
the  matter  into  his  hand,  David  will  tell  you  that  that 
band  of  God  is  strong  :  Ps.  Ixiii.  8,  '  Strong  is  thy 
hand,'  saith  he.  This  is  dextra  subreniens  suis,  siisciptt 
}}ie  dextra  tiia  ;  and  it  is  dextra  inveniens,  Ps.  xsi.  8, 
*  Thy  hand  shall  find  out  all  thine  enemies,  thy  right 
hand  shall  find  out  those  that  hate  thee.'  It  is  a 
fearful  thing  to  fall  into  that  hand,  Heb.  x.  31.  Thy 
right  hand  is  full  of  righteousness,  Ps.  xlviii.  That 
righteousness  will  give  suum  cuique,  to  every  one 
his  own  ;  it  payeth  home  ;  he  keeps  it  in  his  bosom 
of  purpose  to  spare  men,  and  to  give  them  time  of 
repentance. 

But  I  must  tell  you  that  the  saints  of  God  are  so 
impatient  of  the  wrong  done  to  the  name  of  God,  that 
they  cry  unto  him,  Ps.  Ixxiv.  10,  11,  '  0  God,  how 
long  shall  the  adversary  reproach  ?  shall  the  enemy 
blaspheme  thy  name  for  ever?  "Why  withdrawest 
thou  thy  hand,  even  thy  right  hand  "?  pluck  it  out  of 
thy  bosom.' 

2.  How  he  will  punish. 

1.  He  wUl  fill  them  with  shame  for  glory  ;  which 
shame  is  further  expressed,  '  Shameful  spewing  shall 
be  on  thy  glory.'  , 

2.  He  will  punish  them  with  their  own  sin  ;  for  he 
saith,  '  Drink  thou  also,  and  let  thy  foreskin  be  un- 
covered.' 

1.  With  Shame. 

You  are  not  to  learn  that  all  sin  is  folly,  and  all 


sinners  are  fools  ;  but  no  transgressor  in  any  kind 
doth  more  make  a  fool  of  himself  than  the  drunkard 
doth,  for  he  proclaimeth  his  own  shame  as  he  walketh 
up  and  down  the  streets  ;  as  he  sitteth  in  the  house,  his 
words,  his  gestures,  his  actions  do  all  shame  him  ;  as 
Solomon  saith,  Eccles.  x.  3,  •  When  he  that  is  a  fool 
walketh  by  the  way,  his  wisdom  faileth  him,  and  he 
saith  to  every  one  that  he  is  a  fool.'  So  doth  a 
drunkard  shame  himself  by  telling  every  one  that  he 
is  drunk.  This  were  a  great  punishment,  if  custom  of 
sinning  and  multitude  of  sinners  in  this  kind  had  not 
hardened  the  foreheads  of  them  that  transgress  in  this 
kind,  that  they  feel  not  the  rod  of  shame. 

I  may  say  with  the  prophet  of  the  drunkards  of  our 
days,  as  he  spake  of  the  idolaters  of  his  time  :  Jer. 
vi.  15,  '  Were  they  ashamed  when  they  had  committed 
abomination  ?  nay,  they  were  not  ashamed,  neither 
could  they  blush.'  But  let  no  man  despise  the  good 
opinion  of  his  neighbour ;  sober  men  care  not  how 
little  conversation  they  have  with  drunkards,  they 
seek  to  avoid  them,  and  all  that  fear  God  abhor  their 
evil  manners. 

Y"et  they  glory  and  boast  how  much  themselves 
have  drtmk,  how  many  they  have  made  drunk  ;  but 
as  the  apostle  saith,  '  Their  glory  is  their  shame.' 

And  though  they  be  not  sensible  of  it  in  the  heat  of 
their  wine,  and  in  the  custom  of  their  sin,  the  end 
thereof  wUl  be  bitterness  ;  for  the  wise  man  teUeth 
them,  Prov.  xxiii.  32,  *  At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a 
serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder.'  TSTien  shame 
once  begins  to  smart,  it  goeth  to  the  quick.  Re- 
member Adam  in  paradise :  Gen.  iii.  10,  '  I  heard 
thy  voice  in  the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid,  because  I 
was  naked  ;  and  I  hid  myself.'  The  Lord  will  come 
in  the  cool  of  the  day  to  us,  and  we  shall  hear  his 
voice  in  the  evening  of  our  time,  and  then  our  shame 
shall  come  with  a  sting,  even  the  sting  of  servile  fear, 
and  cast  up  otu"  account.  What  fruit,  then,  of  those 
things  whereof  we  are  ashamed  ?  Then  is  God  even 
with  you ;  for  he  crieth  out  to  you,  '  How  long  wilt 
thou  turn  my  glory  into  shame  ?'  Do  not  drunkards 
do  so,  who  make  their  bodies,  which  should  be  the 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  sties  of  uncleanness  ? 
The  Holy  Ghost,  you  see,  is  plain  and  homely  in 
his  phrase  of  speech.  These  drinks,  which  they  pour 
into  their  bodies  luxuriously,  shall  not  make  their 
hearts  glad  ;  they  shall  not  comfort  the  stomach,  they 
shall  not  nourish  the  body.  The  stomach  shall  com- 
plain of  them  as  a  wrong,  and  cast  them  up  as  a  bur- 

231 


144 


MARBUllY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


den  too  heavy  for  it  to  bear;  nature  itself  shall  exon- 
erate itself,  and  resist,  regest  it  in  a  shameful  vomit. 
And,  to  use  God's  own  phrase,  God  shall  spew  these 
workers  of  iniquity  out  of  his  mouth,  and  all  the  ser- 
vice that  they  do  to  him,  he  shall  cast  up  again  ;  for 
he  will  say,  Nauseat  anima  mea,  mj  soul  loatheth  ; 
he  is  even  sick  of  them  and  then-  service. 

And  if  God  once  set  upon  us,  to  shame  us,  who  then 
shall  have  pity  upon  thee,  0  Jerusalem  ?  or  who  shall 
bemoan  thee  ?  or  who  shall  go  aside  to  ask  thee  how 
thou  dost  ?  Jer.  xv.  5, 

2.  He  will  punish  them  with  their  own  sin  :  *  Drink 
thou  also,  and  let  thy  foreskin  be  uncovered.' 

1.  This  calleth  to  your  remembrance  a  doctrine 
formerly  delivered  out  of  Obadiah, 

That  God  requiteth  sinners  with  the  same  measure 
that  they  have  measured  to  others. 

2.  This  reneweth  also  the  remembrance  of  another 
doctrine  there  delivered,  that 

God  punisheth  sin  by  sin  ;  as  there  Edom  trusted 
in  the  help  of  men,  that  was  their  fault ;  and  that 
God  laid  upon  them  after  for  a  punishment. 

So  here,  the  fault  of  the  Chaldeans  was  their  mak- 
ing men  drunk,  that  they  might  see  their  nakedness, 
and  that  is  their  punishment ;  now  they  shall  be 
drunk,  and  their  nakedness  discovered. 

There  I  handled  this  question,  how  God  would  be 
author  of  this  kind  of  punishment,  and  innocent 
in  the  sin  of  the  offender  ;  resolving-  it  thus  :  that 
God  will  withdraw  his  grace,  and  forsake  them  that 
forsake  him,  and  leave  them  to  the  force  and  strong 
stream  of  their  own  corruptions.  As  the  apostle  saith, 
Eom.  i.  24,  26,  '  God  gave  them  up  to  uncleanness, 
through  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  to  dishonour  their 
bodies  :  for  this  cause  God  gave  them  up  to  vile  affec- 
tions.' We  carry  stuff  enough  about  us  to  punish  us 
withal ;  if  God  do  but  make  rods  of  our  own  corrup- 
tions, he  will  soon  be  armed  against  us. 

You  shall  find  in  that  place  of  the  apostle,  that  in 
man  there  are  two  things  to  which  for  sin  they  are 
yielded  up  by  God  himself  in  his  justice. 

1.  ETiSviiiaii  iruv  xa^biuv,  ver.  14. 

2.  "Eig  TTudri  an/xiag. 

These  two  do  differ  much  ;  for, 

1.  Concupiscence  is  but  a  grudging  of  a  disease, 
but  ffa^o;  is  the  very  strength  of  the  fit. 

2.  Concupiscence  is  within  the  heart  and  affections, 
but  this  pathos  is  active  and  in  operation,  and  so  cor- 
rupt the  whole  man.^God  leaveth  the  wicked  to  both 

232 


these ;  sT/^u/x/a  is  the  minority,  TaOog  is  the  strength 
of  sin. 

Thus,  as  Augustine  saith,  some  sins  are  not  tor- 
inenta  peccantium ,  but  incrementa  vitiorum,  and  men 
do  not  feel  any  punishment.  Yet  he  that  shall  con- 
sider it  well,  will  find  that  Solomon  means  a  punish- 
ment to  the  young  man,  when  he  saith,  *  Rejoice,  O 
young  man,  in  thy  youth.'  So  doth  the  Holy  Ghost, 
saying,  *  Let  him  that  is  filthy  be  filthy  still ;'  for  if 
God  let  go  the  reins,  and  leave  us  to  ourselves,  we 
are  likely  to  bring  our  sin  to  a  full  stature. 

It  is  a  good  use  of  this  point  which  St  Paul  teach- 
eth:  Gal.  vi.  1,  'Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken 
with  a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritualVestore  such  a  man 
with  the  spirit  of  meekness  ;  considering  thyself,  lest 
thou  also  be  tempted.' 

God  hath  a  just  hand  in  the  moderation  of  the 
things  of  this  world,  and  of  men's  persons.  Hath  not 
the  sun  shined  on  those  that  have  made  sport  to  be- 
hold men  drunk,  or  otherwise  have  made  the  most  of 
it,  to  their  shame  and  disgrace  amongst  men ;  who, 
in  the  just  punishment  of  their  uncharitableness,  have 
themselves  fallen  into  the  same  sin  of  drunkenness, 
and  thereby  have  borne  a  shame  and  scandal  to  their 
profession.  This  is  God's  justice  upon  them,  they 
did  not  consider  themselves,  they  knew  not  the  strength 
of  the  temptation,  they  knew  not  their  own  weakness. 

The  greatest  professors  of  religion  are  commonly 
the  severest  judges  of  their  brethren ;  for  their  zeal 
against  sin,  and  for  the  glory  of  God,  doth  fill  them  with 
hatred  of  evil.  Yet,  let  such  consider  themselves,  for  if 
God  see  that  their  zeal  begin  once  to  burn  up  their 
charity,  he  will  leave  them  to  themselves  a  while,  and  they 
shall  see  quo  semine  nati,  what  they  are.  For,  let  all 
men  know,  that  the  evil  angels  are  as  much  at  God's 
commandment  as  the  good;  for  omnia  illi  serviunt,  all 
things  serve  him.  And  as  it  is  said,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  49, 
'  He  will  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee ;'  so  it  is 
said  likewise,  '  He  cast  upon  them  the  fierceness  of 
his  anger,  wrath,  and  indignation,  and  terribleness, 
by  sending  evil  angels  among  them.' 

As  we  have  the  ministry  of  good  angels  sent  unto 
them  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation,  so  God  sendeth 
evil  angels  also,  not  only  to  Saul  and  to  the  false  pro- 
phets of  Ahab,  but  even  to  Adam  in  paradise  God 
sent  him,  and  to  St  Paul,  the  angel  of  Satan.  These 
evil  angels  sometimes  come  with  suggestions  to  sin, 
to  try  our  strength,  that  we  may  know  how  weak  we 
are;  and  sometimes  they  prevail  with  God's  children, 


Vek.  J  5-17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


145 


that  thev  may  stand  upon  their  own  guard,  and  keep 
better  watch.  But  for  the  ungodly  of  the  earth,  they 
emplnnge  them  in  the  same  sin  that  they  do  cause 
others  to  commit,  that  the  same  disgrace  and  shame 
which  they  have  done  to  their  neighbour,  may  reflect 
upon  themselves. 

Some  have  been  so  afraid  of  making  God  the  author 
of  evil,  because  it  is  said,  tradidit  eos  Deus,  God  hath 
delivered  them  up,  that  they  have  understood  the 
apostle  to  speak  of  that  God  who  is  called  dens  sacidi 
hiijus,  the  god  of  this  world  ;  as  the  Manichees  saw 
so  much  evil  done,  and  knew  not  how  to  free  God 
from  guiltiness  of  it,  they  therefore  made  duo  prin- 
cipia,  two  beginnings.     But  that  needs  not. 

It  is  likely  that  such  a  father  as  is  personated  in 
the  parable  of  the  prodigal,  could  not  but  observe  in 
the  education  of  his  son,  how  thrifty  he  was  like  to 
prove  ;  yet  such  a  father,  giving  the  portion  of  his 
goods  which  is  a  child's"part,  id  such  a  son,  and  letting 
him  take  his  journey  into  a  far  country,  is  not  acces- 
sory to  his  riotous  living.  Augustine  saith  that  the 
heart  of  man  is  hamed  *  by  God,  Xon  impartiendo 
malitiam,  sed  iion  larrfiendo  ffratiam,  not  by  instilling 
any  malice,  but  not  giving  grace. 

He  seeth  the  Chaldeans  take  delight  in  making  men 
drunk  ;  itt  miditatevi  videaiit ;  he  letteth  go  the  hold 
he  hath  of  them  for  a  time,  and  leaveth  them  to  them- 
selves ;  and  that  which  was  their  sport,  is  now  their 
fault  and  their  shame. 

I  say  therefore,  again,  consider  yourselves.  "VSTien 
thou  seest  a  drunkard  shaming  himself,  as  these  here 
did,  consider  whose  Ught  shineth  in  thy  understand- 
ing, to  shew  thee  how  foul  a  sin  that  is  ;  consider 
that  that  is  not  enough  ;  for  all  drunkards  know  that 
drunkenness  is  a  sin  ;  consider  whose  grace  it  is  that 
establisheth  thy  heart,  and  keepeth  thee  from  com- 
mitting the  same  sin. 

Insult  not  over  thy  brother,  deride  him  not,  discover 
him  not  to  increase  his  shame  ;  rejoice  not  against 
him,  rather  bewail  his  sin  with  the  tears  of  thy  soul; 
seek  by  the  spirit  of  meekness  to  restore  him,  advise 
him  friendly,  chide  him  lovingly.  For  if  thou  pro- 
fessest  a  severe  life,  and  to  make  conscience  of  thy 
ways,  shouldest  fall  into  this  sin  thyself,  thou  would- 
est  not  only  shame  thy  person,  but  thy  profession  also. 
And  indeed,  thou  earnest  about  thee  corpus  peccati,  a 
body  of  sin  ;  thou  hast  the  matter  and  stuff  of  all 
sins  within  thee,  if  grace  do  not  aid  and  assist  thee. 
»  Qa.  'hardened'?— Ed. 


Lastly,  let  me  admonish  you,  if  any  of  you  by  occa- 
sion are  overtaken  at  any  time  witb  this  fault,  be  of 
David's  mind,  '  Let  the  righteous  smite  me;'  suffer  a 
gentle  chiding  from  your  friends  that  love  you,  and 
hate  that  evil  in  you.  Take  it  for  a  favour  of  God, 
and  think  that  it  is  he  that  speaketh  to  you  in  that 
reprehension. 

Hearken  not  to  those  that  flatter  you  in  your  sins. 

Alexander  in  a  drunken  fit  slew  Clitus  his  beloved 
friend  and  faithful  counsellor.  Instead  of  reproving 
his  fault,  even  then  when  he  was  fit  to  be  wrought 
upon,  being  sensible  of  it,  he  had  three  flatterers, 
Anaiarchus,  Aristander,  Calisthenes :  Anaxarchus, 
an  epicurean  philosopher,  he  told  him  that  it  was  no 
matter,  he  was  a  king,  and  he  might  do  what  he  list ; 
Aristander,  a  stoic  philosopher,  told  him  that  it  was 
not  his  fault,  but  fate,  that  killed  Clitus ;  Calisthenes, 
a  courtier,  sought  to  heal  the  sore  with  sweet  words. 
That  is  not  the  way  to  bring  us  to  amendment  of  our 
evils  ;  a  gentle,  discreet  reprehension  well  taken,  will 
pierce  the  heart,  and  fill  it  with  comfort.  John  the 
Baptist,  quis  pr<snuutiavtt  robis  ut  fugerelu  ab  ira  ren- 
tura  ?  Who  hath  done  you  such  a  favour  to  prevent 
such  a  danger  ? 

3.  Why  doth  God  infl-ct  punishment  ? 

God  giveth  a  reason  of  his  severe  proceeding  against 
the  Babylonians,  the  violence  of  Lebanon,  and  the 
spoil  of  beasts  which  made  them  afi-aid,  and  for  the 
violence  of  the  land,  &c.  Shewing  that  their  cruelty 
to  man  and  beast  had  provoked  God  against  them  to 
punish  all  their  sins,  their  pride,  covetousness,  and 
drunkenness.  You  have  heard  of  their  cruelty  at  large 
before  to  men ;  their  very  cities  were  built  with  blood. 

The  apostle  saith,  '  Hath  God  care  of  oxen  ?'  Here 
you  see  that  God  used  the  beasts  of  Lebanon  for  a 
terror  to  the  enemy  ;  and  now  he  declareth  himself  an 
avenger  also  of  their  quarrel,  because  of  the  cruel 
spoil  that  the  Chaldeans  did  make  amongst  the  beasts 
of  God's  people. 

God  gave  man  lordship  over  the  beasts  of  the  field ; 
he  made  him  a  lord  to  rule  them,  not  a  tyrant  to  de- 
stroy them. 

One  saith  upon  those  words  of  Solomon,  Prov,  xii. 
10,  '  a  just  man  regardeth  the  life  of  his  beast ;'  that 
seeing  God  hath  put  the  beasts  of  the  field  in  subjec- 
tion to  man,  that  he  must  shew  himself  a  lord, 

1.  In  pascendo,  providing  necessary  food  for  them. 

2.  In  parcendo,  using  them  favourably. 

3.  In  paliendo,  bearing  with  them  in  their  kind. 

233 


146 


MAllBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


4.  In  compatiendo,  relieving  them  in  their  griefs. 

5.  In  compescendo,  restraining  them  from  hurt. 

6.  In  conservando,  preserving  them  all  v?e  can. 

This  was  the  sin  of  the  Chaldeans  ;  they  were  de- 
stroyers, and  sought  not  only  the  ruin  of  the  people  of 
the  land,  but  the  destruction  also  of  their  cattle,  that 
the  means  of  living,  if  any  escaped  to  reinhabit,  might 
be  taken  away. 

This  justice  of  God  in  avenging  the  wrongs  done  to 
brute  beasts,  by  calling  them  to  an  account  for  their 
sins  that  did  the  wrong,  doth  teach  us, 

1.  That  the  providence  and  care  of  God  doth  stoop 
so  low  as  the  regard  of  our  cattle. 

Christ  made  good  use  of  it,  considerate  volatilia  cceli, 
consider  the  fowls  of  heaven ;  God  feedeth  them, 
quanto  magis  vos,  how  much  more  you. 

2.  It  teacheth  us  to  use  our  dominion  of  these 
creatures  moderately,  lest  the  ass  of  Balaam  do  re- 
prove his  owner. 

3.  It  sheweth  how  much  God  doth  make  of  anything 
that  serves  him.  The  text  saith  that  these  beasts  did 
make  the  Chaldeans  afraid,  and  for  this  they  suffered 
predation,  for  the  service  they  did  to  God  and  his 
church  against  their  enemies  ;  in  Christ's  argument, 
how  much  more  will  he  defend  us,  if  we  fight  his 
battles  against  his  enemies. 

4.  We  learn  here  that  when  God  cometh  to  execute 
vengeance,  he  surveyeth  the  whole  catalogue  of 
offences  ;  and  as  he  saith  in  David,  *  I  will  reprove 
thee,  and  set  them  in  order  before  thee.'  The  wrong 
to  the  cities,  to  the  men,  to  the  beasts,  to  persons,  to 
places,  all  comes  into  an  account,  and  the  offenders 
shall  smart  for  all. 


Ver.  18-20.  What  pi-qfiteth  the  graven  image  that 
the  maker  thereof  hath  graven  it ;  the  molten  image,  and 
a  teacher  of  lies,  that  the  maker  of  his  work  trusteth 
therein  to  make  dumb  idols  ?  Woe  unto  him  that 
saith  to  the  wood,  Awake ;  to  the  dumb  stone,  Arise,  it 
shall  teach  !  Behold,  it  is  laid  over  with  gold  and  sil- 
\  ver,  and  there  is  no  breath  at  all  in  the  midst  of  it. 
But  the  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple :  let  all  the  earth 
keep  silence  before  him. 

Here  God  denounceth  his  judgment  against  their 
idolatry.  The  words  of  this  text  have  no  obscurity  in 
them.  Thus  much  then  shall  serve  for  the  opening 
of  this  text,  that  all  this  commination  of  woe  and 
judgment  of  which  you  have  heard  is  the  voice  of  the 
234 


true  God  declaring  his  just  proceeding  against  the  sins 
formerly  mentioned ;  and  to  this  purpose  he  doth  here 
lay  open  the  vanity  of  false  gods. 

What  profit  can  there  come,  saith  he,  of  a  graven 
image,  that  the  maker  thereof  hath  graven  ?  He 
asketh  men  this  question,  and  appealeth  to  the  light 
of  natural  reason  ;  can  that  profit  a  man,  meaning  in 
the  power  and  goodness  of  a  divine  nature,  which  is 
the  work  of  a  man's  hands  ?  be  it  either  a  graven  im- 
age wrought  upon  by  art  of  the  workman,  or  a  molten 
image  cast  in  any  metal ;  can  this  profit  a  man  ? 

He  calleth  the  image  thus  carved,  graven  or  molten, 
'  a  teacher  of  lies ;'  for  it  is  a  mere  illusion  that  any 
man  should  so  befool  himself  as  to  believe  that  such 
an  artificial  composition,  wrought  by  the  hand  of  man, 
should  be  esteemed  a  god. 

This  is  amplified,  and  the  wonder  increased  ;  for 
though  other  men  may  be  carried  away  with  a  super- 
stitious over-weaning  of  such  an  idol,  yet  that  the 
maker  of  it  should  trust  in  it,  who  when  he  was  at 
work,  peradventure  as  the  poet  saith, 

Incertus  scamnum  faceretne  Priapum, 
Maluit  esse  deum. 

It  was  at  his  courtesy  whether  it  should  be  an  idol 
or  some  other  thing. 

Therefore,  ver.  19,  God  saith,  'Woe  unto  him  that 
saith  to  the  wood.  Awake,  and  to  the  dumb  stone, 
Arise  ;'  that  is,  woe  to  him  that  trusteth  to  an  idol 
for  defence  against  evil,  or  deliverance  out  of  danger, 
for  that  is  one  of  the  uses  that  is  made  of  idols,  to 
succour  in  time  of  distress,  as  the  disciples  did  awake 
their  Master  in  a  storm. 

You  see  that  when  the  workman  hath  put  his  hand 
upon  it,  and  shewed  his  best  skill,  here  God  doth 
call  it  wood  and  a  dumb  stone  still.  He  proveth  it 
thus  :  It  shall  teach  ;  although  it  be  dumb,  yet  the 
dumbness  thereof  shall  declare  it  to  be  an  inanimate, 
impotent  thing  ;  for  howsoever  the  matter  of  the  idol, 
be  it  wood,  or  stone,  or  metal,  be  laid  over  with  gold 
and  silver,  as  superstition  is  costly  enough  in  adorn- 
ing their  gods,  yet  '  there  is  no  breath  at  all  in  the 
midst  of  them,'  and  having  no  life  in  them,  they  have 
no  power  to  give  help  to  them  that  serve  them. 

Ver.  20.  But  the  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple ;  for, 
having  shewed  the  vanity  of  idols,  he  cometh  now  to 
reveal  himself  to  them. 

This  some  understand  that  the  Lord  is  in  heaven, 
the  temple  of  his  holiness,  and  though  the  heaven  of 


Ver.  18-20.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


147 


heavens  cannot  contain  him,  yet  he  hath  said,  '  Hea- 
ven is  my  throne,'  and  Christ  teacheth  us  to  say,  qui 
es  in  cceli,  '  who  art  in  heaven.' 

So  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  where  he  said,  '  I  will 
dwell,'  is  the  temple  of  his  holiness;  and  as  the  Baby- 
lonians and  other  heathen  had  their  idols  and  their 
temples  for  them  to  which  they  did  resort,  so  he  pro- 
duceth  in  opposition  to  them  the  God  of  Israel  in  his 
holy  temple,  to  whom  the  Jews  may  resort  for  help 
against  all  their  enemies.  '  Let  all  the  earth  keep 
silence  before  him  ;'  in  which  words  either  he  dis- 
courageth  all  power  that  should  rise  up  against  him, 
or  he  requireth  the  voluntary  submission  of  the  earth 
to  him  as  to  the  supreme  sovereign  of  all  the  world  ; 
for  keeping  silence  is  a  sign  of  reverence  and  submis- 
sion, as  Job,  speaking  of  his  former  glory  when  God 
had  abased  him,  saith  that,  when  he  came  forth,  '  the 
princes  refrained  talking,  and  laid  their  hand  on  their 
mouth,'  chap.  xxix.  9.    {De  verbis  hactenus.) 

The  parts  of  the  test  are  two — 1,  False  worship ; 
2,  True  religion. 

In  the  first,  1,  Peccatum,  that  is,  idolatry;  2,  Pana, 
Vce,  '  Woe.' 

In  the  first,  here  is, 

1.  A  description  of  the  idolatry  of  the  heathen 
Babel. 

2,  A  derision  of  the  idolaters. 

1.  Idolatry  is  a  trust  in,  and  an  invocation  of,  graven 
and  molten  images,  dumb  idols.  First,  here  is  trust, 
then  foUoweth  invocation,  and  that  is  the  apostle's 
method  in  all  religious  adoration  :  Rom.  x.  4,  '  How 
shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?' 
This  doth  open  to  us  the  occasion  of  this  last  imputa- 
tion to  them  of  idolatry ;  for  what  hath  made  them  so 
proud,  so  cruel,  so  covetous,  so  voluptuous,  as  the 
opinion  that  they  have  in  the  protection  of  their 
gods  '?  Therefore  now  at  last  God  overthroweth  that 
also,  and  doth  shew  them  that  in  religion  they  are 
most  of  all  wrong. 

If  you  desire  a  general  definition  of  idolatry,  which 
comprehendeth  all  kinds,  I  think  this  is  full  of  com- 
prehension. It  is  cultus  religiosus  ej:hibitus  creaturce, 
a  rehgious  worship  given  to  the  creature.  Learn  then 
that  no  nation  of  the  world  did  ever  deny  a  divine 
power,  but  acknowledged  some  god  in  whom  they 
trusted,  and  whom  in  their  necessities  they  called 
upon  ;  and  because  this  invisible  godhead  was  out  of 
sight,  they  devised  idols,  which  they  erected  for  re- 
presentation of  their  gods,  which  they  also  worshipped 


with  divine  honours ;  and  this  we  call  idolatiy,  or  the 
worshipping  of  idols.  They  saw  that  there  was  much 
to  do  in  the  government  of  the  world,  and  therefore 
they  adored  many  gods,  as  thinking  it  too  much  to 
believe  any  one  god  able  to  manage  the  universal 
government  of  all  things. 

These  gods  they  represented  some  forms,  either  cast 
in  metal  or  graven  in  gold,  silver,  wood,  and  stone. 
This  they  call  iJduiAov  ah  iibui,  video,  to  see,  signifying 
somewhat  that  was  to  be  seen,  for  they  walked  by 
sight  and  not  by  faith,  and  would  have  somewhat  to 
see  before  they  would  worship. 

2.  The  vanity  of  this  worship  is  derided  here,  be- 
cause this  idol  which  they  worshipped  could  profit 
them  nothing,  for  no  man  would  do  service  where  no- 
thing is  to  be  gained  by  it. 

He  proveth  that  it  cannot  profit, 

1.  Because  it  hath  a  maker,  for  so  there  was  a  time 
when  it  was  not ;  and  how  can  he  profit  a  man  that  is 
beholding  to  man  for  his  making  ? 

2.  Because  every  idol  is  a  teacher  of  lies,  for  it 
teacheth  a  man  to  trust  in  his  own  work,  and  is  a 
mere  illusion,  planting  his  trust  and  directing  his 
worship  in  and  to  that  which  is  able  to  do  him  no 
good  when  he  needeth. 

3.  Because  these  idols  are  dumb,  and  can  give  man 
no  answer  to  his  demands  or  petitions. 

■4.  Because,  when  man  hath  bestowed  his  workman- 
ship upon  it,  and  all  his  cost  in  overlaying  it  with 
gold  and  sUver,  it  is  yet  a  dumb  statue,  it  hath  no 
life  in  it,  '  there  is  no  breath  at  all  in  the  midst  of  it ;' 
so  that  the  doctrine  of  this  place  is, 

Doct.  Idolatry  is  a  grievous  sin. 

The  reasons  to  prove  this  are  great ;  two  chiefly  : 

1.  In  respect  of  God,  there  is  no  sin  that  doth  more 
dishonour  God,  because  this  doth,  as  it  were,  un-god 
him,  and  setteth  up  the  creature  in  the  place  of  the 
Creator,  at  once  breaking  the  two  first  commandments 
of  the  first  table  of  God's  holy  law. 

1.  'Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  but  me.' 

2.  '  Thou  shalt  worship  no  graven  image,'  &c. 
But  this  reason  God  omitteth,  as  having  now  to  do 

with  those  who  knew  not  the  true  God. 

2.  He  urgeth  a  second  reason.  This  sin  is  against 
them  that  commit  it,  for  they  trust  in  and  call  upon 
that  thing  which  cannot  profit  them,  the  two  great 
acts  of  religion  cast  away  and  lost,  that  is,  trust  and 
invocation. 

This  is  a  great  argument  in  our  temporal  afiiairs  ; 

235 


14S 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


for  will  a  man  bestow  his  time,  his  labour,  his  love, 
and  service,  where  no  profit  is  like  to  arise  to  him  ? 

But  this  kind  of  idolatry  is  so  extinguished  by  the 
light  of  the  gospel,  and  so  little  cause  of  fear  of  it, 
that  I  need  bestow  no  time  nor  pains  on  it,  for  there 
is  none  of  us  who  doth  not  confess  one  God  in  three 
persons.  But  there  is  an  idolatry  amongst  those  that 
call  themselves  Christians,  and  would  have  none  be 
the  church  of  God  but  themselves  :  that  is  the  church 
of  Rome ;  and  though  they  protest  against  it,  and 
plead  not  guilty  to  our  accusation,  yet  the  evidence 
of  truth  will  convince  them  of  it.  Under  the  name 
of  idol,  Cardinal  Bellarmine  doth  understand  only 
falsam  simUitmUuem  representantem  id  quod  revera  non 
est,  a  false  similitude  representing  that  which  indeed 
is  not,  as  the  idols,  he  saith,  of  the  heathen  did  repre- 
sent feigned  gods,  such  as  never  were,  but  were  only 
the  fictions  of  human  device  ;  they  have  not  such. 

Theirs  are  imagines ;  imago  ah  imitando,  of  imitating, 
and  they  be  counterfeits,  representing  in  similitude 
such  persons  as  have  been  and  have  lived  in  the 
world. 

So  idols  they  defy,  images  they  embrace.  In 
this  very  beginning  of  their  defence,  both  absurd  in 
the  strife  of  words,  making  distinction  where  there  is 
no  difference,  for  sihuiXov  is  properly  a  visible  repre- 
sentation, and  so  is  an  image,  and  therefore  both  in 
Greek,  Latin,  and  English  one  and  the  same  thing, 
but  the  custom  of  speech  hath  impropriated  certain 
words  to  set  fictions,  as  that  an  image  is  the  repre- 
sentation of  anything,  but  an  idol  is  commonly  taken 
with  us  for  the  representation  of  some  thing  that  is 
worshipped. 

Therefore  the  best  part  of  the  papist's  defence  of 
their  religion  against  our  imputation  of  idolatry,  is 
this  : 

1.  That  for  the  images  that  they  do  retain,  either 
in  the  church  oratories  or  in  their  private  use,  they 
know  them  in  their  matter  to  be  no  other  than  the 
creatures  of  God,  of  wood,  stone,  metal,  or  some 
other  mixed  matter ;  they  know  them  to  be  in  their 
forms  the  art  of  the  workman ;  they  do  know  and 
confess  them  to  be  dead,  inanimate,  senseless  things 
in  themselves,  and  they  protest  against  any  adoration 
of  them  as  much  (they  say)  as  we  do.  Here  Cardinal 
Bellarmine  speaks  for  the  rest,  and  he  will  charge  the 
protestant  church  with  slander  in  this  point,  and  say 
there  is  no  such  matter,  they  do  not  worship  any 
idols.  He  complaineth  that  by  this  slander  some  of 
236 


the  protestants  have  so  distasted  the  religion  of  Rome 
to  many  that  know  it  not,  that  though  they  do  hear 
of  worthy  men  amongst  them,  who  for  gravity  of 
manners,  holiness  of  life,  and  all  exemplary  virtues, 
deserve  reverence  and  respect,  yet  our  opinion  of  their 
idolatry  distasteth  them  so  to  us  that  we  will  not  hear 
them  speak. 

2.  They  answer,  that  their  images  are  of  two  sorts, 
which  they  use  in  divine  worship  : 

Either  they  be  of  God,  or  of  the  creature. 

In  the  images  which  represent  God,  they  only  do 
worship  God  in  the  image,  not  the  image  itself,  with 
holy  worship. 

In  the  images  of  the  creatures,  as  of  the  mother  of 
the  Lord,  angels  and  saints,  they  do  but  honour  God 
in  his  saints,  and  in  their  invocation  they  use  them 
but  as  means  of  quickening  their  memories,  and  turn- 
ing up  their  devotions  by  that  which  the  eye  beholdeth  ; 
and  God  loseth  no  honour  by  it,  to  have  so  many  means 
used  to  him. 

This  is  that  which  they  give  out  for  themselves ;  we 
charge  them  that  they  adore  creatures,  and  give  divine 
worship  to  images,  as  the  heathen  did.  For  it  is  plain 
that  they  worship  the  wood  of  the  cross,  in  that  they 
speak  that  to  the  crucifix,  which  can  only  be  applied  to 
the  cross  itself,  and  not  to  Christ,  Salve  crux,  spes  unica! 
They  add,  thou  only  art  worthy  to  bear  the  ransom  of 
the  world,  0  faithful  cross ;  which  agreeth  with  their 
doctrine,  that  all  the  honour  due  to  the  sampler  is 
given  to  the  image  thereof. 

And  where  they  excuse  their  idolatry,  that  they  do 
not  worship  the  image,  but  God  represented  in  the 
image  ;  if  that  be  not  idolatry,  neither  were  the 
Athenians  idolaters,  who  worshipped  in  their  images 
the  same  God  whom  Paul  preached.  Acts  xvii.  23  ; " 
neither  were  the  Israelites  idolaters,  who  worshipped 
God  in  the  calf  which  Aaron  made,  for  they  could  not 
be  so  ignorant  as  to  ascribe  their  deliverance  from 
Egypt  to  such  a  thing  as  Aaron  could  make. 

This  doctrine  and  practice  of  idolatry  in  the  worship 
of  images  came  in  by  little  and  little  into  the  church 
of  Rome  ;  for  it  is  clear  that  there  was  a  time  wherein 
there  were  no  images  at  all  known  in  the  church. 
There  were  some  desirous  then  to  bring  them  in,  but 
the  council  of  Eliberis*  decreed  that  no  picture  or 
image  should  be  brought  into  the  church,  lest  it  should 
be  adored  ;  and  Epiphanius,  finding  an  image  painted 
on  a  cloth  hanging  in  a  church,  rent  it  down,  and  said 
♦  Can.  3G. 


Ver.  18--20.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKLTL 


U9 


it  was  against  the  authority  of  Scriptores  that  any 
image  shoald  be  in  the  church. 

St  Origen*  saith  of  his  time,  nos  imagines  non  adora- 
mxis,  we  do  not  worship  images.  Eight  hundred  years 
after  Christ,  the  second  Nicene  council  set  up  images  ; 
but  the  council  of  Frankfort,  which  was  a  general 
council,  and  where  the  pope's  legates  were  present, 
repealed  it,  and  affirm  :  The  cathoUc  church  doth 
affirm  that  mortal  man  ought  to  worship  God,  not  by 
images  and  angels,  but  by  Christ  our  Lord. 

And  whatsoever  the  practice  of  the  church  of  Rome 
now  is  in  the  use  of  them,  they  shall  never  be  able  to 
reconcile  the  judgments  of  their  best  learned  concerning 
them ;  for  some  condemn  all  divine  adoration  given  to 
them,  some  condemn  external  bowing  before  them, 
some  confess  that  the  ancient  fathers  condemned  them, 
some  think  their  use  dangerous  ;  and  they  which  have 
gone  farthest  in  defending  them  have  done  it  by  so  nice 
distinctions  that  the  common  .  people  cannot  under- 
stand how  to  beware  of  idolatry,  themselves  not  under- 
standing themselves  therein. 

Even  in  the  administration  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  they  are  idolaters  in  worshipping  the 
host,  which  I  prove  from  Cardinal  Bellarmine's  own 
pen  (Dejusti/.  lib.  3,  cap.  8);  Xeque  potest  certus  esse 
certitudine  fidei,  se  percipere  rerum  sacr amentum,  cum 
sacrament  urn  sine  intentione  ministri  non  conficiatiir, 
et  intentionem  alterius  nemo  videre  potest.  And  thus 
much  Garnet  the  provincial  did  ingeniously  confess 
upon  his  private  conference  with  some  of  our  bishops. 
Wherefore,  how  they  can  excuse  their  idolatry  in  the 
worship  of  the  elevated  host,  I  cannot  see,  seeing  they 
worship  they  know  not  what. 

Any  man  may  easily  conceive  that  they  do  carry  a 
corrupt  mind  that  way,  because  in  all  their  catechisms 
set  forth  for  the  institution  of  young  beginners,  they 
do  leave  cut  the  second  commandment  quite,  and  to 
make  up  the  number  they  divide  the  tenth  command- 
ment into  two. 

Now,  having  convinced  them  of  idolatry,  which  is 
the  high  sin  against  God,  and  toucheth  him  in  his 
majesty  and  glory,  we  see  how  dangerous  a  thing  it  is 
to  have  conversation  with  such,  lest  we  receive  of  the 
plagues  due  to  them. 

Though  the  church  of  Pergamos  did  hold  fast  the 

name  of  Christ,  and  denied  not  his  faith,  yet  had  the 

Lord  '  something  against  her,'  Rev.  ii.  14,  because 

'  she  had  there  them  that  held  the  doctrine  of  Balaam, 

*  Contra  Celsum,  1.  7. 


who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumbling-block  before  the 
children  of  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols, 
and  to  commit  fornication.'  The  same  quarrel  had 
our  Lord  to  the  church  at  Thyatira,  in  which,  though 
he  approved  her  works,  and  charity,  and  service,  and 
faith,  and  patience,  yet  he  saith,  Rev.  ii.  20,  'Not- 
withstanding I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because 
thou  sufierest  that  woman  Jezebel,  who  calleth  herself 
a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to  seduce  my  servants  to 
commit  fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  to 
idols.' 

We  have  no  law  to  favour  idolatry,  or  idolatrous 
meetings  to  mass.  We  have  severe  laws  against  them  ; 
yet  it  is  in  sight  that  mass  is  frequented  by  multitudes 
of  all  sorts,  in  the  sight  of  Israel,  in  the  light  of  the 
sun.  Whence  this  boldness  grows,  we  cannot  judge, 
but  from  negligent  execution  of  our  godly  and  just  laws. 
Have  we  forgotten  '88  ?  Have  we  forgotten  the  fifth 
of  November  1605  '?     Do  we  not  believe  experience  ? 

Were  not  the  Canaanites,  whom  Israel  sufiered  to 
live  amongst  them  against  the  commandment  of  God, 
thorns  in  their  sides,  and  pricks  in  their  eyes  '?  and 
were  not  their  gods  a  snare  to  Israel  ? 

Is  not  popery  a  dangerous  religion  to  the  sovereign 
authority  of  the  king,  setting  the  pope  above  him  to 
overrule  him,  and  to  deprive  him  of  his  crown  if  he  be 
not  for  his  turn  ? 

Is  not  popery  a  professed  enemy  to  the  religion 
that  we  profess  ?  Light  and  darkness,  God  and  BeUal, 
may  as  soon  be  reconciled  ;  and  therefore  an  enemy  to 
our  clergy,  who  are  all  armed  with  the  word  of  God 
against  it. 

Or  is  it  good  and  wholesome  doctrine  which  the 
Anabaptists  this  last  year  tendered  to  the  king,  prince, 
nobility,  judges,  and  commons  of  parliament,  that 
freedom  of  religion  is  not  hurtful  to  any  commonwealth, 
or  that  freedom  of  religion  depriveth  not  kings  of  any 
power  given  them  of  God  ? 

The  times  are  foul.  God  is  much  dishonoured. 
Where  the  fault  is,  and  of  whom  the  church  and  reli- 
gion hath  cause  to  complain,  is  not  so  much  our  duty 
to  inquire,  as  to  pray  to  God  to  amend  all.  I  will  tell 
you  where  you  shall  have  him. 

2.  The  punishment  of  this  sin  is  expressed  in  one 
word,  Va,  woe !  and  it  containeth  the  whole  cup  of 
God's  indignation. 

1.  In  this  life  they  trust  in  that  which  cannot  help 
them. 

2.  They  invocate  that  which  cannot  hear  them. 

237 


150 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Cbap.  II 


They  trust  in  lying  vanities,  and  they  forsake  their 
own  mercy.  They  are  taught  by  teachers  of  lies,  and 
therefore  the  light  that  is  in  them  is  darkness.  Baal's 
servants  cried  from  morning  to  evening  upon  Baal 
their  god  to  hear  them,  and  it  would  not  do.  Here  is 
a  double  woe  :  1,  loss  of  labour ;  2,  want  of  help. 
In  the  first,  they  bewray  their  folly :  the  god  of  this 
world  hath  made  fools  ot  them  for  turning  the  glory  of 
the  invisible  God  into  the  images  of  creatures  ;  but  in 
the  second  we  find  the  misery,  for  we  cannot  subsist 
without  help,  and  they  trust  to  idols  where  there  is  no 
help. 

But  that  is  not  all  the  woe.  The  apostle  telleth  us, 
Gal.  V.  20,  that  no  idolaters  shall  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  This  is  terror  Domini,  the  terror  of 
the  Lord ;  for  how  shall  they  hope  to  have  glory  with 
God  who  deny  glory  to  God  ?  Will  God  give  them 
glory  that  seek  to  take  away  glory  from  him,  or  let 
them  into  heaven  that  would  thrust  him  out  ? 

Observe  it  in  that  law  concerning  graven  images, 
God  hath  more  expressed  himself  than  in  any  of  the 
rest  to  be  a  God  of  vengeance ;  for  there  is  ratio  legis, 
God  is  jealous.  And  there  is  comminatio  judicis ;  visita- 
bit,  and  it  goeth  in  descent  to  the  third  and  fourth 
generation  of  them  that  hate  him.  Observe  he  calleth 
them  such  as  hate  him.  There  is  a  promise,  '  He  will 
shew  mercy  to  thousands  of  them  that  love  him.'  And 
I  conceive  this  added  to  this  commandment  rather 
than  any  of  the  rest,  because  God's  Israel  did  most 
often  offend  in  this  kind,  by  worshipping  God  in  crea- 
tures, and  by  performing  external  adoration  to  them, 
which  is  in  this  law  chiefl}^  forbidden. 

The  fear  of  this  woe  hath  not  wrought  enough  upon 
the  Romanists,  who  are  guilty  of  gross  idolatry ;  so, 
on  the  other  side,  it  hath  wTOUght  too  much  upon 
some  zealous  professors,  who,  fearing  superstition  and 
idolatry,  dare  scarce  shew  any  external  reverence  to 
God  himself,  either  when  they  come  into  God's  house, 
or  when  they  come  to  God's  table.  Yet  the  angel 
that  would  not  be  worshipped  said,  '  Worship  thou 
God.'  And  that  is  all  the  church  exacteth ;  not  an 
inward  worship  only,  but  an  outward  also,  commanded 
in  the  second  commandment. 

Ver.  20.  But  the  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple;  let  all 
the  earth  heej)  silence  before  him. 

The  temple  of  God's  holiness  is  understood  here,  as 
you  have  heard,  two  ways. 

1.  For  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
238 


2.  For  heaven. 

In  both  let  all  tremble  before  him.  This  is  the 
second  part  of  the  antithesis,  true  religion,  containing 
two  parts. 

1.  Where  God  is. 

2.  What  duty  is  owing  to  him. 

Ubi  est.  He  is  in  his  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  other  temples  dedicate  to  his  service. 

For  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  he  appointed  the 
making  of  it,  and  chose  the  man  to  whose  care  he 
committed  the  trust  of  the  work.  David  might  not  do 
it,  but  Solomon  was  the  man.  When  it  was  finished, 
and  Solomon  had  assembled  the  people  to  the  conse- 
cration of  it,  and  prayed  there,  God  answered  the 
prayer  of  Solomon  with  a  visible  expressure  of  his 
presence ;  for  a  cloud  filled  the  house,  it  was  filled 
with  the  glory  of  God. 

But  some  of  our  sectaries  say  there  is  no  need  of 
churches  for  God's  public  service  ;  there  is  neither 
precept  nor  example  in  Scripture  for  it,  but  the  words 
of  Christ  to  the  woman  of  Samaria  leave  it  at  large : 
John  iv.  23,  *  The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the 
true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit 
and  truth.' 

Saint  Augustine  calleth  this  heresy  in  the  Massilians, 
that  they  denied  the  use  of  temples,  because  Christ 
foretold  that  the  use  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  should 
cease,  which  was  a  shadow  of  things  to  come. 

In  the  Old  Testament,  beside  the  cathedral  and 
mother-church,  the  people  had  their  synagogues  for 
their  meetings  to  God's  service,  which  continued  even 
to  and  in  Christ's  time.  Christ  himself  designed  a 
place  for  that  meeting,  wherein  he  celebrated  the  last 
passover,  and  instituted  the  sacrament  of  his  supper. 
The  disciples  had  a  place  of  meeting  wherein  Christ 
twice  found  them  the  first  day  of  the  week.  The  per- 
secutions of  those  times  gave  no  sudden  liberty  to 
settle  a  church  and  to  erect  temples,  nor,  that  I  can 
read,  for  the  first  two  hundred  years  after  Christ  were 
any  temples  built.  Yet  before  the  persecutions  ceased, 
they  had  erected  oratories  for  their  meeting  to  prayer 
and  hearing  of  the  word  ;  for  in  the  tenth  persecution 
under  Diocletian,  an.  Beg.  19,  Mense  Martio,  he  made 
an  edict*  for  the  pulling  down  of  the  temples  of  the 
Christians. 

But  under  Constantino,  when  Christian  religion  had 
the  favour  of  authority  regal,  then  concurrehant  popidi 
ad  popuhs  quasi  os  ad  os.     Ecclesia,  quoe  antea  iiniiis 
*  Euaeh.  viii.  2. 


Vm  is- 20.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


151 


tyrannonirn  machinis  destructa;  fiierant,  rediviva,  &c.* 
Then  the  people  came  together. 

And  ever  since  the  church  hath  continued  this 
practice  of  maintaining  oratories  for  the  meeting  of 
the  congregations  for  the  praise  and  service  of  God. 
There  is  warrant  enough  from  the  example  of  the 
church  and  the  authority  thereof  to  maintain  this  holy 
practice. 

Those  places  be  the  temples  of  God's  holiness,  the 
houses  of  God,  separate  from  all  common  use  to  the 
holy  service  of  God.  And  God,  who  by  his  omni- 
pot^ncy  filleth  all  places,  is  in  our  churches  by  a  more 
special  presence ;  for  if  the  glory  of  God  filled  the 
temple  in  the  time  of  the  law,  why  may  we  not  believe 
that  in  the  light  of  the  gospel  he  revealeth  his  pre- 
sence more,  because  thejplace  wherein  we  serve  God 
is  God's  house,  and  all  civil  and  common  use  of  it  is 
resigned,  to  consecrate  it  to  God's  service  '? 

If  God  be  present  where  twaor  three  are  assembled, 
surely  where  there  is  a  meeting  of  a  full  congregation 
he  is  present  with  a  special  presence.  And,  there- 
fore, it  hath  ever  been  esteemed  a  pious  charity  in 
those  that  have  been  founders,  enlargers,  restorers,  or 
adomers  of  churches,  as  Saint  Origen  saith.f  quam 
gloriosum  est  si  dicatur  in  tabemacido  domini,  lUiiis 
fuit  hoc  aunim,  hoc  argentum,  &c.  Rursus  quam  in- 
decorum ut  Domimis  veniens  nihil  miuieris  tiii  inveniat 
in  eo,  nihil  a  te  cognoscat  ohlatum.  Ego  optarem,  si 
fieri  posset,  esse  aliquid  meiim  in  auro  quo  area  conte- 
gitur :  Nollem  esse  infcECundus,  &c. 

These  houses  of  God  are  the  temples  of  his  holi- 
ness, where  the  name  of  God  is  declared  to  the  church ; 
wherein  God,  by  his  Spirit,  speaketh  to  the  churches 
in  the  outward  ministry  of  the  word ;  where  the  holy 
ones  of  God  do  speak  to  God  by  the  same  Spirit  in 
prayers,  in  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs ;  where  the 
sacrifices  of  righteousness  are  ofiered. 

And  herein  is  that  gracious  prophecy  of  Isaiah  ful- 
filled, chap.  Ivi.  7,  which  our  Saviour  allegeth  in 
the  Gospel,  '  For  mine  house  shall  be  called  a  house 
of  prayer  for  all  people.' 

Observe,  here  is  not  only  oratio,  prayer,  which  is 
cultus  divinus,  divine  worship  ;  but  here  is  domus  mea, 
my  house,  a  place  designed  for  the  worship  of  God, 
and  that  for  all  people.  This  cannot  be  made  good  in 
the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  nor  in  any  one  church  ;  bnt 
must  determine  both  the  extent  and  dilatation  of  God  s 
■worship,  and  the  designation  of  fit  houses  for  the 
*  Euseb.  I.  2.  t  In  ex.  xxv.  Horn.  xiii. 


same.  Another  like  prophecy  we  have  before  in 
Isaiah,  chap,  ii.  2,  '  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 
days,  that  the  mountains  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be 
established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto 
it.  And  many  people  shall  go  and  say.  Come  ye  and 
let  us  go  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  of  the  Lord, 
to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  he  will  teach  us 
his  ways,  and  [we  will  walk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of 
Sion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord 
from  Jerusalem.' 

The  common  exposition  is,  that  after  the  return  of 
the  people  of  Israel  firom  the  seventy  years'  captivity 
in  Babylon,  then  religion  and  God's  worship  shall  be 
settled  at  Jerusalem.  But  observe  how  this  exposition 
shrivelleth  np  the  promise  of  grace  ;  fur  this  is  not  all. 
He  saith  this  shall  be  h  siyarai?  r,iMiiatz,  in  the  last 
time.  And  he  addeth  that  all  nations  shall  flow  to  it ; 
and  he  saith,  not  tlat  one  mountain,  but  '  the  moun- 
tains of  the  Lord  shall  be  established,'  which  must 
needs  be  understood  of  the  churches  of  the  Christians^ 
to  which  the  faithful  should  resort. 

For  further  proof  hereof  read  Micah  iv.,  where  you 
shall  find  this  prophecy,  totidem  verbis,  in  so  many 
words,  and  a  commentary  upon  it,  Micah  v.,  wherein 
he  prophesieth  the  birth  of  Christ  in  Bethlehem.  In 
both  these  prophecies  we  observe  that  the  promise  of 
God  hath  not  only  assured  the  spreading  of  true  reli- 
gion, but  the  assemblies  of  believers  to  certain  places 
for  instruction,  that  they  may  be  taught  vius  Domini^ 
the  ways  of  the  Lord. 

Never  was  there  religion  in  the  world,  without  some 
places  of  public  worship  for  meeting  of  people  together. 
Even  in  Adam's  time,  there  was  a  place  where  Adam 
and  his  children  met  to  offer  sacrifice,  and  Cain's  fly- 
ing from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  was  his  wilful 
excommunication  from  that  place. 

And  in  truth,  they  that  would  have  no  churches, 
may  as  well  cry  down  rehgion,  and  the  pubUc  ministry 
of  the  word,  and  pluck  down  the  hedge  which  God 
hath  planted  about  his  vine,  and  lay  all  common. 
Understand  us  rightly  ;  we  do  not  affix  hoHness  to  the 
place,  nor  think  any  special  sanctity  inherent  in  it ; 
but  seeing  God  is  by  a  singular  right  become  master 
of  the  house,  that  is  separate  to  his  use,  as  the  apostle 
saith,  '  Judge  I  pray  you,  is  it  comely,'  that  we  put  not 
difference  between  God's  house  and  our  own  houses  ? 

It  is  observed  that  Christ,  when  he  purged  the 
temple,  purged  only  that  part  of  the  temple  which  was 

239 


lo2 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  II. 


set  apart  to  prayer  and  hearing  of  the  word,  because 
that  use  of  the  church  was  to  continue  in  the  time  of 
the  gospel ;  and  after  he  had  cast  out  the  oxen  and  the 
doves,  which  were  provisions  for  sacrifice,  then  he 
citeth  that  place  and  reneweth  the  sanction,  '  My  house 
shall  be  called  an  house  of  prayer  to  all  nations,' 
which  is  a  sanctification  of  all  churches  to  the  worship 
of  God.  That  this  was  so  understood,  know  that 
before  they  had  any  churches  built  for  the  public 
exercise  of  religion,  they  had  some  places  of  meeting 
which  they  called  Abides  sacras,  holy  houses,  of  which 
the  apostle  putting  difference,  saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  22, 

*  Have  je  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in  ?  despise  ye 
the  church  of  God  ?'  Here  be  our  own  houses  for 
common  and  natural,  moral  and  civil  use  ;  here  is  the 
church  of  God,  the  place  of  assembling  of  the  congre- 
gations to  the  worship  and  service  of  God. 

No  sooner  is  a  place  consecrate  to  this  use,  but  it 
is  a  temple  of  God's. 

So  when  Jacob  had  set  up  a  stone  for  a  pillar,  in 
the  place  where  he  dreamed  and  had  the  vision  of  the 
ladder,  Gen.  xxviii,  19,  22,  he  called  the  name  of  it 

*  Bethel,'  DTITN  no,  God's  house.  And  after.  Gen. 
XXXV.  7,  At  his  return  he  came  to  that  place,  and  hav- 
ing first  put  down  all  the  strange  gods,  he  built  an  altar 
to  the  Lord,  and  called  it  ^i<ri''3  ^N,  the  god  of  God's 
house. 

It  is  palestra,  in  which  we  do  meet  with  God  to 
wrestle  with  him  in  our  fervent  prayers  and  supplica- 
tions, be  by  his  word  wrestleth  with  us  to  overcome 
both  our  ignorance  and  impiety.  And  therefore  as 
Jacob,  Gen.  xxxii.  31,  so  may  we  call  our  church  pXUD, 
the  face  of  God,  for  there  God  did  look  upon  him. 

And  in  the  times  of  the  gospel,  these  houses  of 
prayer  have  had  several  titles  :  jEdes  sacrm,  in  respect 
of  their  succcession  to  them,  and  Tevipla,  in  respect 
of  their  succession  to  that  at  Jerusalem.  Tectum 
amplum,  some  derive  it,  and  xug/axa.  1.  Propter 
dedicalionem .  2.  Vropter  usum.  8.  Propter  jasper 
petmim.  4t.  Propter  sabhatum.  For  there  is  c/owinica 
in  dominico  ;  thence  came  the  word  kirk,  yet  in  use  in 
Scotland ;  and  ecclesice,  in  respect  of  the  meetings  there. 

When  David  could  not  come  to  the  sanctuary  of 
God,  he  worshipped  toward  it :  Ps.   vii.,  xxviii.   2, 

*  Hear  the  voice  of  my  supplications,  when  I  cry  unto 
thee,  when  I  lift  up  my  hands  towards  thy  holy  temple.' 

Daniel  being  far  from  the  temple,  Dan.  vi.   10, 
'opened  his  window  toward  Jerusalem,  and  prayed 
three  times  a  day.' 
2^0 


The  temple  is  a  type  of  heaven,  where  the  saints  of 
God  do  meet  to  praise  God,  which  is  the  worship  that 
is  done  to  God  in  heaven  :  Rev.  xxi.  3,  *  And  I  heard 
a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying,  Behold,  the  taber- 
nacle of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with 
them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself 
shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God.'  This  Mr 
Brightman  understandeth  of  the  church  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, where  God  is  seen. 

So  doth  James  Brocard,  an  Italian,  understand  it 
of  the  church  delivered  from  popery,  and  Mahometry, 
and  all  heresy. 

But  Mr  BuUinger,  better  advised,  saith,  that  as  in 
the  former  part  of  this  Revelation  hell  is  described,  so 
in  this  chapter  heaven  is  set  forth  ;  and  that,  as  you 
see,  in  the  similitude  of  a  tabernacle.  So  doth  Junius 
and  Napier  well  interpret  this  place. 

I  conclude,  then,  that  all  the  churches,  wherein  the 
Christians  meet  to  call  upon  God,  are  the  temples  of 
God's  presence,  wherein  God  is  invisibly  resident,  both 
to  give  his  Spirit  where  he  thinketh  good,  and  to 
direct  our  service  of  him,  and  to  receive  our  prayers 
and  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving  ;  and  to  communicate  to 
his  servants  the  ordinances  of  his  grace,  the  means  of 
their  salvation. 

2.  As  God  is  in  these  temples  made  with  hands, 
and  declareth  his  presence  in  his  house,  in  his  word 
and  sacraments,  and  in  the  solemn  meetings  of  his 
children  :  so  is  he  in  heaven,  which  is  his  highest 
temple,  whereof  these  are  but  types  and  figures. 

We  believe  in  him  as  maker  of  heaven,  and  we  pray 
to  him,  '  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven  ;'  this  place 
he  himself  calleth  his  habitation.  *  I  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place,'  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  1.  In  heaven. 
Yet  as  Solomon  saith,  '  The  heaven  of  heavens  is  not 
able  to  contain  him,'  1  Kings  viii.  27.  So  he  is  there 
as  in  the  naost  excellent  part  of  his  creation,  but  not 
comprehended  there,  for  there  he  is  most  purely  wor- 
shipped ;  thence  cometh  our  sicut  in  ccelo. 

The  heathen  gods  are  nowhere  :  in  heaven  they  are 
not,  that  is  the  temple  of  the  true  God  ;  in  earth  they 
are  not,  for  they  are  no  gods  that  have  residence  in 
earth,  and  have  no  power  at  all  in  heaven.  As  the 
apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  viii.  4,  *  We  know  that  an  idol  is 
nothing  in  the  world.'  Here,  by  the  name  of  idol,  is 
not  meant  the  material  image  representing  their  god, 
for  that  is  a  bodily  substance  to  be  seen  and  felt,  and 
it  is  in  the  world  ;  but  he  speaketh  it  de  numiiie,  the 
divinity  is  a  non  ens.     For  he  addeth,  that  there  is  no 


Ver.  18-20.] 


MABBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


153 


God  but  one ;  and  whereas  many  be  called  gods  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,  as  there  be  many  gods  and  many 
lords,  yet  he  saith  there  is  but  one  God,  the  rest  are 
nomina,  not  numina.  For  there  were  that  worshippped 
the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars  ;  these  as  creatures 
and  second  causes  do  us  good,  but  they  serve  our  God. 

When  our  God  is  in  his  temple,  all  those  help  to 
make  up  the  choir  of  them  that  praise  him  ;  for  '  the 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmaments 
and  the  outgoings  of  the  morning  praise  him.'  There- 
fore do  we  lift  up  our  eyes  to  heaven  when  we  pray ; 
we  say  that  every  good  and  perfect  gift  comes  from 
above,  from  the  Father  of  lights. 

Yet  is  not  God  so  far  ofi",  but  that  as  heaven  is  his 
throne,  the  earth  is  his  footstool :  Ps.  xxxiii.  13,  '  The 
Lord  looketh  from  heaven,  he  beholdeth  the  sons  of 
men.'  He  is  not  so  far  off  but  if  we  pray  to  him, 
Prope  est  inrocantibus  ipsian,  '  he  is  near  to  them  that 
call  upon  him.'  And  in  this  respect  all  the  earth  is  a 
common  oratory,  so  is  the  sea,  for  our  prayers. 

But  as  the  perpetual  duty  of  a  rehgious  service  of 
God,  which  doth  require  holiness  and  righteousness 
all  the  days  of  our  lives,  doth  not  take  away  the 
particular  duty  of  the  Sabbath  ;  neither  doth  the  great 
habitation  of  God  in  heaven  abate  any  thing  of  his 
special  presence,  both  in  the  temples  dedicated  to  his 
service,  and  in  every  particular  person  which  doth 
belong  to  the  election  of  grace.  For  so  God  saith, 
'  I  dwell  with  him  that  is  humble  and  contrite  in 
heart ;'  and  he  saith  so  presently  after  he  had  said, 
'  I  will  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place  ;'  insomuch 
as  St  Augustine,  upon  those  words  of  David,  exaudivit 
de  templo  sancto  suo  vocem  meam,  saith,  Exaudivit  de 
corde  meo,  in  quo  habitat  Dominus,  vocem  meam.  For, 
'  know  you  not  that  you  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  that  God  dwelleth  in  you,'  &c. 

God  is  in  heaven,  per  specialem  gloriam. 

He  is  in  our  churches,  per  specialem  cultum. 

He  is  in  our  hearts,  per  specialem  indulgentiam. 

He  is  in  his  word,  per  specialem  illuminationem. 

He  is  in  the  SQ.CT2imeuis,  per  specialem  signijicationem. 

In  a  word,  wheresoever  is  cidtus  Dei,  there  is  vultus 
Dei. 

The  use  of  this  point  is  taught  in  the  text ;  it  is 
the  second  part  of  my  text. 

2.  The  duty  :  '  Let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before 
him.'  This,  as  you  heard,  is  a  postulation  of  reve- 
rence. He  doth  not  put  us  to  silence  that  we  shall 
say  nothing  ;  for  he  hath  commanded  us  to  call  upon 


him,  and  invocation  is  a  note  of  his  children.  Ho 
saith,  '  He  shall  call  upon  me,  and  I  will  hear  him.' 
The  wise  man  doth  help  us  to  expound  this  text: 
Eccles.  v.,  'Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not 
thine  heart  be  hasty  to  utter  any  word  before  God  : 
for  God  is  in  heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth  ;  therefore 
let  thy  words  be  few.'  So  that  temerity  and  rashness 
is  here  forbidden,  and  reverence  and  holiness  required. 
1.  Let  us  consider  God  in  our  churches,  the  temples 
of  his  holiness  ;  there  we  are  taught, 

Use  1.  Take  heed  that  thou  have  not  an  unreverent 
opinion  of  the  house  of  God.  St  Paul  saith,  '  Despise 
ye  the  church?'  that  is,  the  place  set  apart  for  the 
worship  of  God  ;  and  that  he  meaneth  so,  the  place, 
and  not  the  company  ; — 

So  Theophilus  :  Loco  ipsi  infertis  injuriam,  you  do 
wrong  to  the  place.  Lyranus  :  Est  contemptus  eccle- 
sice,  qua:  consecrata  est  divinis  msj7/!<s,  the  very  words  of 
that  text  do  shew  it ;  for  our  own  houses,  and  God's 
house,  our  houses  for  our  common  meals,  and  God's 
house  for  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  are  compared 
together. 

Use  2.  There  must  be  in  us  a  love  of  those  houses 
of  God.  God  said  of  his  holy  city,  where  his  temple 
was  built,  '  Here  wUl  I  dwell ;  for  I  have  a  delight 
therein.'  It  is  David's  protestation  for  Jerusalem  : 
'  For  the  house  of  God's  sake,  I  will  seek  to  do  thee 
good.'  The  hart  never  more  desired  the  water- 
brooks,  than  he  did  to  go  to  the  tabernacle  where  God 
was  :  '  ily  soul  longeth  and  fainteth  for  them.'  '  I 
was  glad  when  they  said  to  me.  Come,  we  will  go  up 
to  the  house  of  the  Lord.' 

Use  3.  Let  us  prepare  ourselves  before  we  come  to 
God's  house,  for  he  is  present  there.  Come  not  hand 
over  head,  as  thou  wouldst  go  into  thine  own  house. 
Consider,  if  thou  wert  to  go  before  thy  sovereign  king, 
how  thou  wouldst  compose  thyself,  that  nothing  in  thy 
apparel,  in  thy  gesture,  in  thy  countenance,  in  thy 
words,  might  give  him  offence.  Wilt  thou  do  less 
when  thou  art  to  appear  before  the  Lord  of  hosts,  who 
is  the  King  of  glory  ?  Micah  saith,  chap.  vi.  6, 
*  "Wherewithal  shall  I  come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow 
myself  before  the  most  high  God  ?  shall  I  come  before 
him  with  burnt-offerings  ?'  The  old  law  was,  '  None 
shall  appear  before  me  empty.'  When  Jesse  heard 
that  David  his  son  was  sent  for  to  king  Saul,  1  Sam. 
xvi.  20,  Jesse  took  an  ass  laden  with  bread,  and  a 
bottle  of  wine,  and  a  kid,  and  sent  them  by  David  to 
Saul.     So  Jacob  sent  a  present  to  Pharaoh,  when  hia 

241 


154 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IL 


sons  went  the  second  time  for  corn.  Solomon  saith, 
ProY.  xxi.  14,  and  it  is  no  news  in  our  times,  '  A 
reward  in  the  bosom  pacifieth  strong  wrath.'  We 
know  what  cause  we  have  given  our  God  to  be  angry 
with  us  ;  let  us  think  of  it  when  we  are  to  come  and 
stand  in  his  sight  at  church.  Manus  in  siriii  tuo, 
manus  in  sinu  Dei. 

He  is  not  ashamed  to  ask  it ;  fili,  prcebe  cor. 

Use  4.  Take  heed  to  thy  foot  when  thou  enterest 
into  the  house  of  God,  for  the  place  where  thou  art 
entering  is  holy  ground  ;  put  off  thy  shoes,  that  is,  all 
earthly  and  carnal  affections,  and  say  with  Jacob,  Gen. 
xxviii.  16,  17,  Quam  terrihilis  est  hie  locus!  this  is  no 
other  but  the  house  of  God,  jjorta  cceli. 

Use  5.  When  thou  art  entered  into  God's  house, 
remember  thou  art  come  before  the  face  of  God  and 
his  holy  angels,  into  the  place  where  God's  honour 
specially  dwelleth. 

1.  It  is  not  enough  thy  heart  be  reverent,  let  thy 
outward  man  express  it  also.  Do  not  think  that,  be- 
cause the  papists  do  superstitiously  adore  the  crucifix, 
and  the  altar,  and  idols  therein,  therefore  it  is  super- 
stition to  do  worship  to  God.  Every  man  that  comes 
into  another's  house  doth  in  good  manners  salute  the 
master  of  the  house  when  he  enters  the  same  ;  may 
not  a  visible  worship  be  due  to  the  invisible  God  ? 
'  Oh  come,  let  us  worship,  and  fall  dovra,  and  kneel 
before  the  Lord  our  Maker.'  It  is  a  godly  custom,  if 
done  in  zeal  of  God's  glory,  with  devotion,  and  not  in 
a  customary  formality,  to  sanctify  our  entrance  into 
God's  house  with  prayers  ;  to  fall  low  upon  our  knees 
before  God,  to  invocate  him  for  his  blessing  upon  our- 
selves, upon  our  minister,  upon  the  whole  congrega- 
tion. 

2.  Learn  of  the  apostle,  '  Let  all  things  be  done 
decently,  and  in  good  order ;'  compose  thy  outward 
man  to  all  due  reverence,  and  conformity  with  the 
holy  congregation,  and  thine  inward  man  to  all  zealous 
devotion  ;  remember  the  meetings  of  the  saints  in  the 
primitive  times  of  the  church,  o/Mdv/Madov.  Do  not  give 
God  thy  knee,  and  thy  tongue,  thine  eye,  thine  ear, 
and  thy  hand,  thy  whole  outward  address,  and  keep 
thy  heart  from  him,  and  let  thy  thoughts  go  and 
wander  from  the  service  thou  art  about.  Confess 
your  sins  together,  pray  together,  give  thanks  together ; 
confess  your  faith,  the  common  faith,  together  ;  hear 
the  word  together,  both  read  distinctly  and  preached 
profitably.  Remember  that  God  speaketh  in  the 
ministry  of  his  word,  and  say  with  David,  '  I  will  hear 

242 


what  the  Lord  God  will  say.'  Gather  manna  whilst 
you  may  for  you  and  your  houses.  Take  heed  that 
Satan  cool  not  your  zeal  of  God's  glory,  by  suggesting 
irreverent  opinions  of  the  prayers,  and  form  of  service, 
of  the  minister,  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  church,  or 
uncharitable  opinions  of  the  congregation.  For  all 
these  be  whips  of  Satan's  twisting,  to  whip  thee  out  of 
God's  temple,  and  to  make  the  ordinances  of  God 
ineffectual. 

Bring  with  thee  an  humble  and  contrite  heart,  and 
say  within  thyself,  as  St  Paul  did,  I  am  the  worst  of 
sinners,  I  am  the  worst  person  in  all  this  congrega- 
tion ;  for  I  know  mine  own  wickedness,  and  my  sin  is 
ever  against  me.  Bring  faith  with  thee,  that  will  shew 
thee  the  glorious  and  gracious  face  of  God ;  by  that 
eye  thou  shalt  see  the  Son  of  God  making  intercession 
for  thee,  and  thou  shalt  feel  the  Spirit  of  God  helping 
thine  infirmities  ;  mingle  faith  with  thy  hearing,  and 
the  word  shall  profit  thee.  Hide  the  word  in  thy 
heart ;  be  not  like  a  leaking  vessel,  to  let  it  out  as 
fast  as  it  is  poured  in.  Take  heed  of  the  cares  of  this 
life,  and  voluptuous  living,  lest  they  choke  the  good 
seed  of  the  word  when  it  cometh  up.  In  thy  whole 
carriage  at  church,  consider  that  the  service  is  public  ; 
hoc  age,  do  all  thou  dost  at  church  according  to  the 
occasion  ;  separate  not  thyself  from  the  body  of  which 
thou  art  a  part,  by  reading,  praying,  or  any  other  medi- 
tation which  may  divide  thee  from  the  congregation. 
Tarry  it  out  to  the  end,  and  depart  not  without  God's 
blessing  pronounced  by  his  minister,  to  whom  he  hath 
given  power  from  above  to  bless  in  his  name. 

2.  '  God  is  in  his  holy  temple :  let  all  the  earth  he 
silent  before  hlyn.^  Tbis  serveth  for  the  direction  of 
our  whole  life  ;  for, 

1.  This  dwelling  of  God  declareth  his  omnipotency. 
The  Lord  is  in  heaven,  he  doth  whatsoever  he  will. 
The  earth  is  but  as  the  drop  of  a  bucket,  compared  to 
the  unbounded,  unsounded  ocean  of  his  fulness  of 
power  and  strength. 

2.  This  dwelling  declareth  the  graciousness  of  God  ; 
for  every  good  and  perfect  gift  cometh  from  above  ; 
and  unless  the  heavens  hear  the  earth,  the  earth 
perisheth  utterly. 

3.  This  dwelling  declareth  the  omniscience  of  God. 
There  God  standeth  in  the  congregation  of  God  as 
upon  a  watch-tower,  and  from  the  heaven  the  Lord 
beholdeth  the  earth  ;  the  eye  of  the  Lord  is  over  all 
the  world. 

4.  This  declareth  the  eternity  of  GoL     So  he  saith, 


Ver.  18-20.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


155 


Isa.  Ivii.  15,  '^The  high  and  lofty  that  inhabiteth  eter- 
nity ;'  which  makes  his  purpose  estabUshed  with  sted- 
fast  decree,  without  variableness,  or  shadow  of  change; 
a  Gi-od  that  repenteth  not ;  his  gifts  and  callings  are 
without  repentance. 

5.  This  declareth  the  wisdom  of  God ;  for  the 
master  of  that  house  is  the  wisest ;  as  the  prophet 
saith  of  him,  Isa.  xxxi.  2.  He  that  ruleth  that  house 
well,  where  the  angels  dwell  that  excel  in  strength, 
the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,  and  they  are  his  minis- 
tering spirits.  How  can  it  be  but  his  wisdom  is  in- 
comprehensible, and  his  ways  past  finding  out  ? 

6.  This  declareth  his  justice  ;  for  there  is  the  throne 
of  judgment ;  heaven  is  his  throne,  and  all  the  holy 
ones  give  him  that  glory  :  Rev.  xvi.  7,  '  Even  so, 
Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judg- 
ments.' 

To  conclude. 

1.  Tremble,  0  earth,  at  the  presence  of  God,  who 
hath  such  po'.ver  ;  tempt  not,  provoke  not,  this  power 
against  thee,  he  can  rain  snares ;  but  if  he  be  thy 


father,  fear  not ;  there  are  more  with  thee  than  against 
thee. 

2.  Love  the  Lord,  who  is  so  rich  in  goodness  and 
mercy,  who  dwelleth  in  the  storehouse  of  blessings, 
and  who  giveth  liberally  with  an  open  hand,  and 
filleth,  &c. 

3.  Be  jealous  of  thy  words,  works,  and  thoughts, 
before  the  eye  of  jealousy,  which  seeth  all  things. 

4.  Be  strong,  and  God  shall  establish  thy  heart, 
for  he  is  unchangeable  ;  whom  he  once  loveth,  he 
loveth  to  the  end,  that  is,  Jinis  sine  fine. 

5.  Let  his  wisdom  guide  thee,  and  seek  that  wisdom 
which  is  from  above  ;  ask  it  of  him,  for  he  giveth  it 
liberally,  and  never  upbraideth  thee.  He  upbraideth 
many  with  his  gifts,  never  did  he  any  with  the  gift  of 
his  wisdom  ;  for  that  cannot  be  abused,  his  grace  may. 

6.  Remember  that  for  all  that  thou  hast  done  in 
this  life,  God  shall  bring  thee  to  judgment ;  every  man 
shall  give  an  account  unto  God  of  himself.  Felix 
trembled  to  hear  this. 

Let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before  this  God. 


243 


156 


MARBURY  ON  HABAEKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


CHAPTER  III. 


YER.  1.  A  prayer  of  Hobahkiik  the  prophet  upon 
Shigionoth. 

These  worJs  are  the  title  of  this  chapter,  shewing 
the  contents  thereof. 

It  is  called  a  prayer,  and  it  is  a  psalm  or  hymn, 
such  as  David's  psalms  ;  the  heathen  poets  call  them 
odes,  or  songs. 

It  is  called  the  prayer  or  song  of  Habakkuk,  both 
as  composed  by  him  and  used  by  himself,  and  ad- 
dressed to  the  use  of  the  people  of  God  in  their  cap- 
tivity in  Babylon. 

It  is  a  song  upon  Shigionoth. 

The  Hebrews  affirm  this  song  to  be  one  of  the 
hardest  places  to  interpret  in  all  the  Old  Testament, 
because  it  is  full  of  dark  parables,  such  as  could  not 
be  well  understood  till  he  came  '  who  hath  the  key  of 
David,  who  openeth  and  no  man  shutteth.' 

Our  former  translation  readeth,  '  A  prayer  of  Ha- 
bakkuk the  prophet  for  the  ignorances,'  and  it  is  ex- 
pounded diversely  ;  some  understanding  it  a  prayer  to 
God  for  the  pardon  of  all  those  sins  which  the  people 
of  God  have  committed  ignorantly.  Others  conceive 
thus,  that  seeing  the  prophet,  in  the  behalf  of  the 
church,  in  the  first  chapter  had  taxed  God  of  too  much 
remissness  towards  his  people  in  bearing  with  their 
sins,  and  forbearing  to  punish  them  ;  and  then  again, 
foreseeing  how  God  in  time  would  awake  and  punish 
them  by  the  furious  Chaldeans,  he  doth  as  much  tax 
the  severity  of  God  towards  his  church. 

Now  that  God  in  the  second  chapter  hath  declared 
his  justice  in  punishing  his  people,  and  revealed  the 
decree  of  his  vengeance  against  his  and  their  enemies, 
now  the  prophet  maketh  this  recantation  and  prayer 
for  the  ignorances,  because  they,  not  knowing  the 
secret  purposes  of  God,  have  been  so  forward  to  judge 
his  ways. 

But  we  must   admit   this   confirmation ;  and  the 

learned  translators  of  the  king's  Bible,  finding  this  to 

have  been  an  error  in  the  former  translations,  have 

followed  the  original  more  faithfully,  and  call  it,  '  the 

244 


prayer  of  Habakkuk  the  prophet  upon  Shigionoth.' 
Some  say  this  Shigionoth  was  some  special  instrument 
of  music,  upon  which  this  song  was  sung  in  the  church 
of  God  ;  and  the  last  verse  of  this  chapter  saith,  '  To 
the  chief  singer  on  my  stringed  instruments.'  For,  as 
Titleman  saith,  in  this  psalm  the  prophet  canendo 
orat,  orando  canit,  by  singing  prayed,  and  by  pray- 
ing sung.  So  the  Seventy  read,  m-poaivyji  'ACaxoDx 
ToZ  T-^ocpr^ToZ  iMiT  ubrii.  But  Tremellius  and  Junius 
read,  Oratio  Habac.  prophetce  secundum  odas  mixtas, 
that  is,  not  accommodated  to  any  set  kind  of  verse, 
but  mixed  of  sundry  kinds.  And  so  they  do  not 
understand  the  word  Shigionoth  to  be  the  name  of 
the  instrument  upon  which  it  was  sung,  but  the  name 
of  the  verse  into  which  their  prayer  is  digested  ;  as 
the  Greeks  and  Latins  had  their  several  kinds  of 
verses,  heroic,  iambic,  asclepidiac,  phaluciac,  and  such 
like. 

I  cannot  better  express  this  to  the  understanding  of 
the  weakest  judgment,  than  by  referring  you  to  the 
varieties  of  verse  in  our  English  psalms  that  we  sing 
in  the  church  ;  for  if  they  were  all  composed  in  one 
kind  of  verse,  they  might  all  be  sung  to  one  tune. 
Some  have  their  set  tunes,  and  admit  no  other,  because 
they  are  of  a  several  kind  of  verse.  So  I  take  it  that 
this  Shigionoth  was  the  name  of  that  kind  of  verse  in 
which  this  psalm  was  written. 

Thus  much  of  the  words  of  the  title. 

The  things  which  we  may  make  profit  of  in  this  title 
are  these  : 

1.  That  the  prophet  composeth  a  prayer  for  his 
own  use,  and  for  the  use  of  the  people  in  captivity. 

2.  That  he  putteth  this  prayer  into  a  song  or  psalm. 
1.  Concerning  the  first.    ' 

Doct.  The  contemplation  of  the  justice  of  God  in 
punishing  the  sins  of  his  church,  of  the  vengeance  of 
God  revenging  the  quarrels  of  his  church,  and  of  the 
mercy  of  God  in  healing  the  wounds  of  his  church,  and 
restoring  it  again  to  health,  doth  give  the  faithful  oc- 
casion to  resort  to  God  by  prayer. 


Yer.  L] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKIJK. 


157 


The  reason  is,  because  these  things  well  considered, 
that  God  is  just  and  merciful,  do  breed  in  us  fear  and 
faith,  which,  being  well  mingled  in  us,  cannot  choose 
but  break  forth  into  prayer ;  fear  discerning  the  danger 
of  his  power  wisely,  and  faith  laying  hold  on  the  hand 
of  his  mercy  strongly.  For  howsoever  fear  be  an  effect 
of  weakness,  yet  doth  it  serve  to  good  use  in  the  fitting 
of  ns  to  prayer  ;  because, 

(1.)  Fear  breedeth  humility,  which  is  necessary  in 
prayer;  as  St  James  addresseth,  James  iv.  10, 
'  Cast  down  yourselves  before  the  Lord ;'  and  St  Peter, 
1  Peter  v.  6,  '  Humble  yourselves  under  the  mighty 
hand  of  God.'  And  howsoever  the  proud  despise  hu- 
mility, as  too  base  a  virtue  for  heroic  and  generous 
spirits,  St  Peter  commendeth  it  for  a  special  ornament : 
1  Peter  v.  5,  '  Deck  yourselves  inwardly  in  lowliness 
of  mind.'  That  fear  which  is  in  the  reprobate  doth 
drive  them  quite  away  from  God,  but  the  fear  of  the 
elect  brings  them  to  his  hand,  and  casteth  them  at  his 
feet.  The  publican  ^was]  full  of  fear,  yet  it  had  not 
power  to  keep  him  from  the  temple,  nor  from  prayer ; 
rather  because  he  feared,  he  came  to  church  to  pray. 

(2.)  Fear  breedeth  in  us  a  desire  to  approve  our- 
selves to  God,  and  keepeth  us  in  awe,  setting  both 
our  sins  always  in  our  own  sight,  and  ourselves  in  the 
sight  of  God,  which  sheweth  what  need  we  have  to 
fly  to  him. 

(3.)  Fear  doth  serve  for  a  spur  to  put  us  on,  and  to 
mend  our  pace,  that  we  may  GToZda^uy,  nm  the  way 
of  God's  commandments  ;  for  men  run  for  fear. 

2.  "With  this  fear  is  joined  faith,  which  layeth  hold 
on  the  comfortable  promises  of  God,  and  so  filleth  us 
with  the  love  of  him,  that  we  resolve  imder  the  shadow 
of  his  wings  we  shall  be  safe.  This  also  doth  break 
forth  into  prayer  :  as  the  prophet  saith,  *  I  believed, 
therefore  did  I  speak.' 

Fear  du*ected  by  faith,  vsill  soon  find  the  face  of 
God.  For  fear  humbleth  us  ;  faith  directeth  this  hu- 
miliation to  the  mighty  hand  of  God.  Fear  makes  us 
full  of  desire ;  faith  directeth  our  desire  to  God.  Fear 
makes  us  nm  ;  faith  sheweth  us  the  face  of  God,  and 
biddeth  us  run  thither :  and  thus  the  contemplation 
of  God's  justice  and  mercy  doth  fill  the  heart  with 
zeal,  and  the  spirit  of  supplications,  as  in  tiiis  present 
example.  The  church  seeth  God  remiss  in  forbearing 
them,  it  feeleth  God  sharp  in  punishing  them,  it  dis- 
cerneth  him  just  in  avenging  them,  and  it  is  promised 
mercy  and  favour  in  delivering  them  ;  therefore  the 
prophet  teacheth  them  to  pray. 


Use  1.  We  are  taught  to  think  on  these  things, 
which  may  move  us  to  seek  the  face  of  our  God  ;  and 
that  is  a  work  for  the  soul,  when  it  keepeth  a  Sabbath 
of  rest  unto  the  service  of  God,  as  appeareth  in  the 
psalm  for  the  day  (Ps.  icii.),  wherein  the  church  doth 
consider  the  justice  and  mercy  of  God. 

Our  idle  and  wandering  thoughts  run  all  the  world 
over  in  vain  imaginations,  we  could  not  bestow  them 
better  than  in  sweet  contemplation  of  the  works  of 
God  here  in  the  government  of  the  world. 

"We  are  taught  also,  when  we  behold  these  things, 
to  pray  to  God,  for  prayer  being  a  conference  with 
God,  we  cannot  offend  him  in  anything  that  we  shall 
say  out  of  fear  and  faith.  This  duty  is  by  God  com- 
manded, he  hath  directed  it,  he  hath  promised  his 
Spirit  to  help  us  in  it,  he  hath  made  many  promises 
to  them  that  use  it  aright,  and  it  is  here  prescribed  as 
a  sovereign  remedy  against  afliiction  to  use  it,  for  it  is 
fitted  for  the  use  of  the  church  in  captivity  in  Babylon. 

Doct.  2.  This  prayer  being  made  for  the  use  of  the 
church,  as  we  have  said,  we  are  taught, — 

That  the  afflictions  of  this  life  cannot  separate  the 
society  of  the  faithful,  but  that  even  in  exile  they  will 
assemble  together,  to  do  service  to  their  God.  and 
therein  also  to  comfort  one  another. 

1.  The  reason  is,  in  respect  of  themselves;  the  faith- 
ful are  one  body,  and  the  ligaments  and  bonds  of  their 
communion  are  love  and  peace,  therefore  much  water 
cannot  put  out  this  fire  of  charity,  neither  can  the 
floods  drown  it.  So  afflictions  are  in  Scripture  resem- 
bled to  floods  and  waters. 

2.  In  regard  of  the  service,  they  know  it  to  be  a 
debt  from  them,  an  honour  to  God;  and  though  each 
of  them  in  several  may  do  it,  yet  when  a  congregation 
meeteth  together,  their  conjoined  zeal  is  like  a  bonfire, 
for  every  one's  zeal  inflameth  another. 

What  need  the  faithful  else  to  seek  out  comers 
and  private  places  to  assemble  in,  in  the  times  of  per- 
secution, for  their  devotion,  if  single  and  several 
persons'  had  been  either  so  fervent  in  itself,  or  so  ac- 
ceptable with  God ;  so  that,  before  persecution  ceased, 
they  began  to  build  oratories  for  their  meetings. 

Use.  Therefore,  though  some  do  separate  from  our 
society,  others  tarry  with  us  to  disturb  our  peace, 
some  cry  out  against  the  use  of  our  churches ;  let  us 
thank  God  that  we  have  liberty  of  religion,  and  places 
to  meet  in  to  serve  our  God,  and  let  xxs  not  neglect 
the  society  of  the  church.  Ecce  qtictm  honum,  et  qudm 
jucundum :  •  Behold  how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing 

245 


158 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


it  is,'  to  see  one  holy  congregation  set  upon  God  by 
prayer. 

Boct.  3.  This  prayer,  made  for  the  use  of  the  church, 
doth  teach  that^set^prayers  are  both  lawful  and  neces- 
sary to  be  used  by  the  faithful,  both  in  their  private 
and  public  meetings.  And  this  is  proved  by  these 
examples  in  holy  Scripture. 

God  himself  prescribed  to  the  priests  a  set  form  of 
blessing  the  people,'^ which  they  constantly  used,  for 
God  said  to  them,»Num.  vi.  23,  &c.,  '  Thus  shall  ye 
bless  the  children  of  Israel,  and  say  unto  them,  The 
Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee ;  the  Lord  make  his 
face  shine  upon  thee,  and  be  merciful  unto  thee ;  the 
Lord  lift^up  his  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee 
peace.'  The  92d  Psalm  is  called  a  psalm  for  the  Sab- 
bath. The  102d  Psalm"  is  a  prayer  for  the  afflicted 
when  he  is  overwhelmed,  and  poureth  out  his  com- 
plaint before  the'^  Lord.  2  Chron.  xxix.  30,  '  Heze- 
kiah  the  king  and  the  princes  commanded  the  Levites 
to  praise  the  Lord  with  the  words  of  David,  and  of 
Asaph  the  seer ;'  which  is  the  136th  Psalm.  This  was 
also  used  by  Jehoshaphat,  2  Chron.  xx.  21.  And  in 
the  Gospel  the  disciples  came  to  Christ,  and  told  him 
that  John  had  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  ai;d  de- 
sired him  to  teach  them ;  and  he  taught  them  the 
Lord's  prayer,  which  doth  imply,  in  the  judgment  of 
the  best  learned,  that  John  had  taught  his  disciples  a 
set  form. 

The^reasons  are,  first,  for  help  of  the  infirmities  of 
such  as  have  good  afiections  in  them,  but  cannot  so 
well  express  them,  that  they  may  be  directed,  lest 
they  should^utter  anything  rashly  of  themselves.  For 
thus  the  Spirit  helpeth  their  infirmities,  by  those  who 
can  direct  them,  and  in  themselves  using  these  set 
forms. 

This  much  advanceth  the  service  of  God,  when  men 
beforehand  have  their  petitions  drawn,  and  shall  need 
nothing  but  zeal  and  faith  in  the  delivering  thereof  to 
God.  Herein  we  are  like  to  poor  petitioners  that  come 
to  the  king,  who,  not  trusting  themselves  with  their 
own  suits,  do  get  some  wiser  than  themselves  to  set 
down  their  minds,  and  then  they  have  nothing  to  do 
but  to  importune  the  sovereign  majesty  of  the  king  to 
hear  them,  and  to  grant  their  requests. 

This  serveth  for  the  maintenance  of  unanimity,  the 
congregation  knowing  before  they  meet  what  they 
shall  ask  at  the  hands  of  God ;  it  resteth  that  they 
bring  afiections  fit  to  join  one  with  another  in  suppli- 
cations. This  maintaineth  outward  uniformity,  when 
246 


the  whole  congregation  join^together  in  an  outward 
worship  and  service  of  God. 
Use.  This  admonisheth  us, 

1.  To  take  it  for  a  great  blessing  of  God  that  he 
hath  provided  these  helps  for  our  weakness. 

2.  It  sheweth  us  that  God  for  our  good  doth  so 
labour  to  fit  us  to  his  service,  as  that  he  is  pleased 
that  one  of  us  be  helpful  to  another  therein. 

3.  It  reproveth  those  who,  out  of  a  presumption 
and  overweening  of  the  graces  of  God  in  themselves, 
do  not  only  despise  those  helps  themselves,  but  dis- 
grace them  in  others ;  in  which  number  we  may  reckon 
all  the  depravers  of  our  church  prayers. 

Here  the  prayer  of  the  prophet  is  used. 

Boot.  4.  This  teacheth  that  the  fittest  persons  to 
be  used  for  direction  of  devotion  are  the  prophets,  and 
apostles,  and  ministers  of  the  word. 

The  reason  is,  because  they  are  the  most  fit  to  speak 
to  God  for  us,  and  to  teach  us  how  to  speak  to  him, 
who  are  set  apart  to  speak  to  us  for  God,  and  to  in- 
struct us  from  him.  These  are  the  physicians  of  our 
souls,  and  should  best  know  our  diseases  and  defects, 
and  therefore  best  able  to  direct  us  to  the  remedy ;  for 
as  in  the  state  of  bodily  health,  many  superficially  in- 
sighted  in  some  empirical  physic,  do  hurt  themselves 
by  being  their  own  physicians,  so  in  the  state  of  the 
spiritual  man,  many  do  overthrow  their  spiritual 
health  by  presuming  to  be  their  own  divines,  and 
trusting  too  much  to  their  own  skill. 

Use.  Therefore  it  is  wisdom  for  the  flock  to  be 
directed,  especially  in  the  service  of  God,  by  their  pas- 
tors, and  to  hear  his  voice.  Let  Habakkuk  teach  Israel 
how  to  pray. 

And  for  us,  howsoever  the  spirit  of  contradiction, 
which  likes  nothing  long,  have  laboured  long  to  dis- 
grace our  public  service,  yet,  because  many  faithful 
and  godly  pastors  of  the  church  have  zealously  joined 
their  united  forces  of  piety  and  charity  to  compose 
this  book,  and  the  approbation  and  authority  both  of 
church  and  commonwealth  hath  commanded  it  to  the 
use  of  our  congregations,  and  the  malignity  of  all  the 
times  since  hath  not  been  able  to  remove  it,  let  us 
embrace  it,  and  use  it  as  God's  ordinance,  sealed 
with  the  seal,  the  double  seal,  both  of  prescription  of 
time  and  good  success  in  the  use  of  this  church  of 
England. 

2.  He  putteth  this  prayer  into  verse,  and  maketh  a 
song  of  it,  and  fitteth  it  to  be  sung  by  the  church  with 
an  instrument  of  music ;  for  so  the  last  verso  of  the 


Vee.  ].] 


ilARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


159 


chapter  directeth  it,  '  to  the  chief  singer  on  my  stringed 
instruments.' 

This  manner  of  praising  God  is  ancient,  and  of 
mnch  use  in  the  church.  Mr  Beza  hath  taken  the 
pains  to  collect  fourteen  songs,  eleven  out  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  three  out  of  the  New,  which  he  hath 
interpreted  by  way  of  paraphrase,  and  hath  annexed 
them  to  his  paraphrase  of  the  book  of  David's  Psalms, 
and  they  are  translated  into  English.  I  shall  not  lose 
my  labour,  nor  you  your  time,  to  shew  yon  where  you 
may  find  them. 

1.  Exod.  XV.  1,  the  song  that  Moses  taught  Israel 
to  sing  to  the  praise  of  God  for  their  deliverance  from 
Pharaoh  and  his  armies,  which  is  of  such  excellency, 
being  a  type  of  the  deliverance  of  the  church  from  the 
adversary  power  of  the  world,  and  the  tyranny  of  the 
beast,  that  there  is  mention  of  it  in  the  Revelation, 
chap.  XV.  3,  '  And  they  sung  the  song  of  Moses  the 
servant  of  God.' 

2.  Deut.  ii.  32,  when  Moses  drew  near  his  end,  he 
maketh  a  prophetical  song  for  the  use  of  the  people, 
both  to  commemorate  God's  mercies  to  them,  to  lay 
open  the  judgments  of  God  against  them,  to  chide 
their  rebellions,  and  to  comfort  them  with  types  of 
grace  in  the  revelation  of  the  Messiah,  and  promising 
them  the  gift  of  the  spirit  of  repentance  to  retnm  them 
into  the  favour  of  their  God. 

3.  Judges  v.,  the  triumphant  song  of  Deborah  and 
Barak,  after  the  victory  of  Jabin,  king  of  the  Ca- 
naanites. 

4.  1  Sam.  ii.  1,  the  song  of  Hannah,  the'mother  of 
Samuel,  in  thanksgiving,  for  the  blessing  of  her  fruit- 
fulness,  containing  in  it  both  thanksgiving,  doctrine, 
and  prophecy. 

5.  2  Sam.  i.  19,  the  elegy  of  David,  bewailing  the 
death  of  Saul  and  Jonathan. 

6.  2  Sam.  vii.  18,  a  song  of  David  in  thanksgiving 
to  God,  after  Nathan  the  prophet  had  from  God  told 
him  that  the  Messiah  should  be  the  son  of  David. 

7.  Isa.  v.,  containing  the  rebuke  of  the  people, 
which  is  a  satirical  psalm. 

8.  Isa.  xxvi.  1,  the  song  of  the  church,  containing 
consolation  and  prophecy. 

9.  The  song  of  Hezekiah,  when  God  comforted  his 
sickness  with  promise  of  recovery,  Isa.  xxxviii. 

10.  The  song  of  Jonah  in  the  belly  of  the  whale. 

11.  Is  this  song  of  Habakkuk. 

In  the  New  Testament  we  have  three  : 

1.  The  song  of  the  blessed  virgin,  Magnificat. 


2.  The  song  of  Zacharias,  called  Benedictus. 

3.  The  song  of  Simeon,  Nunc  dimittis. 

Besides  frequent  mentions  of  singing  to  instruments 
upon  several  occasions,  where  the  songs  themselves 
are  not  recorded. 

From  whence  I  gather  these  two  observations  : 

1.  That  poetry  is  ancient,  and  hath  been  of  use  in 
the  church  of  God,  and  in  God's  service  and  worship  ; 
for  these  were  the  anthems  of  the  church  in  former 
times. 

2.  That  church  music  hath  had  the  same  honoar, 
both  of  reverend  antiquity  and  holy  use. 

The  first  point,  concerning  the  ancient,  laudable, 
and  holy  use  of  metres,  which  we  call  poetry,  so  con- 
tinued through  the  whole  course  of  the  Bible,  as  you 
have  heard,  doth  shew  that  God  requireth  of  us  in  his 
worship,  not  only  plain  faithfulness,  soundly  and  sin- 
cerely to  express  ourselves  in  his  service,  but  he  re- 
quireth also  that  we  shew  all  our  learning,  wit,  and 
art  in  our  compositions,  according  to  the  strict  laws 
of  a  verse  :  those  were  the  ballads  of  former  times. 

And  though  vain,  obscene,  wanton,  lying  rhymes, 
now  printed,  do  carry  the  name  of  ballads  wholly,  yet 
holy  songs  have  been  so  called.  If  you  look  in  your  old 
church  Bibles,  that  were  first  printed  in  English,  you 
shall  find  the  Song  of  Solomon,  or  the  Canticles,  called 
Solomons  Ballad,  or  the  Ballad  of  Ballads.  The 
reasons  why  God  desired  and  delighted  in  this  form 
of  worship  : 

1.  Because  this  gift  of  holy  poetry  is  of  and  from 
himself;  he  is  the  author  of  it,  and  the  sweet  singer 
of  Israel  learned  it  of  him,  to  honour  him  in  hymns  ; 
therefore  the  apostle  calleth  them  spiritual  songs,  that 
is,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  it  is  just  that 
those  spiritual  graces,  which  derive  their  being  from 
him,  should  be  consecrated  in  their  use  to  him.  And 
this  is  clear,  that  there  is  no  poetry  so  ancient  as  the 
holy  hymns  of  the  church. 

2.  St  Augustine,  in  his  preface  to  the  Psalms,  saith, 
Spiritus  sanctus  videns  obluctantem  ad  virtutis  viam 
humani  generis  animam,,  et  ad  delectatioues  hujiis  vitce 
inclinari,  delectahilibus  modulis  cantilence  vim  stujs 
doctrince  permiscuit,  ut  dum  iuavitate  carminis  mul- 
cetur  auditus,  dimni  sermonis  pariter  utilitas  inferatur. 

He  saith,  he  hath  observed  that  both  young  chil- 
dren, and  those  of  more  years,  who  have  at  church 
given  no  heed  to  the  reading  of  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  have  been  so  taken  with  the  delight  of  the 
Psalms,  that  they  have  learned  to  sing  them  at  home, 

247 


160 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


and  upon  the  way,  which  also  brought  forth  good 
effects  in  them,  hj  the  power  of  that  good  Spirit 
which  indited  them ;  quia  miscult  utile  dulci. 

St  Augustine  resembleth  the  msdom  of  God  herein 
to  the  art  of  the  physician,  who  gives  his  patient  things 
wholesome,  but  not  very  tasteful,  in  some  sweet  syrups, 
or  liquors,  which  may  convey  it  without  distaste  into 
the  body. 

3.  This  expressure  of  the  zeal  of  God's  glory  in 
verse,  being  the  labour  of  the  brain,  the  marrow  of 
wit,  the  earnest  wrestling  of  the  soul  striving  to  glorify 
God,  as  David  saith,  with  the  best  member  that  we 
have,  doth  best  present  the  inward  man,  the  hid  man 
of  the  heart,  as  St  Peter  calleth  it,  to  almighty  God. 

The  apostle  biddeth  us  to  affect  the  best  gifts. 
They  that  do  only  read  a  psalm,  or  a  prayer  in  a  book, 
have  done  little;  but  they  that  love  the  dead  letter,*  an 
enlightened  understanding,  and  sanctified  affections, 
they  pray  and  praise  God.  They  that  wisely  coiupose 
their  own  meditations,  and  express  their  own  hearts 
in  their  own  words,  holy  hearts  in  holy  words,  do 
mount  a  degree  higher.  But  they  that  honour  God 
with  art  and  nature,  observing  the  laws  of  time,  num- 
ber, and  measure,  as  Bernard  saith,  they  have  erudi- 
tam  mentem,  a  learned  mind,  and  they  are  come  ad 
provectam  atatem,  to  a  ripe  age. 

Solomon  excelled  in  this  kind,  whose  nuptial  hymn 
is  called  worthily  Canticum  Canticorum.  It  is  a  good 
observation  of  St  Bernard,  that  the  Proverbs  of  Solo- 
mon, which  is  discipUna  morum,  the  discipline  of 
manners,  and  Ecdesiastes,  which  is  discipUna  amorum, 
the  discipline  of  loves, — the  one  correcting  our  vain 
love  of  ourselves,  the  other  of  the  world, — must  go  first, 
and  then  our  understanding  and  affections  will  be  fitted 
to  make  such  verses. 

4.  This  kind  of  honouring  God  in  ditties  and 
hymns  doth  please  God  in  the  church,  because  even 
such  of  the  learned  heathen,  who  had  no  other  light 
but  the  light  of  nature,  have  yet  in  this  kind  honoured 
the  unknown  God. 

Therefore  Lactantius,j-  writing  to  the  heathen  to 
bring  them  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  proveth 
the  divinity  by  the  very  testimonies  of  their  poets,  who 
in  poetical  raptures  have  given  testimony  to  this  truth. 

1.  He  nameth  the  most  ancient  of  poets  that  we  do 
read  amongst  the  heathen,  Orpheus,  who  lived  about 
thelime  when  Tola  judged  Israel. 

*  Apparently  a  misprint. — Ed. 
t  De  falsa  relig.  i.  1.    Jude  23, 
248 


He  did  celebrate  the  honour  of  one  Go  J,  whom  he 
called  Tgwroyovov,  Quod  ante  ipsum  nihil  sit  genitum, 
sed  ab  ip)so  sint  cuncta  generata.  He  spake  also  of  the 
immortality  of  the  sons  of  this  god  : 

As  Lactantius  saith,  he  could  not  rest  in  Jupiter, 
seeing  he  heard  Saturn  was  his  father ;  nor  in  Saturn, 
who  was  said  to  be  the  son  of  the  heaven  ;  nor  in  the 
heaven,  which  was  but  a  part  of  the  world,  et  eguit 
authore,  and  wanted  an  author.  Hac  ilium  ratio  per- 
duxit  ad  priinogenitum  ilium  deum,  cui  assignat  et 
tribuit  principatum.  This  brought  him  to  the  first 
begotten  god,  to  whom  he  assigned  primacy.  He  pass- 
eth  over  Homer  and  Hesiod,  as  finding  nothing  in 
them ;  but  Virgil,  who  lived  about  the  time  of  Christ, 
and  excelled  in  poetical  invention,  hath  much  hon- 
oured God  in  his  verses,  according  to  the  light  that 
shined  on  him. 

I  need  not  follow  Lactantius  any  further,  having  in 
him  overtaken  the  point  which  I  have  delivered,  that 
seeing  God  hath  had  honour  from  poetry  amongst  the 
heathen,  much  more  in  his  church  let  him  be  so 
honoured. 

St  Paul  hath  transplanted  some  of  those  flowers  of 
poetry,  which  grew  in  the  gardens  of  the  heathen,  into 
his  own  holy  epistles :  1  Cor.  xv.  33,  *  Evil  words  do 
corrupt  good  manners.'  From  Menander  the  poet 
he  took  that  excellent  saying,  Acts  xvii.  28,  roD  yag 
yivog  hjxriv,  and  he  took  it  out  of  a  wanton  comedy 
called  Thais.  From  Epimenides  he  took  that  im- 
putation on  them  of  Candia,  x^r,Tic  an  -^ivffrai,  kuzu 
Sjjg/a. 

Now,  since  God  had  honour  from  heathen  poets, 
much  more  is  he  honoured  within  the  church  by  those 
ravished  spirits  within  *  a  lofty  strain  sound  out  his 
praise,  or  their  own  sorrows  and  wants. 

6.  This  kind  of  writing,  as  it  is  most  delectable,  so 
it  is  most  hard  and  difficult  of  all  others ;  the  strict 
laws  of  verse  exacting  choice  of  words  to  take  their 
places  in  their  measure,  and  the  inspired  wit  afiecting 
such  sublimity  and  sauvity  of  matter  and  order,  as  is 
often  involved  in  tropes,  and  figurative  and  parabolical 
phrases  ;  so  that  all  readers  of  holy  Scripture  find 
the  poetical  parts  of  the  Bible  exceeding  difficult,  more 
than  the  historical  and  moral. 

Now,  where  most  cost  is  bestowed  of  search  to  find 
out  the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  most  delight 
*■  Qu.  '  who  in  '  ? — Ed. 


Ver.  1.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAXKUK. 


161 


is  reaped,  it  being  found  that  doth  tarry  by  us  better, 
and  we  hold  it  with  strongest  retention.  This  pleaseth 
God  well,  that  we  hide  his  wordS^-in  our  hearts,  that 
we  do  not  run  it  out  in  a  leak. 

Use.  This  doctrine  of  the  holy  use  of  poetry  in  the 
worship  and  service  of  God  serveth, 

1.  To  stir  us  up  to  affect  the  best  gifts  of  all  in 
God's  worship ;  if  there  be  any  way  more  excellent 
than  others,  to  use  that  in  our  prayers  and  thanks- 
givings, and  praises  of  our  God. 

I  remember  what  David  said  to  Araunah  the  Jebus- 
ite,  when  he  offered  to  give  him  his  thrashing-floor 
to  erect  an  altar  upon  it  for  God,  2  Sam.  xxiv.  24, 
'  I  will  not  offer  a  burnt  offering  to  the  Lord  my  God 
of  that  which  cost  me  nothing.' 

Let  it  cost  us  the  highest  strain  of  our  invention, 
the  loudest  extension  of  the  voice,  the  eamestest  in- 
tention of  the  heart.  We  have  nothing  good  enough 
for  him,  all  we  have  is  of  him,  let  it  be  all  for  him, 
and  for  the  advancement  of  his  glory. 

2.  Seeing  this  kind  of  exercise  of  hymns  and  psalms 
hath  been  by  God's  holy  servants  consecrated  to  the 
worship  of  God,  let  us  bestow  our  wit  and  inventions 
that  way,  not  in  devising  satires  to  gird  and  lash  our 
brethren ;  not  in  amorous  and  wanton  evaporations 
of  our  lustful  affections  ;  not  in  base  flattery  of  the 
corrupt  times,  and  soothing  of  ungodly  persons  ;  not 
in  broaching  and  venting  useless  fictions,  the  scum 
and  froth  of  idle  and  unsanctified  brains ;  but  let  our 
wits  and  pens  be  exercised  in  glorifying  of  our  God, 
and  our  readings  rather  bestowed  in  the  psalms  and 
hymns  of  holy  Scripture,  than  in  the  vain  and  artless, 
dull  and  brainless  ballads  and  poems  which  fly  abroad 
amongst  us,  and  devour  precious  time  which  should 
be  better  spent,  and  transport  affections  which  should 
bend  their  strength  to  God's  service. 

2.  I  consider  that  this  song  of  Habakkuk  was 
directed  to  the  musician  to  be  fitted  to  the  stringed 
instruments,  so  to  be  not  only  sung,  but  played  in  the 
meetings  of  the  church.  From  whence  I  collect,  that 
church  music  hath  the  honour  of  antiquity,  and  of 
holy  use  also. 

I  need  not  prove  this  out  of  the  Old  Testament, 
for  the  examples  grow  so  thick  there  that  he  hath 
read  little  in  the  Old  Testament  that  hath  not  in- 
formed himself  of  the  church's  use  and  practice 
therein. 

We  have  Miriam's  concert,  Exod.  xv.  20  ;  there 
were  '  timbrels  and  dances,  all  the  women  came  out 


after  them.'  We  have  Jephthah's  daughter's  concert. 
Judges  xi.  34,  meeting  her  victorious  father  with  tim- 
brels and  dances.  W^e  have  David's  full  example  in 
the  tabernacle  ;  Solomon's  constitution  for  the  full 
music  of  the  temple. 

K  any  object  that  these  be  those  old  things  which 
are  done  away,  but  now  all  things  are  made  new  ;  those 
were  but  shadows  and  ceremonies  serving  only  for 
those  times,  but  now  antiquate  and  abolished  ;  let  me 
tell  them  that,  in  the  time  of  the  gospel,  where  the 
church  hath  more  cause  of  joy  than  ever  it  had  be- 
fore, we  can  give  no  cause  to  abate  anything  of  God's 
worship. 

Who  can  deny  but  that  the  first  tidings  of  the  birth 
of  Christ  was  proclaimed  by  an  angel,  and  the  pro- 
clamation was  seconded  by  a  choir  of  heavenly  soldiers, 
even  a  multitude  of  them,  the  whole  concert  of  heaven 
praising  God.  The  anthem  which  they  sung  is  upon 
record  in  the  living  book  of  the  Gospel,  Luke  ii.  14, 
Gloria  in  excelsis. 

Obj.  But  yet  the  singing  and  music  of  instruments 
in  the  time  of  the  law  were  shadows  of  things  to  come, 
at  the  coming  whereof  they  must  cease.  Whereof  then 
were  they  shadows  ? 

Sol.  It  is  answered.  Of  the  inward  and  spiritual  joy 
of  the  faithfal  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

Had  not  then  the  faithful  before  Christ  this  inward 
and  spiritual  joy  ?  and  why  should  we,  which  have  it 
more  in  the  inward  man,  express  it  less  in  the  out- 
ward worship  ?  David  saith,  Ps.  xlviii.  10,  '  Accord- 
ing to  thy  name,  so  is  thy  praise  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth.'  Christ  saith,  *  I  have  manifested  thy  name  to 
them  that  thou  gavest  me;'  doth  it  not  follow  well, 
where  there  is  manifestum  nomen,  there  should  be 
manifesto  laus.  The  church  used  to  praise  God  with 
instruments  of  music  ;  the  church  hath  more  cause  to 
praise  God  since  the  coming  of  Christ  than  before  ;  why 
should  anything  not  repealed  and  forbidden  to  be  used 
be  neglected  to  manifest  God's  praise  ? 

Obj.  But  all  things  in  the  church  must  be  done  to 
edification,  music  doth  not  edify. 

Sol.  Then  was  it  never  of  lawful  use  in  the  church, 
and  David  and  Solomon  did  ill  to  bring  it  into  the 
tabernacle  and  the  temple,  and  the  church  did  as  iU 
to  continue  it,  if  it  be  without  edification.  But  if 
ever  it  seemed  for  edification,  why  not  now  as  well 
as  ever?  It  is  the  same  God  that  is  now  served 
whom  they  worshipped  ;  and  as  Augustine,  Tempora 
variata  sunt,  fides  una,  times  vary,  but  faith  is  one. 

249 


1G2 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


How,  where,  and  when  did  music  lose  that  honour, 
that  use,  in  the  church  of  God  ? 

Obj.  But  it  spendeth  time,  which  were  much  better 
bestowed  in  hearing  the  word  of  God  preached. 

Sol.  I  answer,  It  was  used  when  much  more  was  to 
be  done  in  the  church  than  we  have  now  to  do,  and 
they  thought  it  not  tedious. 

They  had  many  sacrifices  to  offer,  and  the  time 
spent  in  prayer  and  hearing  of  the  word,  yet  they  use 
it. 

Obj.  But  popish  superstition  hath  so  defiled  it  that 
it  is  not  now  fit  to  receive  it  in  our  Christian  churches. 

Sol.  I  find  that  our  fathers  before  the  coming  of 
Christ  were  not  so  squeamish,  to  like  their  own  holy 
worship  the  worse  because  idolaters  did  use  some  of 
their  forms  of  worship ;  for  Nebuchadnezzar  made  a 
golden  image,  and  that  was  worshipped  with  all  kind 
of  still  and  loud  music,  yet  that  did  not  defile  the 
holy  worship  of  the  church. 

It  is  a  dangerous  rule  of  religion  to  manage  it  by 
opposition ;  they  are  not  all  opera  diaboli,  works  of 
the  devil,  which  the  devil  doth,  for  you  know  that  he 
confessed  Christ,  which  many  scribes  and  pharisees 
did  not.  They  that  condemn  all  that  popish  super- 
stition hath  also  abused  may  want  a  candle  to  light 
them  to  bed. 

I  profess  sincerely  I  cannot  see  but  that  the  same 
motives  that  began  to  bring  in  music  into  the  church, 
may  hold  it  there  still  for  anything  that  I  can  see. 

1.  In  respect  of  God,  to  glorify  him  in  the  best 
manner  that  we  can  by  any  gifts  of  art  or  nature.  And 
music  being  one  of  them,  we  see  how  much  it  hath 
decayed,  and  how  much  students  in  that  excellent  art 
have  been  discouraged  from  that  kind  of  study  since 
the  church  cast  out  music. 

2.  In  respect  of  God's  service,  the  more  pomp  and 
solemnity  is  used,  the  more  glorious  is  the  house  of 
God  made,  and  the  more  differing  from  our  common 
house  of  habitation. 

3.  In  respect  of  ourselves,  we  have  need  to  have  the 
help  of  outward  things,  to  draw  us  on  with  delight,  to 
entertain  our  thoughts  with  cheerfulness,  to  incite  and 
move  our  affections,  to  quicken  our  devotion,  and  to 
blow  the  fire  of  our  zeal,  and  to  relieve  our  natural 
weariness  in  God's  service. 

These  reasons  brought  in  the  song  and  instruments 
into  the  church,  and  gloriously  was  it  settled  in  Solo- 
mon's time  in  the  temple,  according  as  his  father  David 
had  left  it  in  the  tabernacle,  where  he  designed  to  that 
250 


service  two  hundred  four  score  and  eight  men  of  cun- 
ning, 1  Chron.  xxv.  7. 

Obj.  But  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  the  primitive 
church,  had  no  such  music  in  churches. 

Sol.  They  had  no  churches,  but  in  their  meetings 
they  sung  psalms.  So  did  Christ  and  his  apostles  in 
the  room  where  he  kept  his  last  passover.  Mat.  xxvi.  30 ; 
and  in  the  emperor  Trajan's  time,  which  was  before 
the  death  of  St  John,  Pliny  writeth  to  the  emperor 
of  the  manner  of  the  Christians,  this  one  among  the 
rest,  that  they  did  meet  together  early  in  the  morning, 
and  sung  hymns  to  their  Christ.  But  after  religion 
had  found  favour  with  princes,  and  began  to  appear 
in  peace,  then  came  in  churches  and  church  orna- 
ments ;  then  were  liturgies  devised  and  used  ;  then 
were  instruments  of  music  intermixed  with  the  ser- 
vice, and  God  glorified  in  all.  St  Aug.  Confess,  ix. 
cap.  vi. :  Quantum  Jievi  in  hymnis  et  candcis  siuive 
sonantis  ecclesicB  tua,  voces  illce  injluebant  auribiis  meis, 
et  eliquebatur  ventas  tua  in  cor  meum,  et  ex  ea  cestua- 
bat  inde  affectus  pietaiis,  et  currebant  lacliryma,  et  bene 
mihi  erat  cum  eis. 

In  the  next  chapter  he  tells  how  the  Ariaus  at- 
tempted the  taking  of  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan, 
whom  they  accused  of  heresy,  and  Justina  the  em- 
press bearing  them  out  in  it ;  they  meant  him  a  mis- 
chief. He  went  to  the  chief  church,  and  much  people 
followed  him,  ready  to  despatch  their  holy  bishop. 
St  Augustine  and  his  mother  were  amongst  them, 
and  there  Augustine  saith  :  Tunc  institutum  lit  hymni 
et  psahni  canerenlur  more  orientalium  ecclesiarum  }ie 
populus  mccroris  toidio  contabesceret ,  quod  ad  hodicrnum 
diem  retentum  est,  &c.  The  hymns  and  psalms  were 
ordained  to  be  sung,  &c. 

Obj.  It  is  a  means  often  to  carry  away  our  thoughts 
more  with  the  tune  than  with  the  matter.  St  Augus- 
tine makeih  it  one  of  his  confessions,  that  he  was  so 
transported. 

Sol.  And  may  not  the  same  happen  in  our  singing 
of  psalms  ?  Let  us  not  lay  our  faults  to  the  charge 
of  the  church.  What  good  shall  we  go  about  but  we 
shall  find  Satan  busy  to  divert  us  from  it "? 

Obj.  It  is  costly  to  maintain  music  in  our  churches, 
and  that  money  were  better  bestowed  on  the  poor  and 
other  better  uses. 

Sol.  What  ?  better  bestowed  on  the  poor  than  upon 
God  himself?  Is  the  cheapest  religion  the  best? 
They  had  poor  in  the  time  of  the  law,  and  yet  that 
hindered  not  the  magnificence  of  the  temple  and  the 


Yek.  2.] 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


163 


ornaments  thereof,  and  the  maintenance  of  God's  wor- 
ship, alit  pauperes  288,  in  templo  ;  ut  ante.  The  earth 
hath  not  the  like  glory  now  to  shew  as  that  of  God's 
house,  and  shall  Aaron,  that  was  but  for  a  time,  be 
thus  glorious,  and  shall  Melchizedec,  a  priest  for  ever, 
want  honour  ? 

It  is  true  that  it  hath  been  policy  in  these  later 
times  to  keep  the  church  lean,  and  to  strip  it  out  of 
all  outward  pomp,  and  to  transfer  God's  inheritance 
into  the  hands  of  strangers  ;  but  remember  the  great 
commandment.  Thou  must  love  God  above  all  things, 
and  so  doing  he  shall  have  the  best  of  all  that  thou 
art,  the  best  of  all  that  thou  hast. 

Our  prayer  is,  Sicut  in  cielo,  as  in  heaven ;  and 
Christ  promises  to  the  just,  that  they  shall  be  as 
the  angels  of  God  in  heaven ;  there  they  sing  the 
song  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God,  Rev.  xr.  3. ;  and 
David  saith,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15,  '  Blessed  is  the  people 
that  can  rejoice  in  thee.'  We'  have  more  cause  to 
use  both  voices  and  instruments  in  his  praise,  be- 
cause he  hath  redeemed  us  from  Satan,  hath  made  us 
all  priests  of  the  high  God,  to  ofier  to  him  the  calves 
of  our  lips  ;  and  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well 
pleased. 


Yer.  2.  0  Lord,  I  have  heard  thy  speech,  and  icas 
a/raid :  0  Ijord,  revive  thy  tcork,  in  the  midst  of  the 
years,  make  hioicn ;  in  xcrath  remember  mercy. 

This  whole  psalm,  as  it  is  in  the  composition  of  a 
mixed  kind  of  verse,  so  in  the  matter  of  it  mixed,  for 
it  consisteth, 

1.  Of  supplication  and  petition,  ver.  2. 

2.  Of  celebration  of  the  praises  of  God,  ver.  3,  15. 
8.  Consternation  lefore  God,  ver.  16,  17. 

4.  Consolation  in  God. 

1.  Of  the  supplication, 

0  Lord,  I  have  heard  thy  speech ;  that  is,  all  that 
thou  hast  said  in  the  foimer  chapter  in  defence  of  thy 
justice,  and  in  prophetical  revelation  of  thy  holy  wiU, 
both  concerning  thy  church,  how  that  shall  be  afflicted, 
and  concerning  the  enemies  of  thy  church,  how  they 
shall  be  punished  in  the  end. 

And  I  iras  afraid.  Fear  came  upon  me  when  I 
heard  thee  recount  thy  judgments. 

0  Lord,  revive  thy  uork  in  the  midst  of  the  years. 
Here  be  three  queries  : 

1.  "What  he  meaneth  by  the  work. 

2.  What  by  the  midst  of  the  years. 


3.  How  this  work  should  be  revived. 

(1.)  Thy  tcork.  Lyranns  saith,  Opus  tuum  in  puni- 
tione  ChaldcEorum,  quod  fiet  virtute  tua  magis  qudm 
hiimana.  Beza,  by  the  work  of  God,  here  under- 
standeth  the  church  of  God,  the  people  of  Israel. 
So  do  Tremellius  and  Junius,  for  they  parallel  this 
place  with  those  words  of  God  in  the  piophet  Isaiah, 
chap.  xlv.  11,  '  Ask  me  of  things  to  come  concerning 
my  sons,  and  concerning  the  work  of  my  hands  com- 
mand ye  me :'  where  he  calleth  his  church  opus 
manuinn,  my  work.  Thus  doth  Mr  Calvin  here  under- 
stand statum  ecclesicc,  the  state  of  the  church,  which 
is  called  the  work  of  God,  y.ar  h^oynnv,  as  being  the 
most  excellentest  part  of  his  work,  wherein  he  is  most 
glorified. 

So  David  prayeth  for  the  church  under  that  appel- 
lation, Ps.  cxxxviii.  8,  'Forsake  not  the  works  of  thine 
own  hands.'  So  doth  Isaiah  name  them:  chap.  Ix.  21, 
*  Thy  people  also  shall  be  all  righteous  :  they  shall 
inherit  the  land  for  ever,  the  branch  of  my  planting, 
the  work  of  my  hands,  that  I  may  be  glorified.'  So 
in  the  next  chapter,  Ixi.  3,  Christ  is  anointed  for  the 
good  of  his  church,  'that  they  maybe  called  the  trees 
of  righteousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord.' 

3.  Now  there  is  such  a  correspondence  between  the 
head  and  the  body,  between  Christ  and  his  church, 
that  sometimes  that  which  is  literally  spoken  of  the 
church  is  mystically  applied  to  Christ. 

Jeremiah,  expressing  the  great  misery  of  the  church, 
bringeth  her  in  thus  complaining:  Lam.  i.  12,  '  Have 
ye  no  regard,  all  ye  that  pass  by  the  way  ?  consider 
and  behold,  if  ever  there  were  sorrow  like  my  sorrow.' 
Yet  this  complaint  of  the  body  is  so  fit  for  the  head, 
the  grief  so  surmounting,  that  the  uniform  judgments 
of  the  ancients  of  the  church  have  applied  them  to 
Christ,  either  in  his  agony  in  the  garden  or  on  the 
cross,  where  also  he  used  David's  bewaiHng  and  pas- 
sionate moan,  'My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?' 

So  the  wonder  of  God  in  Hosea,  chap.  xi.  1,  spoken 
of  Israel  literally,  ex  ^yypto  vocavi  Jilium  meum,  that 
God  by  mighty  hand  brought  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  are 
applied  and  verified  in  him  by  the  evangelist  St 
Matthew,  chap.  ii.  15. 

From  hence  the  mystical  sense  of  those  words  doth 
express  the  head  of  this  body  of  the  church,  that  is, 
Jesus  Christ,  for  his  incarnation  was  the  work  of  God. 
He  was  made  of  a  woman,  and  was  made  under  the 
law.     So  that  this  is  a  prayer  to  God  to  send  his  Son 

251 


1 


](3t 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


into  the  world.  This  agreeth  well  with  the  comfort 
before  given  to  them,  '  The  just  shall  live  by  faith.' 

That  faith  is  in  the  promised  Messiah,  and  that  is 
it  to  which  the  ancient  fathers  do  apply  this  place,  as 
being  the  most  excellent  work  of  God,  for  the  good 
and  comfort  of  his  church. 

St  Augustine*  maketh  this  whole  psalm  a  prophecy 
of  Christ.  Consideravi  opus  tiium,  saith  he ;  Quid  hoc 
est,  nisi  nova;  et  recognita:  salutis  hoviinum  ineffahilis 
admiratio? — [Idem  in  oratione  contra  Judtros,  Arrianos 
et  Paganos,  cap.  xiii.) 

St  Jerome  paraphraseth  this  petition  thus :  Deprecor, 
Domine,  itt  quod  promisisti  expleas,  et  finito  tempore 
reddas  Christum  tuum. 

Kibera,  a  learned  Jesuit,  saith,  that  this  exposition 
doth  pass  most  current  with  the  ancients.  He  nameth 
Eusebius,  Euthenius,  Rupertus,  Theophilact,  all  of 
reverend  antiquity ;  and  one  saith,  for  the  most  part, 
seniores  saniores,  the  elder  the  sounder. 

Arias  Montanus,  one  that  has  taken  as  much  pains 
in  the  Bible  as  ever  any  one  man  did  in  latter  days, 
saith,  this  note,  this  song,  doth  begin  at  the  name  of 
God,  which  of  all  other  in  holy  Scripture  divinam 
naturam  inaxime  significat,  doth  especially  signify  the 
divine  nature,  mn'';  a  note  which  God  revealed  unto 
Moses,  a  name  for  the  most  part  used  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, saith  he,  Vbi  negotium  Messicc  agitur,  where 
the  business  of  the  Messiah  is  handled. 

2.  What  is  meant  by  in  medio  annorum,  in  the  midst 
of  years  ?  Here  I  must  give  you  to  understand  that 
the  seventy  interpreters  do  render  this  part  of  the  text 
in  other  words,  and  in  another  sense,  yet_agreeing  well 
with  the  mystery  of  godliness,  that  is,  the  incarnation 
of  Christ. 

They  read,  £v/A£tfw  fiuo  ^wiDv  yvcoedrjcri.  St  Augustine 
doth  receive  that  interpretation,  so  do  many  more,  for 
great  is  the  authority  of  the  LXX.  And  we  find  often 
in  the  New  Testament  that  their  translation  is  cited  by 
the  apostles,  and  not  the  original  in  the  Old  Testament. 
I  will  not  quite  pass  over  this  reading  of  the  LXX, 
as  neglecting  it,  though  in  the  end  I  do  not  mean  to 
follow  it,  because  many  great  judgments  have  em- 
braced it. 

This  is  observed  in  these  interpreters,  that  often  in 
their  translations  they  do  not  strictly  observe  the  words 
of  the  original,  but  rather  expound  the  sense  of  the 
place.     Often  they  do  add  something,  especially  in  the 


*  Revel.  Dei.  xviii.  32. 


252 


prophecies,  which  they  think  do  point  at  the  Messiah, 
whereby  they  declare  that  that  prophecy  is  to  be  re- 
ferred to  Christ.  So  do  they  in  this  place ;  and  to 
shew  that  they  understand  this  place  of  the  Messiah, 
they  add,  sv  /I'iffu  duo  ^uiuv  y\iucldr,ari. 

Which  St  Augustine  doth  understand  either  figura- 
tively, 'in  medio  duorum  testamentorwn;  or  literally,  in 
medio  Mosis  et  EUcb,  with  whom  he  spake  in  the  moun- 
tain when  he  was  transfigured;  or  m  medio  duonim 
latronnm,  between  whom  he  was  hanged  when  he  was 
crucified. 

Others  of  late,  following  the  tradition  that  he  lay  in 
the  manger  between  an  ox  and  an  ass  that  were  feed- 
ing there,  understand  these  two  living  creatures,  in  the 
midst  of  whom  the  wise  men  that  came  from  the  east 
found  Christ. 

Yet  Eusebius  and  Theophilact  read  not  i^wwv  with 
an  acute  accent  in  the  first  syllable,  which  signifieth 
living  creatures ;  but  with  a  circumflex  in  the  last, 
^o)uv,  which  doth  signify  lives :  in  medio  duarmn  vita- 
rum,  quia  venit  in  mundum,  hahens  duas  vitas,  alteram 
mortalem.  et  humanam,  alteram  immortalem  et  divinam. 

I  only  make  this  use  of  these  expositions  to  shew 
you  how  of  old  this  place  hath  passed  for  a  testimony 
of  the  prophet's  foresight  and  prophesying  of  Christ. 

But  reading  as  we  do  in  medio  annorum,  here  also 
sundry  interpretations  are  given ;  for  some  do  refer 
this  to  that  time  which  St  Paul  speaketh  of,  Gal.  iv., 
*  But  when  the  fulness  of  time  came,  God  sent  his 
Son.'  So  the  prophet's  prayer  is,  that  God  w^ould 
remember  to  perform  his  promise  of  the  Messiah  in 
medio  annorum,  that  is,  in  the  fulness  of  time  ;  for  it 
is  certain  that  from  Christ  to  the  end  of  the  world,  the 
world  is  in  a  state  of  declination. 

Lyranus  saith  that  these  years  here  meant  are  from 
the  destruction  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  to  the  re- 
building thereof  finished ;  for  he  saith  there  were  fifty- 
two  years  from  the  destruction  of  the  temple  to  the  first 
year  of  the  reign  of  Cyrus,  from  thence  to  the  sixth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Darius  were  forty-six  years,  for  so 
long  it  is  said  the  temple  was  in  building. 

In  the  midst,  not  in  medio  geometrico,  but  arithme- 
tico,  the  prophet  prayeth  God  to  revive  his  work  of 
restoring  the  people  to  their  liberty  and  possessions. 

But  I  choose  to  follow  the  exposition  of  the  seventy 
interpreters,  Iv  ru  rrafuvai  riv  xaifov,  cum  temporis  op- 
portunitas  fuerit,  when  there  shall  be  a  fit  time,  which 
leaveth  it  at  large  to  God  to  take  his  own  time ;  and  that 
seemeth  to  have  been  the  judgment  of  Tremellius  and 


Ver  2.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


165 


Janias,  who  render  it  interea  teinporis,  as  we  in  Eng- 
lish, in  the  mean  time.     So  Beza. 

Master  Calvin  doth  go  with  the  former  exposition 
of  the  fulness  of  time ;  for  he  saith ,  the  church  was 
but  growing  and  coming  on  till  Jesus  Christ  came  in 
the  flesh,  but  then  it  grew  up  to  a  ripeness,  so  that  the 
coming  of  Christ  was  the  growing  up  of  the  church, 
ad  alatem  virilein,  to  the  age  of  a  man. 

3.  Virifica,  'revive;'  the  margin  readeth,  'preserve 
thy  work ;'  that  is,  maintain  thy  church,  and  keep  it 
from  the  power  of  her  enemies,  till  thou  sendest  a  Re- 
deemer to  recover  it  from  the  injuries  of  time  and  the 
violence  of  the  ungodly;  for  the  time  of  the  church 
under  persecution  is  the  winter  of  it,  in  which  it  seem- 
eth  dead,  and  prayeth  God  to  quicken  and  revive  it  by 
the  sending  of  his  Son. 

In  the  midst  of  the  years  make  knoirn.  He  rein- 
forceth  his  former  petition,  now  desiring  that  God 
would  reveal  his  gracious  purpose  of  succouring  his 
church,  and  triumphing  over  the  enemies  thereof. 
In  the  mean  time,  while  thy  church  is  groaning  under 
the  burden  of  their  exUe,  make  thy  will  known  to  them. 
This  favour  of  God  wiU  sweeten  the  adversity  of  their 
banishment,  when  they  shall  know  the  loving  purpose 
of  God  toward  them. 

In  wrath  remember  mercy.  They  confess  that  they 
have  given  God  cause  of  displeasure,  and  have  pro- 
voked him  to  wrath ;  they  feel  the  smart  thereof  in  a 
strange  land,  and  they  have  no  plea  but  mercy.  They 
dare  not  make  so  bold  with  him  as  to  entreat  him  to 
turn  away  all  his  wrath  from  them,  because  they  are 
so  guilty  to  themselves  that  they  have  provoked  him 
and  deserved  his  indignation.  Only  they  desire  that 
in  the  midst  of  his  wrath  he  would  remember  mercy. 

By  wrath  in  this  place  is  not  meant  any  such  aflec- 
tion  in  God,  whereof  his  unchangeable  and  constant 
nature  is  not  capable ;  for  God  is  semper  idem,  ever 
the  same.  Whom  he  loveth,  he  loveth  with  an  ever- 
lasting love,  and  he  cannot  at  any  time  be  angry  with 
them.  But  whom  he  loveth,  upon  occasion  he  rebuk- 
eth,  and  chasteneth  every  son  whom  be  receiveth ; 
and  this  love  sometimes  bringing  forth  the  effects  of 
that  which  in  man  is  called  wrath,  we  speak  after  the 
manner  of  men,  and  avouch  it  of  God. 

Thus,  then,  the  text  is  literally  to  be  understood : 
0  Lord,  I  have  heard  what  thou  hast  spoken  in  the 
defence  of  thy  upright  justice ;  I  have  heard  what  thou 
ptuT)osest  in  the  punishing  and  in  the  avenging  of  thy 
church ;  in  the  mean  time  preserve  it,  and  make  it 


know  thy  love  towards  it ;  and  whilst  thou  art  punish- 
ing of  it,  remember  mercy. 
The  parts  of  this  are  two  : 

1.  The  preparation  to  prayer. 

2.  The  prayer  itself. 

1.  In  the  preparation  I  observe,  niotum,  the  motive; 
metum,  fear. 

2.  In  the  prayer  I  observe,  1,  subjectum,  the  subject; 
2,  petitiones,  the  petitions. 

The  petitions  are  three  : 

1.  '  0  Lord,  revive  thy  work  in  the  middle  of  the 
years.' 

2.  '  0  Lord,  in  the  middle  of  the  years  make  known.* 

3.  '  In  wrath  remember  mercy.' 

First,  of  the  preparation  :  1,  of  the  motus. 

O  Lord,  I  hare  heard  thy  speech.  The  word  of  God 
is  well  bestowed  on  them  that  will  hear  it  with  reve- 
rence, and  receive  it  with  humihty.  Here  was  a  maze, 
the  prophet  and  the  faithful  of  the  land  had  lost  them- 
selves, they  knew  not  what  to  think,  till  they  had  put  the 
matter  to  God  himself,  chap.  i. ;  and  God  having  made 
a  full  answer,  now  the  prophet  saith  in  his  own  name, 
and  in  the  name  of  those]  for  whom  he  consulted 
God,  ♦  I  have  heard  thy  speech.'  All  the  Scripture  is 
fuU  of  examples  of  the  children  of  God  hearkening  to 
his  word  of  precepts,  and  admonitions  to  us  to  hearken, 
of  promises  to  them  that  do  hearken.  The  reason  is, 
because  it  is  a  special  note  of  God's  children  to  hear 
h'S  word,  even  as  our  Saviour  himself  saith,  John 
viii.  47,  '  He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God's  word ;  ye 
therefore  hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God.' 
And  now  seeing  God  hath  given  over  speaking  by 
miracles  extraordinary  to  his  church,  St  John  saith, 
1  John  iv.,  'We  are  of  God;  he  that  knoweth  God, 
heareth  us ;  he  that  is  not  of  God,  heareth  not  us ; 
hereby  we  know  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and  the  spirit  of 
error.* 

The  Spirit  of  truth  is  left  in  the  chtirch  by  our 
Saviour,  and  he  speaketh  in  such,  who  by  the  ordi- 
nance of  Christ  are  the  priests  of  the  New  Testament, 
of  whom  Christ  saith.  Qui  ros  recipit,  me  recipit :  et  qui 
recipit  me,  recipit  eum,  qui  misit  me,  '  he  that  receiveth 
you  receiveth  me,  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth 
him  that  sent  me.'  We  must  hear  him  before  he  hear 
us,  for  St  Paul  teUeth  us  true,  Rom.  viii.  26,  '  We 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought.'  The 
art  of  prayer  is  not  so  quickly  learned  as  some  forward 
professors  make  themselves  believe.  John,  besides 
his  continual  preaching  to  his  disciples,  taught  them 

253 


J  66 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


also  to  pray ;  and  never  had  any  disciples  a  better  master 
than  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  yet  they,  living  in 
the  ear  of  his  doctrine,  and  in  the  eye  of  his  holy 
example,  were  glad  to  come  to  him  to  be  taught  to 
pray  ;  and  he  taught  them  the  Lord's  prayer  privately, 
which  after  he  taught  the  whole  multitude  in  a  sermon 
openly. 

Doct.  My  observation  is,  that  his  word  must  minister 
matter  to  oar  prayers,  and  all  our  petitions  must  be 
grounded  thereupon. 

The  reason  is,  because  God  heareth  not  sinners, 
John  ix.  31  ;  and  David  saith,  '  If  I  regard  wickedness 
in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me  ;'  but,  James 
V,  16,  '  The  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  prevaileth  much, 
if  it  be  fervent.' 

Against  sin  we  have  no  such  remedy  as  the  word  ; 
so  David,  Ps.  cxix.  11,  'Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my 
heart,  that  I  might  not  sin  against  thee.' 

Our  lessons  from  hence  are  : 

1.  We  must  take  it  for  a  great  favour  of  God  to  us, 
that  he  giveth  us  his  word  ;  for  that  is  a  lantern  to 
our  feet,  that  is  our  counsellor,  as  David  calleth  it. 

This  word  is  given  to  profit  withal,  and  it  is  depo- 
sited, 

1,  In  the  books  of  the  canonical  Scripture,  which 
we  have  not,  as  the  church  of  Rome,  shut  up  in  an 
unknown  language,  but  translated  faithfully  into  our 
own  tongue,  that  all  of  us  may  be  partakers  of  it. 

2.  As  in  the  timie  of  the  law,  the  priest's  lips  did 
preserve  knowledge,  and  men  were  to  require  the  law  at 
their  lips,  so  in  the  time  of  the  gospel  St  Paul  saith  of 
the  apostles  and  of  all  the  ministers  that  should  succeed 
them  in  their  office  in  the  church,  1  Cor,  v.  19,  '  God 
hath  committed  to  us  the  word  of  reconciliation.'  He 
hath  so  committed  it  to  the  Son  first,  as  he  gave  him 
power  to  transmit  it  in  the  priesthood  of  the  New 
Testament,  to  all  ages  of  the  church  till  his  second 
coming. 

The  Spirit  which  Christ  left  to  comfort  and  instruct 
his  church  was  not  given  at  large  to  all  men,  but  in 
particular  ordinance  to  them  whom  he  sent  to  teach  all 
nations,  as  the  apostle  saith,  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  *  Our 
sufficiency  is  of  God,  who  hath  made  us  able  ministers 
of  the  New  Testament,  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the 
Spirit ;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  Spirit  giveth  life.' 
So  we  are  the  ministers  of  the  word  that  giveth  life, 
and  there  is  no  life  to  be  had  but  by  our  ministry. 
This  gives  us  interest  in  your  afiections,  in  your  under- 
standings, in  your  goods,  in  your  prayers. 
254 


2.  Now  we  know  where  we  may  hear  God.  We  are 
taught  also  not  to  neglect  him  speaking  to  us  ;  for,  as 
the  author  to  the  Hebrews  saith,  Heb.  xii.  25,  '  See 
that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh  ;  for  if  they 
escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake  on  earth,  much 
more  shall  not  we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven.'  And  the  ministers  of 
the  gospel  do  speak  even  as  if  Christ  himself  spake  in 
us :  we  speak  in  Christ's  stead,  2  Cor.  v.  20. 

But  as  in  the  time  of  the  law  God  sent  his  prophets 
sometimes  to  such  as  would  not  give  them  the  hearing, 
so  doth  he  now  in  the  time  of  the  gospel ;  but  that 
must  not  discourage  our  ministry.  At  their  peril  be  it ; 
God's  word  will  ever  be  God's  wisdom,  though  the 
profane  count  it  foolishness,  and  it  will  be  God's  truth 
though  heresy  and  schism  pick  quarrels. 

Therefore,  if  you  would  learn  to  pray,  and  be  pre- 
pared for  that  holy  worship,  hear  God's  speech  first, 
and  that  will  teach  you  what  to  ask  as  you  ought. 
Hear  the  word  from  us,  as  the  Thessalonians  did  : 
1  Thes.  ii.  13,  '  When  ye  received  the  word  of  God 
which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the  word  of 
men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God,  which 
effectually  worketh  also  in  you  that  believe.' 

2.  Here  is  metus.  '  I  was  afraid,'  the  Seventy  read  ; 
s^sarriv,  I  was  in  an  ecstasy,  as  St  John  saith,  when  he 
saw  the  vision  of  the  Son  of  man,  Rev.  i.  17,  'I  fell  at 
his  feet  as  dead.' 

There  were  two  things  to  strike  the  prophet  with 
astonishment : 

1.  The  majesty  of  the  speaker  ; 

2.  The  matter  of  the  speech. 

And  both  these  must  both  meet  in  our  understand- 
ings and  in  our  affections  to  enlighten  and  to  move  them, 
that  we  may  know  what  we  have  to  do,  and  with  whom, 
when  we  pray,  that  we  may  come  before  him  with  fear 
and  holy  reverence. 

1.  The  great  glory  and  majesty  of  God,  to  whom 
we  resort  in  prayer,  is  such  as  no  creature  can  endure 
the  sight  thereof:  Isa.  vi.  2,  the  angels  standing 
before  him  cover  their  faces  with  their  wings. 

2.  The  matter  of  his  speech  contained  in  his  word 
to  the  prophet  is  the  sum  of  the  Bible  :  justice  punish- 
ing sin  in  his  church,  vengeance  destroying  the  enemies 
of  his  church,  and  grace  redeeming  his  church  from 
the  power  of  Satan  by  the  glorious  kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Query.  Why  should  the  prophet  be  afraid  at  this  ? 
Here  was  matter  of  comfort;  the  heaviness  of  the 


Ver.  2.  J 


MARBURY  OX  HABAKKUK 


167 


night  is  promised  the  joy  of  the  morniug.  The  church, 
though  it  must  sufler  for  a  time  for  sin,  hath  here  a 
promise  of  two  main  consolations  : 

1.  Their  own  deliverance  from  dangers,  into  a  resti- 
tution of  them  into  God's  favour. 

2.  Their  ere  shall  have  their  desire  also  upon  their 
enemies  ;  they  shall  see  the  wheel  of  wrath  go  over 
them,  and  the  Lord  shall  let  out  of  their  throats  the 
blood  of  his  people  with  which  they  have  made  them- 
selves drunk.  All  this  is  matter  of  joy,  and  what 
needeth  this  fear? 

Sol.  Who  can  come  without  fear  before  him  that 
can  and  will  do  all  this  ?  for  if  he  be  angry,  yea,  but 
a  little,  they  are  blessed  that  trust  in  him.  Fear  is  a 
proper  passion  in  a  true  believer,  and  is  inseparably 
joined  with  saving  faith. 

For  seeing  the  bond  of  our  union  with  Christ  by 
faith,  whereby  he  dwelleth  in  us,  is  partly  the  hold  that 
he  hath  of  us  by  his  Spirit,  partly  the  hold  that  we 
have  of  him  by  faith.  The  first  is  firm  :  John  x.  27, 
'  There  shall  not  any  one  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.' 
He  giveth  a  strong  reason  for  it :  *  For  my  Father,  who 
gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to 
take  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand.'  "We  are  his  gifts, 
and  his  gifts  and  calling  are  without  repentance.  But 
the  flesh  doth  put  the  Spirit  to  it  so  hard  sometimes, 
even  in  the  elect  of  God,  that  the  hold  on  our  part  is 
weak,  which  breedeth  fear,  and  fear  that  makes  us  hold 
80  much  the  faster.  From  hence  it  comes  that  all  the 
intelUgence  between  God  and  man  doth  begin  at  fear 
in  us. 

This  is  not  the  fear  of  an  evil  conscience,  as  it  was 
in  Adam  when  he  hid  himself  from  God,  but  the  fear 
of  reverence  of  God,  and  the  good  conscience  of  our 
unworthiness,  being  fallen  from  our  original  righteous- 
ness. The  shepherds  that  were  keeping  watch  by  night 
because  of  their  flocks,  were  sore  afraid  when  they 
saw  the  light  shining  at  that  time  of  night,  that  the 
angel  began  with  XoUte  tbnere,  *  fear  not,*  yet  were 
they  in  the  lawful  business  of  their  calling.  The 
blessed  virgin,  no  doubt  well  and  holily  employed, 
Zacharias  the  priest  in  the  church,  about  the  occasions 
of  his  office,  yet  all  afraid.  This  is  the  seasoning  and 
preparing  of  the  heart  for  God,  to  be  cast  down  before 
him  :  it  is  humbling  ourselves  under  the  mighty  hand 
of  God,  and  we  cannot  pray  as  we  ought  without  it. 

When  the  apostle  saitb,  we  cannot  pray  as  we  ought, 
and  that  the  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities,  he  sheweth 
that  such  as  he  have  infirmities,  and  they  feel  them 


when  they  come  to  appear  before  God  ;  and  where  in- 
firmities are,  there  must  needs  be  fear,  if  they  that 
have  them  be  sensible  of  them.  Yea,  I  dare  say,  that 
they  that  come  to  prayer  without  fear,  come  without 
faith,  and  all  their  prayers  are  turned  into  sin. 

Obj.  We  read  of  coming  with  boldness  to  God  : 
Heb.  iv.  15,  16,  '  Because  we  have  an  high  priest 
which  is  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities  ;  in 
aU  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin. 
Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in 
time  of  need.' 

SoL  This  is  cleared  by  the  same  author  in  the  same 
epistle,  declaring  how  many  considerations  must  con- 
cur, as  ingrediences  in  this  our  spiritual  boldness, 
Heb.  X.  22. 

1.  '  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart.' 

2.  '  In  full  assurance  of  faith.' 

3.  '  Having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  ai  evil  con- 
sciences.' 

4.  '  Our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water.' 

5.  '  Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith 
without  wavering.' 

6.  '  Let  us  consider  one  another,  to  provoke  to  love 
and  good  works.' 

7.  '  Not  forsaking  the  asssmblin'  of  oorsalves  to- 
gether,' &c. 

8.  '  Exhorting  one  another.' 

Let  a  man,  before  he  pray,  try  his  ways  and  exa- 
mine his  soul,  upon  those  interrogatories,  anl  I  dare 
say  the  best  of  us  (if  we  sin  not  also  in  presumption) 
win  find  himself  short,  in  every  one  of  these  particu- 
lars, of  that  perfection  that  should  accompUsh  bold- 
ness. 

But  having  those  things  in  some  measure,  and  more 
in  desire  and  endeavour,  our  boldness  must  needs  be 
as  much  shaken  with  fear  as  these  graces  in  us  are 
shaken  with  infirmity.  And  upon  this  fear  our  church 
teacheth  us  to  pray  to  God  in  these  words  :*  '  Pour 
down  upon  us  the  abundance  of  thy  mercy,  forgiving 
us  those  things  whereof  our  conscience  is  afraid,  and 
giving  unto  us  that  which  our  prayers  dare  not  pre- 
sume to  ask,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.' 

And  this  some  of  our  brethren  have  quarrelled,  as 
a  contradiction  in  our  prayers,  because  we  say,  we  pray 
for  that  we  dare  not  pray  for.  To  whom  I  answer, 
in  these  words  of  my  text,  '  0  Lord,  I  heard  thy  voice, 


*  12  Dom.  post  Trinit. 


255 


168 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


and  was  afraid !'  In  thy  word,  I  see  how  corrupt  I 
am,  for  that  sheweth  me  what  thou  requirest :  my 
conscience  feareth  those  sins  for  which  it  is  guilty,  for 
which  I  come  to  thee  for  mercy.  0  give  me,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  that  which  my  prayer  without 
him  dare  not  presume  to  ask.  Here  is  spiritual  bold- 
ness through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  here  is  fear  in 
respect  of  ourselves ;  for  we  must  serve  the  Lord  in 
fear,  and  rejoice  in  trembling ;  it  is  well  that  that  is 
not  branded  with  a  mark  of  contradiction. 
"We  have  to  do  with  three  sorts  of  persons. 

1.  The  profane  and  carnal. 

2.  The  generation  the  wise  man  nameth,  of  such  as 
are  wise  in  their  own  eyes,  yet  want  washing. 

8.  The  truly  zealous  faithful  ones  that  do  worship 
God  with  fear  and  trembling. 

1.  First,  concerning  the  profane  and  carnal. 

These  do  not  pray  at  all ;  the  reason  is,  because 
they  do  not  fear.  Of  such  David  saith,  Ps,  ix.  20, 
'  Put  them  in  fear,  0  Lord,  that  they  may  know  they 
are  but  men ;'  for  when  they  know  that,  they  will  see  and 
confess  that  they  have  need  of  help.  Thus  was  Saul 
converted :  there  suddenly  shone  a  light  from  heaven 
upon  him,  a  voice  spake  to  him,  he  was  cast  down  to 
the  earth.  '  Then,  trembling  and  astonished,  he  said. 
Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?'  Acts  ix.  6.  Then 
was  he  fit  to  be  wrought.  To  such  we  must  preach,  as 
Paul  did  to  Felix,  Acts  xxiv.  25,  of '  righteousness,  tem- 
perance, and  the  judgment  to  come,'  to  put  them  into 
trembling ;  better  to  put  them  between  the  two  mill- 
stones of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  law  written  in  their 
hearts,  and  to  grind  them  as  small  as  the  dust  of  the 
earth,  than  to  let  them  make  sin  out  of  measure  sin- 
ful, by  holding  out  to  be  abominable,  and  to  every  good 
work  reprobate.  We  cannot  open  the  gates  of  hell 
too  wide  for  such  to  shew  them  the  anger  to  come,  a 
fit  text  for  a  generation  of  vipers  ;  we  cannot  lift  up 
our  voices  too  loud  in  the  deaf  ears  of  such,  to  tell  them 
their  transgressions,  and  to  put  them  in  fear. 

David  wept  rivers  of  waters  for  such,  and  that  is  a 
good  remedy ;  let  the  faithful  weep  for  them,  for  vXaiu, 
which  signifieth  to  weep,  comes  of  xXaw,  frango. 

So  when  the  man  of  God  looked  on  Hazael,  2  Kings 
viii.  11,  and  foresaw  the  cruel  butcheries  which  his 
bloody  hand  should  perform,  he  wept.  This  weeping 
of  the  prophet  brake  the  heart  of  Hazael  for  the  time, 
and  he  said,  '  Is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do 
these  things  ?' 

So  St  Paul  putteth  them  together,  Acts  xxi.  13, 
256 


*  What  mean  you  to  weep,  and  to  break  my  heart  ?' 
Their  weeping  brake  his  heart. 

The  hearts  of  the  profane  are  hardened  with  the 
custom  of  sinning.  St  Bernard,  Aperiatur  vena  ferro 
compunctionis,  we  must  draw  blood  of  them,  by  the 
preaching  of  the  terror  of  the  Lord  to  them.  This 
blood  is  the  tears  of  compunction,  of  which  David, 
'  My  soul  melteth,'  or  *  drippeth  for  heaviness.'  St 
Augustine  saith,*  that  lachrymcB  compunctionis  be 
sanguis  vuhierati  cordis.  When  the  remembrance  and 
consideration  of  their  sins  hath  wounded  them,  and 
left  them  half  dead,  then  the  good  Samaritan  will 
come  with  his  wine  and  oil,  even  the  oil  of  gladness, 
and  the  poor  patient  will  say,  '  Thou  hast  put  glad- 
ness into  my  heart.' 

Thus  was  Saul's  heart  broken  in  pieces  first,  and  he 
that  before  did  caiTy  the  cross  of  Christ  lo  toi-ment 
others,  now  rejoiced  in  nothing  but  the  cross  of  Christ 
himself,  whereby  the  world  was  crucified  to  him,  and 
he  to  the  world. 

Thus  when  the  law  hath  humbled  the  profane  under 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  he  turneth  all  into  tears  full 
of  the  fear  of  God,  and  voweth  with  himself,  as  he  did 
in  the  poet. 

In  fontem  frontem,  atque  in  flumina  lumina  vertam. 

Then  is  he  fit  to  pray,  and  to  call  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  saying,  Sana  animam  meam,  quia  peccavi 
contra  ie,  '  Heal  my  soul,  0  Lord,  for  I  have  sinned 
against  thee.' 

2.  We  have  to  do  with  that  generation  who  are 
wise  in  their  own  eyes.  These  have  a  good  opinion 
of  themselves,  that  they  know  more  than  others,  and 
they  are  not  in  conversation  like  to  the  publican ;  and 
therefore  they  look  God  in  the  face,  they  draw  near  to 
him,  they  stand  and  pray.  These  are  so  full  of  the 
Spirit,  that  they  need  no  help  in  their  prayers  ;  they 
can  pen  their  own  petitions,  their  hearts  indite  good 
matters,  their  tongues  are  the  pens  of  ready  writers, 
they  can  talk^with  God  almighty  ex  tempore.  Dabitur 
ilia  liora. 

Self-opinion  is  a  kind  of  spiritual  drunkenness,  and 
therein  of  like  effect ;  it  maketh  men  daring  and  fool- 
hardy. The  profane  care  not  for  God  ;  there  is  no 
fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  These  make  too  bold 
with  him  ;  they  also  must  take  a  little  physic  to  purge 
the  exuberancy  of  their  presumption.  We  must  give 
them  a  dose  of  fear,  and  teach  them  to  drink  of  the 
*  Epist.  199. 


Ver.  2.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


169 


cup  of  trembling  next  their  hearts  ;  there  is  no  such 
antidote  against  tumor  as  timor;  swelling,  as  fear. 

It  is  the  wise  man's  counsel,  Eccles.  v.  2,  '  Be  not 
rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thy  heart  be  hasty 
to  utter  anything  before  the  Lord  :  for  God  is  in 
heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth  ;  therefore  let  thy  words 
be  few.' 

He  addeth,  ver.  3,  'A  fool's  voice  is  known  by  mul- 
titude of  words.'  That  is  further  urged,  Prov.  x.  19, 
'  In  the  multitude  of  words  there  wanteth  not  sin.' 

For  this  Christ  teacheth  us  to  pray,  beginning  at 
Our  Fatlur  uhich  art  in  heaven,  that  we  upon  earth 
might  consider  that  he  to  whom  we  pray  is  in  heaven ; 
that  we  might  compose  ourselves  with  fear  and 
reverence  to  come  before  him,  and  to  present  him  with 
our  prayers. 

And  again,  he  comprehendeth  all  that  we  may  ask 
of  God  in  a  very  short  prayer,  to  teach  us  that  our 
words  must  be  few.  And  to  that  purpose,  in  his  ser- 
mon he  taught :  Mat.  vi.  7,  '  But  when  ye  pray,  use 
not  vain  repetitions,  as  the  heathen  do :  for  they  think 
they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking.'  They 
that  come  in  presence  of  great  persons,  speak  their 
words  by  number  and  by  weight,  the  very  presence 
doth  stamp  in  them  an  impression  of  reverence  and 
fear.  Now,  seeing  God,  to  whom  we  pray,  is  invisible, 
our  faith  must  behold  him  before  us  in  glorious  ma- 
jesty, as  he  saith,  '  I  have  set  God  always  before  me  ;' 
and,  like  Abraham,  the  nearer  we  come  to  his  pre- 
sence, and  the  more  that  we  solicit  him,  the  more 
shall  we  be  shaken  with  this  holy  fear ;  considering 
him  who  dwelleth  in  the  light  that  no  man  can  attain 
unto,  and  consideiing  ourselves,  that  we  are  but  dust 
and  ashes.  The  heathen  could  teach,  deos  caste 
adeunto,  let  men  go  reverently,  and  inwardly  cleave,* 
before  their  gods. 

3.  There  are  yet  another  sort,  of  them  whom  their 
sins  do  oppress  as  a  burden  too  heavy  for  them  to 
bear,  whose  hearts  do  smite  them,  and  whose  con- 
sciences do  accuse  them,  that  though  the  zeal  of  God's 
house  do  bring  them  to  church,  yet  the  fear  of  their 
nnworthiness  doth  make  them  stand  afar  off,  beating 
their  breasts,  and  not  daring  to  lift  up  their  eyes  to 
heaven.  These  had  need  of  comfort;  we  must  labour 
to  put  mettle  into  such,  by  telling  them,  that  he  whose 
face  they  seek  is  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  '  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all 
comfort,'  2  Cor.  i.  3.  David  is  a  fall  example  of  a 
*  Qti.  '  clean  '  ?--Ed. 


distressed  man,  fearing  and  yet  praying ;  for  he  con- 
fesseth,  Ps.  cxix.  107,  '  I  am  very  sore  afflicted  ;'  yet 
he  prayeth  God  to  quicken  him  :  he  saith,  '  My  soul 
is  continually  in  my  hand ;'  he  was  even  ready  to  yield 
it  up,  yet  the  comfort  that  he  had  in  God  established 
his  heart. 

And  herein  God  is  most  gracious,  for  when  our 
sins  come  in  our  sight,  and  we  are  horribly  afraid  of 
God's  judgments,  even  then  God  sendeth  his  Spirit 
to  us,  not  to  take  away  our  infirmities  quite,  but  to 
help  them  ;  not  to  turn  our  sorrow  into  joy,  but  to 
sanctify  our  sorrow,  and  to  supply  it  with  sighs  and 
groans  ;  and  this  addition  of  fear  and  grief  doth  also 
mend  devotion. 

To  such  we  must  say,  that  though  he  to  whom  we 
pray  be  in  heaven,  yet  he  is  our  Father  ;  and  though 
great  and  glorious  be  his  majesty,  yet  he  is  the  pre- 
server of  men.  David  calleth  him  our  Sun  and  Shield. 
The  brightness  of  this  sun  may  dazzle  oar  weak  sight, 
but  the  protection  of  this  shield  will  save  us  from 
danger. 

Be  strong  then,  and  God  shall  establish  your 
hearts,  he  shall  anoint  you  with  the  oil  of  gladness, 
and  he  shall  say  to  your  soul,  *  I  am  thy  salvation.' 

2.  Suhjectum  (Vide  divis.  supra,  p.  165). 

This  prayer  is  for  the  church ;  that  is,  for  all  those 
that  then  were  the  visible  society  of  such  as  worshipped 
the  only  true  God. 

Doct.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  child  of  God,  and 
member  of  the  church,  to  pray  to  God  for  the  whole 
body  of  the  church. 

The  chm-ch  at  this  time  was  within  a  pale,  and  con- 
fined to  the  house  of  Abraham ;  not  in  his  whole  blood, 
for  Ishmael  was  excluded.  In  Isaac  was  the  promise ; 
not  in  his  whole  blood,  for  Esau  was  excluded.  Jacob 
was  Israel,  and  prevailed  with  God  ;  of  him  came  the 
fathers,  and  in  his  seed  was  the  church  continued. 
This  church  was  now  threatened  with  deportation, 
and  sundry  great  judgments ;  the  prophet  teacheth 
them  how  to  pray  one  for  another. 

To  this  there  are  great  motives. 

1.  The  direction  of  Christ  in  the  Lord's  prayer, 
which  calleth  God  our  Father,  and  in  the  process  of 
it  sheweth  that  the  church  of  God  is  still  included  : 
Give  us,  forgive  us,  lead  us  not. 

2.  The  content  that  we  give  to  God  in  these  general 
prayers,  which  the  apostle  doth  well  express :  1  Tun. 
ii.  1,  3,  4,  '  I  exhort  that  first  of  all  prayers,  &c.,  be 
made  for  all  men  :  for  this  is  good  and  acceptable  in 

257 
B 


170 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour,  who  will  have  all  men 
to  be  saved.'  All  are  or  may  be  members  of  the 
church  of  God,  for  aught  we  know. 

8.  The  benefit  that  we  reap  hereby  is  great,  for 
thus  we  come  to  have  our  portion  in  the  charitable 
prayers  of  others. 

Ambrose,*  Si  pro  te  rogas  tantum,  pro  te  sohis  roga- 
bis,  si  autempro  omnibus  rogas,  omnes  pro  te  rogabunt. 

4.  It  is  a  true  rule,  that  extra  ecclesiam  non  est 
salus,  without  the  church  there  is  no  salvation.  It 
is  said.  Acts  ii.  47,  that  '  God  added  to  the  church 
daily  such  as  should  be  saved.'  The  reason  hereof  is, 
because  Christ  is  nowhere  to  be  found  as  a  Saviour  but 
in  his  church ;  and  the  means  of  salvation,  preach- 
ing, prayer,  and  sacraments,  they  are  only  found  in 
the  church:  Rev.  xxii.  15,  'Without  are  dogs,  en- 
chanters,' &c.  Christ  is  the  good  shepherd,  and  he 
hath  his  fold;  all  the  sheep  that  are  without  must  be 
brought  to  that  fold ;  as  himself  saith,  John  x.  16, 
Alias  oves  habeo,  qu(B  non  sunt  de  ovili  hoc,  illas  oportet 
adducere,  *  I  have  other  sheep,  &c. :  they  shall  hear 
my  voice  ;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  shep- 
herd.' Therefore,  there  is  no  safety  in  singularity  ; 
they  that  forsake  the  church  forsake  the  fold.  The 
unity  of  spirit,  not  the  singularity,  is  the  bond  of 
peace.  We  are  members  one  of  another  ;  the  com- 
mon safety  of  the  body  communicateth  particular 
safety  to  all  the  members  of  the  body. 

In  the  temporal  state,  the  peace  of  particular  per- 
sons is  included  in  the  peace  of  the  whole  kingdom  ; 
therefore  Jeremiah  saith  to  the  church  then  in  depor- 
tation :  Jer  xxix.  7,  '  Seek  the  peace  of  the  city 
whither  I  have  caused  you  to  be  carried  away  captives, 
and  pray  unto  the  Lord  for  it :  for  in  the  peace 
thereof  shall  ye  have  peace.' 

Much  more  shall  we  have  peace  in  the  peace  of  the 
church,  seeing  Christ  bequeathed  his  legacy  of  peace, 
not  to  some  parts  and  members  of  his  church,  but  to 
the  whole  body  thereof:  John  xiv.  27,  Pacem  meam 
do  vohis,  '  I  give  unto  you  my  peace.'  It  must  be  so 
understood;  for  as  he  left  his  Spirit  the  comforter,  so 
he  left  his  peace  the  comfort,  not  to  his  disciples  only, 
but  to  all  the  church ;  therefore,  pray  all  that  it  may  be 
well  with  thee  in  communi  bono,  in  the  common  good. 

1.  This  teacheth  us  to  incorporate  ourselves  in  the 
communion  of  s&misper  communionem  pietatis  et  chari- 
tatis,  by  the  communion  of  piety  and  charity  ;  to  be 
one  another's   orators,  but  especially  to  study  and 

♦  Hexam.  i. 
U.        258 


pray  for  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the  church.  Let 
us  consider  it  is  the  spouse  of  Christ,  it  is  a  lily  among 
thorns,  it  is  a  flower  in  the  field,  not  only  open  to  all 
weathers,  but  to  the  tooth  and  foot  of  the  beasts  of 
the  field,  Satan  going  about  seeking  to  devour  it. 
Let  our  prayers  to  God  resist  Satan,  and  fight  the 
Lord's  battle  against  him. 

We  hear  of  the  troubles  of  the  church  in  other 
countries  )  we  hear  of  the  tyranny  of  popery,  and  the 
oppressions  of  faithful  professors  ;  if  we  give  them  no 
other  help,  yet  let  our  prayers  give  God  no  rest  till  he 
have  mercy  on  them,  and  give  them  deliverance. 

2.  This  teacheth  us  to  maintain  truth  and  peace 
amongst  ourselves  ;  let  not  the  wounds  and  sores  of 
a  church,  that  is,  heresy,  and  schism,  and  separation, 
be  so  much  as  named  amongst  us,  as  it  becometh  the 
saints  of  God  ;  let  not  the  common  enemy  of  our  reli- 
gion hope  to  build  upon  our  ruins,  and  to  raise  up 
himself  by  our  fall ;  to  strengthen  his  peace  by  our 
contentions,  to  benight  our  clear  and  glorious  sunshine 
of  the  gospel ;  so  many  happy  years  crowned  with 
peace,  and  the  fruits  of  peace,  propagation,  with  his 
Egyptian  and  Cimmerian  darkness.  Let  us  be  of 
good  comfort,  their  darkness  dare  not  come  so  near 
our  light,  for  our  light  will  discover  it ;  their  error 
dare  not  come  so  near  our  truth,  our  truth  will  con- 
fute it ;  and  the  God  of  truth  will  not  suffer  his  truth 
to  fail. 

Yet  if  our  unthankfulness  to  God  for  his  light,  so 
long  shining  in  our  church  ;  if  our  evil  lives,  so  unan- 
swerable to  our  outward  profession ;  if  our  contentions, 
so  displeasing  to  the  God  of  peace ;  our  want  of  zeal 
and  devotion  in  prayer,  do  turn  away  the  face  of  God 
from  us,  we  may  thank  ourselves,  and  his  justice  may 
say,  Perditio  tua  ex  te,  '  thy  destruction  is  of  thyself.' 

2.  The  petitions ;  these  are  three,  vide  p.  165. 

1.  'Revive  thy  work  in  the  midst  of  the  years;' 
that  is,  as  we  have  expounded  it  literally,  In  the  mean 
time,  preserve  thy  church. 

In  which  petition  we  are  taught : 

Doct.  1.  That  the  church  of  God  is  the  work  of 
God  ;  ye  have  heard  it  so  acknowledged  by  God  him- 
self:  Isa.  xlv.  11,  '  Ask  me  concerning  my  sons,  and 
concerning  the  work  of  my  hands  command  ye  me.' 
Wherein  God  confesseth  his  church  to  be  his  own 
work,  and  therefore  so  comprehended  in  his  care 
that  they  may  challenge  his  protection.  Again,  he 
calleth  his  church  thus:  Isa.  Ix.  21,  '  The  branch  of 
my  planting,  the  work  of  my  hands,  that  I  may  be  glo- 


Ver.  2.] 


MAKBURY  ON  HABAKKUK 


171 


rifled.'     And  David  npon  this  prayeth,  Ps.  cxxxviii.  8, 
*  Forsake  not  the  works  of  thv  own  hands.' 

The  reasons  why  the  church  is  thus  called. 

Because  the  church  is  not  an  assembly  that  doth 
gather  themselves  together,  as  we  say  that  birds  of  a 
feather  do  fly  together ;  but  it  is  ixxATjff/a,  it  is  a  con- 
gregation of  such  as  the  free  election  of  grace  hath 
called  out  of  the  world  by  the  ministry  of  the  word  of 
God  and  the  sacraments.  The  first  church  of  God  in 
whom  God  was  glorified  consisted  of  angels,  intellec- 
tual spirits,  whereof  many  kept  not  their  first  estate, 
but  were  excommunicated,  never  to  be  redeemed. 
The  first  church  of  God  on  earth  were  our  first  parents, 
whom  God  created  in  his  image.  The  creation  mis- 
carried by  the  fall  of  our  parents,  who  might  have 
stood  if  they  would.  The  election  of  grace  remained 
unchangeable,  and  continued  a  church  in  Adam,  in 
Abel,  in  Seth,  which  separated  from  Cain  and  his 
issue,  in  Noah  and  Shem,  and-  in  Japhet,  persuaded 
to  the  tents  of  Shem,  in  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles ; 
60  that  all  that  have  the  election  of  grace  do  come  to 
be  members  of  the  church  by  virtue  of  an  efl'ectual 
calling.  Election  designeth  them,  vocation  declare th 
them  to  be  the  members  of  the  church,  and  both  these 
are  the  work  of  God.  Will  you  take  it  from  God's 
own  mouth  ?  who  saith.  Lev.  xx.  26,  '  Ye  shall  be 
holy  unto  me,  for  I  the  Lord  am  holy,  and  have  severed 
you  from  other  people  that  you  should  be  mine.' 

2.  The  church  is  called  the  work  of  God,  in  respect 
of  his  perpetual  presence  with  it,  and  preservation  of 
it,  both  b}  his  own  special  providence,  which  is  the 
privilege  of  the  church,  and  also  by  the  subordinate 
ministry  of  his  holy  angels. 

1.  For  his  own  providence  he  hath  declared  it  in  a 
promise:  Joshua  i.  5,  '  I  will  not  fail  thee  nor  forsake 
thee,'  in  which  promise,  what  interest  the  church  hath, 
and  every  member  thereof,  the  author  to  the  Hebrews 
sheweth :  Heb.  xiii.  5,  '  Let  your  conversation  be 
without  covetousness,  and  be  content  with  such  things 
as  you  have ;  for  he  hath  said,  I  will  never  leave  thee 
nor  forsake  thee.  So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  The 
Lord  is  my  helper ;  I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do 
unto  me.' 

For  which  gracious  protection  St  Peter,  1  Pet.  iv.  19, 
willeth  us  to  '  commit  our  souls  to  him  in  well-doing 
as  to  a  faithful  Creator,'  so  called,  saith  Lyranus,  quia 
securi  conservat,  et  gloriose  coronal,  non  relinqiiit  opus, 
he  not  only  buildeth,  but  standeth  to  reparations. 

2.  For  the  ministry  and  subvention  of  angels  the 


psalmist  saith,  Ps.  xci.  11,  12,  '  He  hath  given  his 
angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways  ; 
they  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands.*  Heb.  i.  14, 
'  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
minister  to  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ? ' 

3.  The  church  of  God  is  called  the  work  of  God,  to 
honour  God  ;  for  God  is  not  so  glorious  in  anything 
that  he  hath  wrought  as  in  his  church,  for  therein 
mercy  and  truth  met  together,  righteousness  and  peace 
kissed  each  other.  Our  election  adoption  is  to  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  Eph.  i.  6.  You  heard 
himself  say  of  his  church,  Isa.  Ix.  21,  '  The  work  of 
my  hands,  that  I  may  be  glorified.'  For  God  is  more 
glorified  in  those  things  which  he  hath  wrought  by 
Jesus  Christ  in  our  flesh,  and  in  those  things  which 
he  doth  for  his  sake,  than  in  all  the  other  works  of  his 
hands. 

This  will  one  day  appear.  It  is  revealed  already  in 
part  to  us,  for  whatsoever  God  did  work  sine  verba  in- 
carnato,  without  the  word  incarnate,  it  all  shall  fail 
and  come  to  dissolution,  or  to  a  worse  condition,  that 
is,  an  eternal  being  in  woe.  For  example,  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  shall  all  perish,  and  new  shall  be  made 
in  their  place,  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  wherein 
God  will  plant  righteousness.  The  angels  that  fell, 
and  the  reprobate,  shall  suffer  eternal  flames.  "What 
remains  now  but  angels  and  just  men,  the  elect  angels 
and  the  holy  church  of  God ;  the  one  sort  elected  in 
Christ,  established  in  bliss  by  Christ ;  the  other  re- 
deemed by  Christ?  These  are  reserved  to  glory. 
The  just  shall  be  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven.  In 
this  church,  then,  God  is  most  glorified. 

4.  The  church  is  called  the  work  of  God,  to  give 
honour  to  it  here  on  earth ;  for  God  would  have  the 
world  know  that  he  owns  his  church,  and  that  they  are 
a  peculiar  people,  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, that  he  delighteth  in  them.  And  again,  the 
faithful  delight  in  nothing  but  what  he  hath  wrought 
in  them  and  from*  them.  So  Augustine  bringeth  in 
the  church,  saying.  Opus  tinnn  in  me  Domine,  ride, 
non  meum ;  nam  meum  si  videris  damnum,  tuum  si 
videris  coronas,  Behold  thy  work  in  me,  &c.  It  is 
David's  glory,  '  I  am  thine.'  All  things  else  have  the 
same  maker  that  have  any  being,  but  the  church  hath 
the  honour  of  cnrious  and  costly  work.  All  the  rest 
of  the  works  of  God  are  not  worth  the  cost  that  he 
bestowed  in  the  whitewashing  of  this  work. 
To  turn  this  point  into  profit. 

*   Qn.  'for'?— Ed, 

259 


172 


MARBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


1.  Seeing  we  are  the  work  of  God  in  regard  of 
election,  of  grace,  of  creation,  and  protection,  this 
teacheth  us  to  live  godlily,  righteously,  and  soberly 
in  this  present  world,  and  to  keep  ourselves  unspotted 
of  the  world. 

1.  For  election :  Eph.  i.  4,  '  He  hath  chosen  us,  that 
we  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in 
love.' 

2.  For  creation :  Eph.  ii.  10,  '  We  are  his  workman- 
ship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  that  we 
should  walk  in  them.' 

3.  For  all  his  other  favours,  as,  1  Pet.  ii.  9,  that 
we  are  *  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  purchased 
people,  it  is,  that  we  should  shew  forth  the  praises  of 
him  who  hath  called  us  out  of  darkness  into  his  mar- 
vellous light.' 

Survey  thy  soul,  peruse  thy  whole  conversation 
without,  search  thy  heart  within,  suffer  not  the  work 
of  the  Lord  in  thee  to  be  defaced  and  defouled  with 
the  uncleanness  of  gross  and  foul  sins.  If  Satan  have 
been  too  strong  for  thee,  that  he  holdeth  thee  captive, 
and  bindeth  thee,  and  maketh  thee  go  where  thou 
wouldest  not,  and  do  what  thou  abhorrest,  yet  declare 
it,  by  thy  resisting  of  him,  that  he  hath  usurped,  thou 
hast  not  yielded  him  possession ;  let  not  sin  set  up  a 
stool  of  wickedness  within  thee,  let  it  not  reign  in  thy 
mortal  body.  Do  thy  maker  so  much  right  to  preserve 
and  keep  his  work  as  clean  as  thou  canst  from  the 
defiling  of  the  world. 

2.  Gather  boldness  from  this  consideration,  to 
solicit  God  in  prayers  ;  for  so  it  is  used  as  an  effectual 
argument,  Vivijica  opus  tuum,  '  Revive  thy  work,'  as 
David,  '  I  am  thine,  0  save.'  So  Solomon  enforceth 
his  suit  to  God  for  Israel :  1  Kings  viii.  52,  53,  *  For 
thou  didst  separate  them  from  all  the  people  of  the 
earth,  to  be  thine  inheritance.'  Therefore  he  prayeth 
*  that  the  eyes  of  God  would  be  open  to  their  supplica- 
tions, and  that  he  would  hearken  to  them  in  all  that 
they  pray  for.' 

2.  In  the  petition  that  God  would  revive  and 
quicken  his  church  in  the  mean  time,  that  is,  during 
the  affliction  and  vexation  of  it,  we  are  taught, 

Doct.  2.  That  afflictions,  and  the  withdrawing  of 
the  light  of  God's  countenance  from  his  church  for  a 
time,  is  such  a  deading  of  it,  that  except  it  be  quick- 
ened with  some  beams  of  grace  and  light,  and  have 
some  lucida  intervalla,  it  is  a  burden  more  than  they 
can  bear. 

Satan  is  a  cunning  serpent,  a  roaring  lion ;  when  he 
260 


can  get  leave  to  assault,  he  putteth  his  whole  strength 
to  it,  as  in  the  sifting  of  Peter,  and  in  the  buffeting 
of  Paul,  and  in  the  afflicting  of  Job.  If  Peter  had 
not  had  Christ's  Ego  oravi  pro  te,  I  have  prayed  for 
thee  ;  and  Paul  had  not  heard  his  siifficit  tibi  gratia 
mea,  my  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  and  Job  had  not  had 
the  preserver  of  men  to  friend  ;  how  had  it  gone  with 
them? 

And  great  reason  there  is  for  this,  why  the  church 
should  faint  under  the  cross,  if  it  were  not  strongly 
supported  by  grace  ;  for  there  is  no  lesson  so  bard 
for  a  child  of  God  to  take  out,  as  to  take  up  the  cross 
of  Christ,  and  to  follow  him,  to  suffer  the  smart  of 
affliction  with  patience  and  thanksgiving.  For  in  the 
very  regenerate  man,  the  flesh  is  both  strong  and 
unruly,  and  nothing  so  contrary  to  the  flesh,  as  afflic- 
tion and  tribulation  is  ;  therefore  doth  God  measure  to 
his  children  their  portion  and  draught  of  this  cup, 
because  he  knows  whereof  we  be  made.  So  the 
psalmist  saith,  Ps.  cxxv.  3,  '  The  rod  of  the  wicked 
shall  not  rest  upon  the  lot  of  the  righteous,  lest  the 
righteous  put  forth  their  hand  unto  iniquity.'  And 
for  this  St  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  x.  13,  *  God  is  faithful, 
who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  you 
are  able,  but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way 
to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it.' 

Wherein  note  for  comfort  in  tribulation : 

1.  That  though  Satan  have  no  stay  of  his  fury  and 
malice  in  our  temptations,  yet  God  will  not  suffer  us 
to  be  tempted  further  than  he  thinks  fit.  For  there 
is  good  use  to  be  made  of  some  temptations,  as  St 
James  saith,  chap.  i.  2,  *  My  brethren,  count  it  all 
joy  when  you  fall  into  divers  temptations  ;'  hemeaneth 
temptations  of  trial,  by  which  we  do  approve  our 
faith  and  our  patience.  St  Peter  saith,  1  Pet.  i.  7, 
'  That  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more'  pre- 
cious than  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried 
with  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.' 

2.  We  see  that  all  the  elect  children  of  God  have 
a  measure  of  strength  to  bear  temptation,  and  he  that 
gave  them  their  measure,  and  knoweth  what  it  con- 
tains, will  not  suffer  them  to  be  tempted  further  then 
they  are  able.  Herein  many  mistake  themselves,  and 
think  their  ability  to  bear  affliction  less  than  it  is,  for 
indeed  till  God  put  us  to  it,  we  do  not  know  how 
much  we  are  able  to  suffer  ;  and  many  great  examples 
in  church  story  we  find  of  those  Christians,  young 
men  and  aged,  tender  virgins  that  have  feared  their 


Ver.  2.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


173 


own  weakness  much,  who  have  filled  the  catalogue  of 
God's  confessors  and  martyrs  with  invincible  con- 
stancv. 

3,  We  see  that  when  God  openeth  a  way  out  of 
tribulation,  that  the  faithful  see  an  issue  ;  though  for 
the  time  the  temptation  be  more  than  our  strength, 
vet  the  issue  in  sight  doth  put  mettle  into  us  to  bear  it. 
Howsoever,  the  flesh  will  be  more  than  a  looker  on  in 
this  conflict,  because,  Heb.  xii.  11,  'No  chastening  for 
the  time  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous ;'  for 
many  fears  arise  in  the  hearts  of  the  afflicted,  and 
Satan  is  still  suggesting,  that  God  hath  forsaken  him 
that  is  afflicted.  Especially  such  a  great  affliction  as 
this  that  was  now  threatened  to  the  church,  the  sword 
of  the  Chaldeans,  depopulation  of  their  cities  and 
towns,  destruction  of  the  temple,  deportation  into  the 
land  of  their  enemies,  and  seventy  years'  captivity ; 
this  shaketh  their  faith  in  the  promise  of  God  made  to 
his  church,  and  maketh  them  to  doubt  that  God  hath 
forgotten  to  be  gracious,  and  wiU  shew  no  more  mercy. 

Let  US  learn  of  the  prophet  what  use  we  must  make 
of  afflictions  in  this  kind,  even  prayer,  '  0  Lord,  revive 
thy  work ;'  let  us  comfort  ourselves  in  all  tribulations, 
that  we  are  the  work  of  God's  hand,  and  let  us  commend 
ourselves  to  his  fatherly  love.  Prayer  is  fidelis  mmcius, 
a  faithful  messenger ;  we  may  despatch  away  this  mes- 
senger from  Babylon, from  the  lions'  den,  from  the  belly 
of  the  whale,  from  the  fiery  furnace  of  heaven,  and  it 
will  do  our  errand  to  God  faithfully  and  efiectually. 

It  is  St  Augustine's*  comfort.  Cum  rideris  tion  a  te 
amotam  d^'precationem  tuam,  secunis  esto,  quia  non  est 
amota  misericordia  ejus. 

2.  Petition,  'Lathe  midst  of  the  years  make  known.' 
That  is,  in  the  mean  time,  whilst  thy  church  is  in 
captivity,  reveal  to  them  thy  gracious  purpose  of  restor- 
ing and  avenging  them. 

Doct.  The  true  comfort  in  afflictions  groweth  out  of 
a  right  understanding  of  the  will  and  purpose  of  God 
therein  ;  that  is,  that  he  beareth  a  constant  love  to 
his  church,  however  he  punish  them. 

Eeason  1.  This  maketh  them  able  to  bear  affliction, 
when  we  see  that  God  maketh  a  way  to  escape,  as 
you  heard  from  St  Paul,  1  Cor.  x.  13.  And  this  is 
very  clear  in  this  people,  for  God  made  known  to 
them  his  purpose  concerning  their  bondage  in  Egypt, 
his  will  was  thus  revealed  to  Abraham  :  Gen.  xv.  13, 
14,  '  Know  that  thy  seed  of  a  surety  shall  be  a  stranger 
in  a  land  that  is  not  theirs,  and  shall  serve  them  ;  and 
•  In  Ps.  IxT. 


they  shall  afflict  them  four  hundred  years  :  and  also 
that  nation,  whom  they  shall  serve,  will  I  judge ;  and 
afterward  shall  they  come  out  with  great  substance.' 

This,  as  St  Augustine  well  understandeth,  doth 
include  all  the  time  that  passed  between  the  birth  of 
Isaac,  and  the  entering  of  the  people  of  Israel  into 
the  land  of  promise,  daring  which  time  they  had  no 
land  of  their  own ;  and  in  a  disjunct  reading,  they 
were  either  strangers,  as  during  their  first  abode  in 
Canaan,  and  after  in  Egypt,  or  they  served,  as  after 
Joseph's  death,  and  were  afflicted.  Four  hundred 
years  are  a  long  time,  yet  they  saw  an  end  of  their 
travails  and  afflictions,  and  they  knew  that  their  pos- 
terity should  have  rest  at  lust,  and  they  knew  that 
God  would  judge  their  oppressors ;  this  made  them 
able  to  bear  the  affliction. 

Here  is  a  picture  drawn  to  the  life  of  a  Christian 
man's  life  here  on  earth,  for  he  must  be  a  stranger 
and  pilgrim  here,  and  must  serve  and  suffer  before  he 
can  come  to  Jerusalem,  which  is  visio  pads,  the  vision 
of  peace,  before  he  can  come  to  rest  from  his  labours. 

This  captivity  in  Babylon  was  a  great  punishment 
to  this  people,  but  God  made  his  will  known  to  them, 
as  the  prophet  here  teacheth  them  to  pray,  for  he 
gave  them  warning  of  it  long  before,  but  somewhat 
obscurely ;  he  came  to  a  more  clear  discovery  of  his 
purpose  to  Hezekiah  :  2  Kings  xx.  17,  '  All  shall  be 
carried  into  Babylon,  nothing  shall  be  left.'  The 
Lord  also  by  Jeremiah  his  prophet  gave  them  warn- 
ing of  it :  chap.  xvi.  13,  *  I  will  cast  you  out  of  this 
land,  into  a  land  that  ye  know  not.'  He  threateneth 
to  send  fishers  to  fish  them ;  compare  that  with 
Habakkuk's  prophecy,  chap.  L  14,  '  Thou  makest 
them  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea ;'  there  you  heard  of 
their  angle,  net,  and  drag. 

Jeremiah  is  yet  more  plain  in  this  prediction  ;  chap. 
XI.  6,  '  I  will  deliver  all  the  strength  of  the  city,  and 
all  the  labours  thereof,  and  all  the  precious  things 
thereof,  &c.,  to  be  carried  into  Babylon.'  But  most 
fully  begin  at  the  ninth  verse.  Chap.  xiv.  11,  '  And 
this  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation,  and  an  astonish- 
ment ;  and  these  nations  shall  serve  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon seventy  years.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
when  seventy  years  are  accomplished,  that  I  wiU 
punish  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  that  nation,  saith 
the  Lord.'  There  is  some  better  news  :  Jer.  xxi.  2, 
sic  dicit  Dominus,  '  The  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  I  will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  my  people 
Israel  and  Judah,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  cause 

261 


174 


MAKBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


them  to  return  to  the  land  that  I  gave  to  their  fathers, 
and  they  shall  possess  it.' 

The  miseries  that  smart  upon  afflicted  men  do  make 
them  forget  the  comforts  that  should  heal  their 
wounded  spirits.  David  expresseth  his  vexation  so  : 
'  My  soul  refused  comfort ;  therefore,  0  Lord,  make 
it  kno^vn.'  Make  thy  people  sensible  of  that  comfort, 
which  thou  hast  graciously  reserved  for  them. 

And,  indeed,  the  people  were  not  quite  out  of  heart; 
all  the  time  that  they  lived  in  that  captivity  they  still 
remembered  Jerusalem,  and  thought  upon  Sion,  and 
expected  their  deliverance.  But  the  dispersion  of  the 
Jews,  that  hath  now  continued  almost  1600  years, 
that  hath  lasted  long,  and  the  time  of  their  restitution 
is_not  particularly  revealed,  this  maketh  them  hang 
the  head  ;  God,  in  justice  for  the  cruelty  which  they 
did  execute  upon  his  Son,  would  not  let  them  know 
the  time  of  their  deliverance,  as  in  their  former  afflic- 
tions^he  did,  which,  no  doubt,  is  a  gi*eat  sign  of  God's 
heavy  indignation. 

Use  1.  Seeing,  then,  that  the  knowledge  of  the  will 
of  God,  and  his  purpose  revealed  in  his  word,  is  so  great 
a'comfort  in  afflictions,  we  are  taught  to  study  and 
search  the  book  of  God's  will,  and  therein  to  exercise 
ourselves  ;  for  he  is  the  same  God  that  he  was,  and 
his  will  is  the  same.  The  just  have  the  same  pro- 
mises that  they  had  ;  the  unjust  shall  have  the  same 
judgments  :  hear,  read  the  book  of  God,  and  apply  it 
as  thou  goest,  for  there  thou  shalt  have  thy  portion. 

Use  2.  Labour  for  newness  of  life,  and  that  shall 
bring  thee  to  the  proof  and  trial,  to  the  discerning  and 
experience  of  the  will  of  God  :  as  the  apostle  saith, 
Kom.  xii.  2,  *  And  be  not  conformed  to  the  world,  but 
be  you  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind, 
that  you  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  that  acceptable, 
and  perfect  will  of  God.'  For  God  will  not  reveal 
himself  to  the  ungodly ;  but  the  secrets  of  the  Lord 
are  with  them  that  fear  him,  and  he  will  shew  them 
his  covenant. 

Use  3.  We  must  rest  in  this  will  of  God  with  ajlat 
voluntas  tua,  thy  will  be  done  ;  we  must  not  resist  it, 
we  must  not  murmur  at  it,  we  must  not  make  haste, 
but  we  must  live  by  faith,  and  tarry  the  Lord's  leisure, 
and  in  the  mean  time  gather  strength  from  his  promise, 
to  establish  our  hearts  that  they  faint  not,  and  fail  us 
in  our  tribulations. 

3.  Petition  :  '  In  wrath  remember  mercy.' 
Doct.  The  plea  of  the  true  church  in  afflictions  is 
mercy. 

262 


Reason  1.  God  taught  us  this  himself;  for  when 
our  first  parents  had  sinned,  they  were  afraid  and 
ashamed,  and  hid  themselves  from  God  :  there  was 
no  mercy  yet  revealed. 

How  would  they  solicit  God  ?  Jesus  Christ  was 
not  yet  known  to  them,  therefore  they  fled  from  God ; 
for  there  is  no  drawing  near  to  God  for  sinners  with- 
out Christ.  Then  God  came  and  sought  out  Adam  ; 
he  arraigned  the  offenders,  and  finding  the  serpent 
guilty  of  the  temptation,  he  cursed  him  :  and  there 
he  promised  Christ.  When  mercy  was  revealed  to 
man,  then  he  called  the  man  first,  and  then  the 
woman  ;  and  ever  since  that  mercy  was  made  known 
to  the  church,  the  true  church  hath  had  no  other  plea 
but  mercy.  There  is  misericordia  condonans,  a  par- 
doning mercy  :  he  forgiveth  all  our  iniquities ;  an 
article  of  faith,  remissio  peccatorum,  remission  of  sins. 
There  is  a  misericordia  donans,  a  giving  mercy  ;  he 
giveth  medicine  to  heal  all  our  infirmities. 

Reason  2.  The  church  knoweth  that  they  have 
given  God  cause  to  be  angry  ;  they  know  that  if  his 
wrath  be  kindled  but  a  little,  he  is  a  consuming  fire, 
and  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  his  hands  ;  they 
know  that  in  his  favour  is  life,  and  at  his  right  hand 
there  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 

We  have  nothing  to  keep  us  from  the  anger  to  come 
but  mercy  :  Lam.  iii.  22,  '  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mer- 
cies that  we  are  not  all  consumed,  for  his  compassions 
fail  not :'  Ps.  li.  1,  '  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord, 
according  to  thy  loving-kindness,'  &c.  We  have  no- 
thing to  bring  us  again  in  favour  with  God,  whom  we 
provoke  every  day,  but  his  mercy  :  Ps.  v.  7,  *  But  as 
for  me,  I  will  come  into  thy  house  in  the  multitude  of 
thy  mercies.' 

Reason  3.  The  church  knoweth  that  God  is  more 
glorious  in  his  mercy  than  in  all  his  other  attributes, 
for  his  mercy  is  above  all  his  works ;  the  justice  of 
God  is  against  us,  because  we  are  unrighteous ;  the 
wisdom  of  God  is  against  us,  because  we  have  walked 
as  fools,  and  not  as  wise  men  ;  the  holiness  of  God  is 
against  us,  because  we  are  unclean,  conceived  in  sin, 
and  born  in  iniquity  ;  the  truth  of  God  is  against  us, 
for  omnis  homo  7nendax,  every  man  is  a  liar  ;  the 
power  of  God  is  against  us,  because  we  have  forsaken 
him  the  fountain  of  living  water,  &c.  ;  the  patience  of 
God  is  against  us,  because  he  is  a  God  that  loveth  not 
iniquity,  neither  shall  evil  dwell  with  him  :  he  hateth 
all  those  that  work  wickedness.  Only  mercy  is  our 
friend,  that  maketh  Christ  our  justice,  our  wisdom, 


Yer.  3-5.] 


MA.RBURT  ON  HABAKKCK. 


175 


our  sanctification,  and  redemption  ;  that  maketh  trnth 
perform  gracious  promises,  and  his  power  becometh 
our  protection,  his  patience  our  peace  ;  divitia  miseri- 
cordue,  *  riches  of  mercy.' 

This  seemeth  of  excellent  use. 

Use  1.  To  assure  to  us  the  favour  of  God,  because 
it  is  built  upon  the  foundation  of  God's  mercies,  of 
which  David  saith,  *  The  mercy  of  God  endureth  for 
ever ;  his  mercy  is  everlasting.'  The  knowledge  of 
salvation  given  by  the  remission  of  our  sins  is,  Luke 
i.  77,  78,  'through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 
whereby  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us.' 
So  that  if  God  be  angry  with  us  for  our  sin,  yet  his 
wrath  doth  not  bum  like  fire ;  but  as  he  said  of 
Solomon,  '  I  wiU  chasten  him  with  the  rods  of  men, 
but  my  mercy  will  I  not  take  utterly  from  him.' 

Use  2.  It  seemeth  to  rebuke  those  that  put  their 
trust  in  human  merits,  or  works  of  the  law.  They 
that  come  to  God  for  wages  forsake  their  own  mercy  : 
nothing  so  contrary  to  divine  mercy  as  human  con- 
dignity. 

Use  3.  Because  here  is  anger  and  mercy  together, 
this  killeth  all  presumption  ;  for  he  that  is  called  *  the 
God  of  mercies,'  2  Cor.  i.  3,  is  called  a  'jealous  God, 
and  a  furious  avenger,'  Nahum  i.  2.  And  the  rods  of 
men  well  laid  on  will  smart,  and  draw  blood. 

Use  4.  This  inviteth  to  new  life,  because,  Rom.  ii. 
6,  •  the  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  leadeth  to  repent- 
ance,' and  the  crown  of  it. 

Use  5.  Seeing  we  have  so  much  need  of  mercy  our- 
selves, let  us  shew  mercy  unto  others.  Estate  miseri- 
cordes,  ut  Pater  rester  calestis,  '  be  ye  merciful,  as  your 
heavenly  Father  ;'  for  '  there  shall  be  judgment  with- 
out mercy  to  him  that  sheweth  no  mercy.'  Christ 
abideth  yet  naked,  and  sick,  and  imprisoned,  and 
hungry,  and  thirsty,  in  our  poor  brethren ;  as  his 
mercy  embraceth  us,  so  let  our  mercy  embrace  him, 
that  he  may  say,  Esurivi  et  pavistls,  '  I  was  hungry, 
and  ye  fed  me.' 


Ver.  3-5.  God  came  from  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One 
from  mount  Paran.  Selah.  His  glory  covered  the 
heavens,  and  the  earth  was  full  of  his  praise.  And  his 
brightness  teas  as  the  light ;  he  had  horns  coming  out  of 
his  hand  :  and  there  was  the  hiding  of  his  power.  Be- 
fore him  went  the  pestilence^  and  burning  coals  went 
forth  at  his  feet. 

The  second  part  of  this  psalm  {Vid.  divis.  p.  163) 


doth  contain  a  celebration  of  the  praises  of  God,  which 
also  doth  declare  upon  what  grounds  the  church  in 
affliction  and  captivity  doth  put  trust  in  God. 

The  whole  section  is  a  commemoration  of  the  great 
power  and  glory,  and  power  and  mercy  of  God  shewed 
in  behalf  of  his  own  people,  ver.  3-5,  adfinem  ver.  15. 

1.  In  his  coming  to  them  from  Paran  and  Teman. 

2.  Of  the  same  power  and  glory  declared  in  giving 
of  the  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  to  Israel. 

3.  In  the  dismay  of  the  nations,  ver.  7. 

4.  In  the  marvellous  waterworks,  ver.  8-10. 

5.  In  their  great  victories  within  the  land. 
I  begin  at  the  first. 

God  came  from  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One  from  mount 
Paran.  The  best  exposition  that  I  do  find  amongst 
many  of  these  words  is,  that  here  is  remembered  the 
coming  of  God  to  Israel,  when  he  gave  them  the  law 
written  in  two  tables  of  stone  with  his  own  hand. 

For  God  came  then  from  Teman  and  Paran.  Paran 
was  a  great  mountain  near  to  mount  Sinai,  but  Teman 
signified  the  south;  so  God  came  &om  the  south, 
thence  came  God  to  give  Israel  his  law,  wherein  he 
did  express  himself  the  king  of  this  people,  by  coming 
so  near  to  them,  by  shewing  himself  so  openly,  and  by 
revealing  his  will  to  them  so  plainly.  This  was  so 
great  a  favour  done  to  them,  that  he  addeth  Selah; 
which  word  is  only  used  in  David's  psalms,  and  in 
this  psalm  ;  and  the  word,  in  the  judgments  of  the 
learned,  is  sometime  vox  optantis,  the  voice  of  one 
that  wisheth,  equivalent  to  amen  ;  or  vox  admirantis, 
the  voice  of  one  admiring,  shewing  some  special  mat- 
ter ;  or  vox  affirmantis,  of  one  affirming,  avouching 
what  is  said;  or  vox  meditantis,  of  one  meditating,  re- 
quiring consideration  of  what  is  said.  Bat  withal,  it 
is  a  rest  in  music.  Jerome  saith  it  is  commutatio 
metri,  or  vicissitudo  canendi. 

His  glory  covered  the  lieavens,  and  the  earth  teas 
full  of  his  praise.  And  his  brightness  teas  as  the 
light.  He  meaneth  the  brightness  of  that  glory  wherein 
he  appeared  when  he  gave  the  law,  set  forth,  Exod. 
xix.  16  ;  for  there  were  thunders  and  lightnings. 

He  had  horns  coming  out  of  his  hands.  By  horns, 
in  Scripture,  strength  is  signified  :  *  the  horn  of  sal- 
vation' is  the  strength  of  salvation  ;'  the  '  exalting  of 
the  horn'  is  the  advancing  of  power ;  and  these  are 
said  to  be  in  his  hands,  because  the  hands  and  arms 
are  called  the  strong  men  in  the  body  ;  they  are  the 
instruments  of  power. 

And  there  uas  the  hiding  of  his  power.     There,  in 

263 


176 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


that  apparition,  God  did  hide  his  power  from  the  rest 
of  the  world,  and  declared  it  particularly  to  his  church ; 
as  David  saith,  Ps.  cxlvii.  20,  '  He  hath  not  .dealt  so 
■with  any  nation  :  and  as  for^his  judgments,  they  have 
not  known  them.' 

Before  him  ivent  the  pestilence,  and  hurninr)  coals 
went  forth  at  his  feet.  His  meaning  is,  that  God  then 
declared  himself  mighty  in  the  punishment  of  his 
enemies,  and  the  enemies  of  his  church ;  for  under 
these  two  kinds  of  punishments,  by  pestilence  and  fire, 
he  sheweth  that  God  hath  the  command  of  all  the 
instruments  of  wrath ;  of  which  these  two,  by  plague 
and  fire,  are  the  most  licking  and  devouring,  putting 
no  difibrence  where  they  go.  And  this  hath  reference 
to  the  many  plagues  wherewith  he  punished  the  Egyp- 
tians, when  he  brought  his  people  from  the  land  of 
Egypt,  from  the  house  of  bondage. 

The  sum  of  all  is  this,  that  God  hath  declared  him- 
self glorious, 

1.  In  his  special  favour  to  his  people. 

2.  In  his  just  vengeance. 

From  whence  these  points  of  doctrine  issue  : 

1.  That  the  consideration  of  God's  former  mercies 
doth  strengthen  faith  in  present  tribulations. 

2.  That  the  church  of  God  hath  a  special  interest 
in  the  power  and  protection  of  God. 

3.  That  God  is  armed  with  power  to  punish  evil 
doers. 

4.  That  in  all  this  God  was  glorified. 

1.  First,  The  consideration  of  former  mercies  doth 
strengthen  faith  in  present  troubles. 

Therefore  do  they  commemorate  the  manner  of  God's 
glorious  coming  from  Teman  and  Paran,  wherein  he 
had  glory  in  the  heavens,  and  praise  upon  the  earth. 
David  did  make  good  use  of  this  point  often  ;  for  when 
any  distress  came,  he  found  comfort  in  this  remem- 
brance. Now  thou  art  far  ofi",  and  '  goest  not  forth 
with  our  armies.  Thou  makest  us  turn  back  from  the 
adversary ;  and  they  which  hate  us  spoil  for  them- 
selves,' &c.,  Ps.  xliv.  9,  10. 

To  comfort  this  afiliction,  he  beginneth  that  psalm, 
'  We  have  heard  with  our  ears,  0  God,  and  our  fathers 
have  told  us,  what  thou  didst  in  their  days,  and  in  the 
times  of  old  :  how  thou  didst  drive  out  the  heathen 
with  thy  hand,  and  planted  them,'  &c.  So  again, 
Ps.  Ixxiv.  9,  complaining  of  great  afflictions,  '  We  see 
not  our  signs  :  there  is  no  more  any  prophet.'  This 
is  his  comfort :  '  Gbd  is  my  King  of  old,  working 
salvation  in  the  midst  of  the  earth.  Thou  didst  divide 
264 


flie  sea  by  thy  power,'  &c.     So  again,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  2, 

*  In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  sought  the  Lord  :  my  sore 
ran,  and  ceased  not :  and  in  the  night  my  soul  refused 
comfort.  Then  I  considered  the  days  of  old,  and  the 
years  of  ancient  times.'  Ps.  iv.  1,  *  Thou  hast  en- 
larged me  when  I  was  distressed.' 

Reason  1.  The  reason  why  this  doth  minister  com- 
fort to  the  church  is,  because  we  have  learned  that  our 
God  is  constant  in  his  love  ;  whom  he  once  loved  he 
ever  loveth  ;  for  he  is  without  variableness,  and  shadow 
of  changing,  as  the  apostle  and  the  psalmist  saith, 
Ps.  cii.  27,  28,  '  But  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years 
shall  have  no  end.  The  children  of  thy  servants  shall 
continue,  and  their  seed  shall  be  established  before 
thee.'  Ps.  Hi.  1,  '  The  goodness  of  God  endureth 
continually.' 

Reason  2.  Because  the  commemoration  of  former 
benefits  is  a  work  of  thanksgiving  and  praise,  and  that 
is  the  highest  service  Ihat  we  can  perform  to  God  in 
his  worship  ;  this  is  siciit  in  ccelo,  it  is  heaven  upon 
earth  ;  for,  Ps.  xcii.  1,  '  It  is  a  good  thing  to  give 
thanks  unto  the  Lord,  and  to  sing  praises  to  the  name 
of  the  Most  High.' 

It  is  good  for  God  ;  for,  Ps.  1.  23,  '  He  that  offereth 
me  praise,  glorifieth  me,'  and  for  that  he  made  us. 

It  is  good  for  us,  for  *  with  such  sacrifices  God  is 
well  pleased ;'  there  is  our  happiness,  for  in  his  favour 
is  light. 

Reason  3.  Again,  the  thankful  commemoration  of 
former  mercies  of  God  to  us  doth  draw  on  new  benefits ; 
for  thanksgiving,  as  it  is  God's  crop  which  he  gathereth 
from  us  of  the  seed  of  his  many  favours,  so  it  is  our 
seed  which  we  cast  into  the  ground  of  God's  kindness, 
and  it  bringeth  us  an  harvest  of  new  blessings.  Every 
man  thinks  his  seed  well  bestowed  in  good  ground  that 
yieldeth  an  increase;  and  God  hath  said,  1  Sam.  ii.  30, 

*  Them  that  honour  me  I  will  honour.' 

Use.  This  point  is  of  excellent  use,  to  stir  us  up  to 
a  wise  consideration  of  the  constant  love  of  God,  to 
such  as  fear  and  serve  him.  Benefits  are  soon  for- 
gotten ;  therefore,  as  David  saith,  « I  called  upon  the 
Lord  in  my  trouble,'  so  he  stirreth  up  himself  to 
thankfulness  :  *  My  soul,  praise  thou  the  Lord,  and 
forget  not  all  his  benefits.'  He  found  great  comfort 
in  this  looking  back.  When  he  undertook  Goliath, 
and  Saul  discouraged  him  as  unable  for  it,  he  looked 
back  to  the  time  past,  and  remembered  how  God  had 
delivered  him  from  a  lion  and  a  bear ;  and  from  that 
experience  of  God's  good  help,  he  resolved  to  attempt 


Veil  3-5.J 


ilAEBUHY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


177 


the  nncircumcised  Philistine.  And  in  his  declining 
years,  when  age  grew  npon  him,  he  comforted  his 
drooping  spirits  thus  :  Ps,  Ixxi.  5,  *  Thou  art  my  hope, 
0  Lord  God  :  even  my  trust  from  my  youth.  Upon 
thee  have  1  been  stayed  from  the  womb  :  thou  art  he 
that  took  me  from  my  mother's  bowels.  Cast  me  not 
off  in  the  time  of  age ;  forsake  me  not  when  my  strength 
faileth.' 

There  be  three  sorts  of  men  that  do  even  run  them- 
selves upon  the  edge  and  point  of  reprehension  ;  we 
cannot  here  forgive  them  a  chiding. 

1.  Those  that,  tanquam  prona  pecora,  as  grovelling 
beasts,  do  look  only  upon  the  time  incumbent,  mis- 
taking St  Paul,  who  saith,  Philip,  iii.  13,  '  I  forget 
that  which  is  behind.'  Lyranus  nnderstandeth  him, 
Legalia  et  terretia ;  Theophilact  better,  Prateritarum 
rirtutum  nihil  reminiscor,  nee  inemoria  repeto,  sed  ea 
omnia  post  terqum  relinquo.  So  we  must  forget  all  the 
good  we  have  done,  as  being  short  of  perfection,  that 
we  may  mend  our  pace  in  the  ways  of  God's  com- 
mandments. But  the  apostle  did  look  back  to  times 
past  to  see  what  Christ  hath  done  for  us  ;  how  he  loved 
ns  when  we  were  his  enemies  ;  how  he  washed  us  in 
his  blood  ;  how  he  forgave  him  his  sins,  and  how  he 
obtained  mercy  of  him,  because  what  he  did,  he  did  it 
ignorantly  through  unbelief. 

2.  Those  also  are  here  reproved  who  look  only  to 
the  time  past,  and  see  therein  nothing  but  God's  tem- 
poral favours,  but  regard  not  the  times  present,  and 
consider  not  God's  spiritual  graces.  Some  that  lived 
in  the  time  of  popery  do  praise  those  days  ;  then  was 
good  housekeeping,  easy  rents,  a  constant  fashion  of 
apparel ;  that  many  gentlemen  had  the  lands  of  their 
grandfathers  in  possession,  and  their  clothes  on  their 
backs  ;  then  was  no  seeking  of  reversions,  or  buying 
of  offices,  no  market  of  church  livings.  Israel  did  so  : 
Numb.  xi.  5,  '  Remember  the  fish  that  we  ate  in  Egypt 
for  nought ;  the  cucumbers,  and  the  melons,  and  the 
leeks,  and  the  onions,  and  the  garlic' 

I  deny  not  but  when  the  people  of  this  land  were 
fewer,  and  the  vanity  of  the  pride  of  other  nations, 
and  many  of  their  foul  sins  kept  at  home,  and  were 
not  imported  hither,  there  were  better  times  for  the 
belly  than  these  are. 

But  let  us  see  the  state  of  souls  at  that  time.  They 
were  then  in  the  house  of  bondage,  under  Pharaoh  of 
Rome;  beef  and  mutton,  wheat  and  barley,  were  cheap, 
but  the  two  Testaments,  the  two  breasts  of  the  church, 
were  like  a  fountain  sealed  up,  and  like  a  garden  en- 


closed. But  when  Queen  Elizabeth  began  to  rest*  in 
this  hemisphere,  like  the  sun,  to  run  her  race,  she 
turned  that  night  into  day,  and  maintained  this  light 
till  she  was  taken  up  into  heaven  ;  and  she  that  was 
a  shining  star  on  earth,  and  blessed  the  church  of  God 
here  with  benign  aspect  and  influence,  was  made  a 
glorious  ever-blessed  saint  in  heaven.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  her  reign,  '  God  came  from  Teman,  the  Holy 
One  from  mount  Paran  :'  God  revealed  himself  in  the 
glorious  sunshine  of  his  gospel  of  peace. 

3.  They  are  also  reproved,  who,  out  of  too  much 
forecasting  fear  of  the  times  to  come,  do  quite  forget 
both  the  former  and  the  present  mercies  of  God,  and 
astonish  themselves  with  representations  of  hideous 
forms  of  ensuing  dangers. 

The  God  that  gave  us  his  light  of  truth,  and  hath 
continued  it  so  many  happy  years  of  peace  amongst 
us,  hath  begun  ;  he  will  also  make  an  end.  By  this 
light,  no  doubt,  many  faithful  souls  have  found  the 
way  to  the  throne  of  grace,  whose  continual  prayers 
to  God  for  the  happy  estate  of  his  church  are  able  to 
make  this  sun  stay  his  course  and  not  withdraw  his 
light  from  us  ;  their  prayers  and  devotions  know  the 
way  to  heaven  so  well,  and  plead  the  cause  of  the 
church  so  eflectuaUy,  that  we  have  cause  to  hope  that 
the  goodness  of  God,  which  endureth  yet  daily,  wiU 
not  fail  us,  but  that  we  shall  see  it  and  taste  of  it  in 
this  land  of  the  living. 

Once  let  us  remember  under  whose  shadow  we  live, 
a  learned  gracious  king,  who  hath  seen  into  the  dark- 
ness of  popery,  and  laid  it  open,  no  Christian  prince 
so  much,  no  Christian  more ;  he  hath  put  his  hand  to 
the  plough,  and  he  cannot  forget  Lot's  wife.  Let  us 
not  make  ourselves  certain  afflictions  out  of  uncertain 
fears,  and  draw  upon  us  the  evils  of  to-morrow,  for 
'  sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof.' 

Queen  Ehzabeth  brought  into  this  church  and  land 
true  religion  and  peace  ;  king  James  hath  continued 
it ;  let  us  be  thankful  to  God  for  it,  and  let  us  be 
ever  telling  what  the  Lord  halh  done  for  our  souls. 
Let  not  our  unquiet  wranghngs  amongst  ourselves 
provoke  the  God  of  peace  against  us,  neither  let  our 
busy  eavesdropping  the  counsels  and  intendments 
of  state,  which  are  above  us  and  belong  not  to  us, 
make  us  afraid  :  our  work  is  in  all  things  to  give 
thanks  for  what  we  have  received  already,  for  what 
we  do  possess  and  enjoy,  and  pray  continually  for 
that  we  would  have  for  all  men,  especially  for  our 
*  Qn. '  rise '  ? — Ed. 

265 


178 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


king,  that  under  him  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peace- 
able life  in  all  godliness  and  honesty,  1  Tim.  ii.  2, 
and  then  '  Rejoice  e\'ermore,  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and 
again  I  say,  rejoice.' 

He  that  came  from  Teman  to  Paran,  to  a  people 
that  sat  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  and 
gave  us  light,  hath  ever  since  so  supplied  us  with  oil, 
that  we  may  say,  De/iciunt  vasa,  the  want  is  on  our 
part,  for  truly  God  is  good  to  Israel,  to  all  such  that 
have  faithful  and  true  hearts. 

To  this  end  let  me  stir  you  up  to  a  remembrance 
of  the  times  past,  beginning  at  the  Initium  regni  No- 
vember 17.  in  anno  1558,  for  so  long  hath  this  sun  of 
righteousness  shined  clear  upon  our  church. 

Doct.  3.  The  church  hath  a  special  interest  in  the 
power  and  protection  of  God  gathered  from  hence ;  he 
had  horns  coming  out  his  hands,  and  there  was  the 
hiding  of  his  power. 

There  is  a  power  that  God  openly  sheweth,  and 
that  is  extended  to  an  universal  protection  of  all  the 
works  of  God's  hand,  but  there  is  a  power  that  he 
hideth,  and  that  is  his  special  protection  of  his  church. 

1.  He  protecteth  them  ;  David  gives  them  a  good 
instance  in  the  former  mercies  of  God  to  his  people  : 
1  Chron.  xvi.  19-22,  *  When  they  were  yet  but  few, 
and  they  strangers  in  the  land  ;  and  when  they  went 
from  nation  to  nation,  from  one  kingdom  to  another 
people,  he  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  any  wrong ; 
but  reproved  even  kings  for  their  sakes,  saying.  Touch 
not  my  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm.'  And 
the  psalmist  can  give  no  other  reason  of  this  special 
protection  but  on  God's  part,  because  he  had  a  favour 
to  them,  and  on  their  part,  that  they  might  keep  his 
statutes  and  observe  his  laws.  And  these  be  motives 
that  establish  God's  protection  upon  his  church  in  all 
the  ages  thereof.  His  mercy  and  our  obedience,  which 
lesson  if  we  take  out  well,  we  shall  learn  thankful- 
ness to  him  for  his  favour,  and  holiness  in  our  lives. 
And  this  is  that  godliness  which  hath  the  promises  of 
this  life,  and  that  which  is  to  come. 

2.  He  hideth  the  horn  of  our  salvation. 

(1.)  From  his  church,  in  some  measure,  to  keep  us 
from  presumption,  so  that  we  do  often  rather  believe 
than  feel  the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord,  and  to  stir 
us  up  to  prayer,  for  the  more  we  are  made  sensible  of 
our  wants,  the  more  are  we  provoked  to  invocation  of 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

(2.)  From  the  world,  that  hateth  his  church,  that 
they  may  fulfil  their  iniquity  and  declare  their  utter- 
266 


most  malice  against  the  church.  And  when  he  had 
suffered  Pharaoh  and  his  host  to  follow  his  people  of 
Israel  into  the  Red  Sea,  Exod.  xiv.  25,  and  there 
taketh  off  their  chariot  wheels,  then  they  shall  see  it, 
and  say,  '  We  will  fly  from  the  face  of  Israel,  for  the 
Lord  fighteth  for  them  against  the  Egyptians.' 

Use.  Great  is  the  profit  of  this  point  in  the  case  of 
those  spiritual  desertions,  whereby  God  for  a  time 
seemeth  to  forsake  his  own  children.  Well  are  they 
described  by  God's  own  mouth  :  Isa.  liv.  7,  '  For  a 
small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee,  but  with  great 
mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid 
my  face  from  thee  for  a  moment,  but  with  everlasting 
kindness'will  I  have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord 
thy  Redeemer ;'  which  sheweth  that  the  hiding  of 
God's  protecting  power  is  not  total  but  partial,  for  it 
is  in  a  little  anger,  and  it  is  not  final,  but  temporary, 
for  a  small  moment. 

1.  In  outward  things. 

In  the  example  in  my  text,  God  hid  his  hand  in  his 
bosom,  and  the  horn  of  his  salvation  was  almost  all 
out  of  sight  for  the  space  of  seventy  years,  during  the 
captivity  of  the  church. 

So  many  of  God's  dear  servants  drink  deep  of  the 
bitter  cup  of  afilictiou,  suffering  the  contempt  and  in- 
juries of  the  world,  in  bonds,  imprisonments,  oppres- 
sions, scourges,  such  as  the  world  is  not  worthy  of, 
yet  do  they  not  want  a  secret  feeling  of  the  power  of 
God's  protection,  quickening  their  patience,  and  re- 
viving his  own  work  in  them  in  the  midst  of  the 


2,  In  spiritual  graces. 

Sometime  God  taketh  away  from  his  children  their 
feeling  of  Mis  love  and  of  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  that  they  find  with  much  grief. 

(1.)  In  the  oppression  of  the  heart  with  sorrow, 
wherein  they  feel  no  comfort,  as  David,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  2,  3, 
*  My  sore  ran,  and  ceased  not ;  my  soul  refused  com- 
fort :  I  did  think  upon  God  and  was  troubled.' 

(2.)  In  the  ineffcctuating  the  means  of  salvation  for 
a  time.  For  many  holy,  zealous  souls,  desirous  to  do 
God  good  service,  do  complain  that  they  hear  the 
word  and  do  not  profit  by  it ;  they  receive  the  sacra- 
ments, and  do  not  taste  how  sweet  it  is  ;  they  pray, 
but  they  feel  not  the  Spirit  helping  their  infirmities ; 
they  give  thanks  and  praise  to  God,  but  they  do  not 
feel  that  inward  dancing  of  the  heart  and  jubilation  of 
the  soul,  and  rejoicing  in  God,  that  should  attend  hia 
praise ;  yea,  rather,  they  perceive  in  themselves  a  going 


Yer.  3-5.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


179 


backward  from  God,  as  the  church  complaineth  :  Isa. 
Ixiii.  17,  '  0  Lord,  why  hast  thou  made  us  to  err  from 
thy  ways,  and  hardened  our  heart  from  thy  fears  ?' 

3.  Sometimes  when  we  have  the  zeal  of  God's 
glory,  and  a  strong  desire  to  serve  him,  we  feel  a  fail- 
ing in  the  act  of  obedience,  and  as  the  apostle  com- 
plaineth, Kom.  \ii.  22,  when  we  '  delight  in  the  law 
of  God  concerning  the  inner  man,  we  find  another 
law  in  our  members  rebelling  against  the  law  of 
our  minds,  and  leading  us  captive  to  the  law  of 
sin,  which  is  in  our  members  ;*  for,  sometimes,  when 
we  set  and  dispose  ourselves  to  the  worship  of  God 
in  prayer  and  thanksgiving,  or  to  the  hearing  of  the 
word,  either  a  covetous,  or  a  wanton,  or  an  envious, 
or  an  ambitious  thought  thwarts  us,  and  carries  us 
quite  away  for  a  time,  and  we  have  much  ado  to  re- 
deem ourselves  from  it. 

(4.)  Sometimes  we  do  feel  such  want  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  us,  that  Satan  takes  advantage  thereat,  per- 
suadeth  that  God  hath  forsaken  us  ;  and  thus  many 
of  God's  dear  children  feel  the  bitterness  of  despair 
for  a  time;  in  which  agony  Job  cries,  chap.  vi.  4,  »  For 
the  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison 
whereof  drinketh  up  my  spirit :  the  terror  of  God  do 
set  themselves  in  array  against  me.' 

In  this  fit  of  deep  agony,  some  have  died  despair- 
ing and  blaspheming  the  name  of  God ;  some  have 
done  violence  to  themselves,  and  have  died  of  their 
own  hand,  of  whom  let  Christian  charity  hope  the 
best,  seeing  that  God  hideth  the  horn  of  his  salvation 
out  of  sight. 

Therefore  David  prayeth,  Ps.  cxix.  8,  '  Oh  forsake 
not  me  utterly'  (the  word  1X2  "^V,  usque  valde,  as  our 
English  over-long;  for  the  word  utterly  is  somewhat 
too  full  of  fear),  and  the  hiding  of  this  power  giveth 
hope  to  the  distressed,  the  light  will  rise  in  darkness. 

Doct.  3.  God  is  armed  with  instruments  of  ven- 
geance to  punish  sin,  pestilence,  and  burning  coals. 

The  ten  plagues  of  Egypt  do  prove  this,  and  the 
destruction  of  Pharaoh  and  his  host  in  the  Red  Sea. 
And  lest  the  church  should  presume  too  far  upon  his 
favour,  the  story  of  the  passage  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  from  the  land  of  Egypt  to  Canaan,  is  full  of 
examples  of  terror  to  evil  doers,  which  the  apostle 
doth  urge  and  press  to  the  Corinthians,  and  giveth 
them  warning  of  the  WTath  to  come.  For  he  saith, 
1  Cor.  X.  5,  first  in  general  terms,  that  '  with  many 
of  them  God  was  not  well  pleased ;  for  they  were 
overthrown  in  the  wilderness.'     And   in   particular, 


ver.  8,  he  nameth  some  sharp  judgment,  '  For  forni- 
cation, there  feU  in  one  day  twenty-three  thousand.' 
That  was  the  plague,  Num.  xxv.  9,  and  St  Paul 
speaks  within  compass,  for  we  read  twenty-four  thou- 
sand. 

Yer.  9,  for  tempting  of  God,  '  they  were  destroyed 
with  serpents  ; '  these  were  the  fiery  serpents.  Num. 
xxi.  6.  Yer.  10,  for  murmuring,  '  they  were  destroyed 
of  the  destroyer,'  which  I  understand  the  plague, 
Num.  xiv.  37,  '  Those  men  which  did  bring  up  the 
evil  report  of  the  land,  died  by  the  plague  before  the 
Lord.' 

David,  describing  the  judgments  of  God  in  those 
days,  saith,  Ps.  cvi.  18,  *  A  fire  was  kindled  in  their 
company ;  and  burnt  up  the  wicked ; '  meaning  the 
two  hundred  and  fifty  that  ofiered  incense,  who  mur- 
mured against  Moses  and  Aaron,  Num.  xvi.  31.  Thus 
you  see  how  the  pestilence  still  walked  before  him, 
and  burning  coals  at  his  feet.  Not  only  without  the 
pale,  amongst  the  enemies  of  his  church,  but  within 
the  pale,  amongst  such  as  were  reckoned  with  the 
church. 

Reason  1.  In  which  course  of  powerful  justice,  he 
hath  still  gone  forward  to  put  the  sons  of  men  in  fear, 
that  they  may  know  they  are  but  men,  and  that  they 
may  not  dare  to  resist  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High. 
For  Satan  doth  still  suggest  that  God  is  merciful,  and 
so  animates  sinners  to  do  evil,  by  feeJing  their  pre- 
sumption. 

Therefore  the  children  of  God,  who  set  God  always 
before  their  eyes,  do  not  only  behold  him  as  he  is 
togatus,  in  peace,  or  as  he  is  rogatus,  easily  entreated, 
but  as  he  is  oculatus,  to  behold,  and  aculeatus,  to  sting 
sinners.  It  is  the  voice  of  the  church,  Isa.  xxvi.  6, 
'  In  the  way  of  thy  judgments  have  we  waited  for 
thee ; '  this  keepeth  children  in  awe,  this  shewing  of 
the  rod  saves  them  many  a  swinging,  and  for  the  un- 
godly of  the  earth,  it  fiUeth  them  with  the  terror  of 
the  Lord;  they  dare  not  do  all  that  they  would,  for 
fear  of  the  pestilence  that  destroyeth  at  the  noonday, 
and  for  fear  of  stirring  these  coals  at  the  feet  of  God, 
which  can  so  soon  overtake  them.  So  God  hath  these 
judgments  at  hand,  to  put  men  out  of  hope  of  impu- 
nity, which  is  the  greatest  flattery  to  soothe  up  sin 
that  is :  Ezek.  xiii.  10,  '  The  false  prophets  seduced 
the  people  of  God,  saying.  Peace,  peace  ;'  and  thereby, 
ver.  22,  '  they  strengthened  the  hands  of  the  wicked, 
that  he  should  not  return  from  his  wicked  way,  by 
promising  him  life.' 

267 


180 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


It  is  said  of  the  magistrates  of  the  earth,  that  '  they 
do  not  bear  the  sword  in  vain;'  and  can  we  think  that 
this  supreme  Lord  of  all  doth  carry  these  rods  of  ven- 
geance so  near  him,  the  pestilence  before  his  face,  and 
these  burning  coals  at  his  feet,  for  nothing  ? 

Reason  2.  He  nameth  these  two  judgments  for  all, 
because  they  be  of  sudden  despatch,  and  of  quick  exe- 
cution. The  plague  we  do  know  how  speedy  it  is  in  a 
work  of  destruction;  three  days'  pestilence  swept  away 
threescore  and  ten  thousand  in  David's  time. 

We  cannot  forget  what  desolations  it  hath  made  in 
this  our  great  city,  and  what  terror  it  made  all  the 
land  over. 

Fire  is  a  merciless  element,  sudden  and  cruel  in 
consumption  of  all  combustible  matter  ;  the  apostle 
chose  that  resemblance  to  express  God  in  a  fury : 
Deus  Hosier  ignis  consumens,  '  Our  God  is  a  consuming 
fire.'  Here  is  not  only  the  violence  of  wrath,  but  the 
suddenness  also  expressed.  The  last  fire  that  shall  de- 
stroy the  world  shall  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night, 
1  Thess.  v.,  as  that  shower  of  fire  and  brimstone  fell 
upon  Sodom. 

Use  1.  This  teacheth  the  man  of  earth,  who  is  but 
man,  to  fear  when  the  plague  cometh,  to  consider  that 
he  is  but  stubble,  and  therefore  not  fit  to  encounter 
this  fire ;  he  is  but  man,  and  not  fit  to  meet  this  de- 
vouring pestilence ;  therefore  let  him  not  provoke  the 
God  of  this  power,  let  him  not  stir  up  these  coals,  nor 
awake  judgment,  rather  let  him  quench  this  fire  with 
the  tears  of  true  repentance. 

As  Christ  said  to  the  church  of  Sardis,  Rev.  iii.  3, 
'  Remember  how  thou  hast  received  and  heard,  hold 
fast  and  repent ;  if  thou  wilt  not  watch,  I  will  come  to 
thee  as  a  thief.' 

It  is  not  the  way  of  peace  to  put  away  the  evil  day, 
Amos  vi.  3  ;  rather  let  us  put  away  the  evil,  and  break 
off  our  sins  by  repentance,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy 
in  the  time  of  need. 

He  that  hath  such  ready  instruments  of  wrath  to 
punish  sin,  is  not  to  be  dallied  with,  he  may  surprise 
us  on  the  bed  whereon  we  study  mischief ;  he  may 
meet  us  at  the  door  when  we  are  going  forth  to  act  it, 
he  may  overtake  us  when  we  are  upon  the  way,  he 
may  cut  us  off  in  the  act  of  sin,  and  bring  us  from  the 
fact  to  judgment. 

And  howsoever  his  mercy  hath  the  name  above  his 
other  works,  and  his  patience  and  longsuffering  be  the 
fruits  of  his  mercy,  yet  he  never  bad  mercy  enough  to 
swallow  or  consume  either  his  justice  or  his  truth. 
268 


He  hath  diverted  bis  plague  often,  he  hath  some- 
times called  it  in,  and  long  he  keepeth  it  in,  for  that 
he  expecteth  repentance ;  but  he  hath  never  turned  it 
out  of  his  service,  but  hath  it  always  before  him.  He 
hath  also  turned  his  fire  another  way,  that  it  might 
not  come  near  the  tabernacles  of  the  righteous ;  but 
he  hath  never  quenched  it,  it  is  always  at  his  feet.  If 
he  moveth,  that  moveth  with  him.  The  rainbow  about 
his  head  is  the  joy  of  his  church;  the  coals  of  terror  at 
his  fire,*  are  the  terror  of  the  wicked. 

Use  2,  We  have  also  our  lesson  herein,  for  the 
apostle  saith,  2  Cor.  v.  11,  '  Knowing  therefore  the 
terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men  :  but  we  are  made 
manifest  unto  God ;  and  I  trust  are  made  manifest 
also  in  your  consciences.'  We  find  this  danger  in  sin, 
and  this  severity  in  judgment ;  thereupon  we  persuade 
men  to  a  conscionable  course  of  life,  such  as  may  keep 
them  unspotted  of  the  world. 

If  we  do  not  acquaint  you  with  the  terror  of  the 
Lord,  and  shew  you  the  pestilence  that  walketh  before 
him,  and  the  burning  coals  at  his  feet,  God  will  right 
himself  upon  us ;  for  as  he  told  his  prophet  Ezekiel, 
chap.  iii.  17,  18,  so  he  will  deal  with  us :  *  Son  of 
man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman  to  the  house  of 
Israel :  therefore  hear  the  word  from  my  mouth,  and 
give  them  warning  from  me.  When  I  say  to  the 
wicked.  Thou  shalt  surely  die  ;  and  thou  givest  him 
not  warning,  nor  speakest  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his 
evil  way,  to  save  his  life  ;  the  same  wicked  man  shall 
die  in  his  iniquity  ;  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy 
hand.' 

This  excuseth  us  to  you,  when  we  preach  the  rod 
of  God,  even  pestilence  and  coals  of  fire,  that  this  is 
not  our  fury  and  railing,  as  some  call  it,  but  it  is  the 
wrath  of  the  Lord  against  sin ;  and  if  we  temper  a 
bitter  potion  for  you  to  drink,  it  is  not 'poison,  but 
medicine;  and  it  is  ministered  to  you,  as  God  himself 
saith,  to  save  your  lives,  that  you  may  not  die  in  your 
sins ;  it  is  the  therapeutic  physic  to  heal  your  souls, 
it  is  prophylactic  to  us,  to  prevent  disease,  that  we 
perish  not  for  your  unreproved  sins. 

The  arrows  of  vengeance  are  aimed  at  your  sins, 
that  you  may  kill  sin  and  save  the  sinner  alive ;  cry 
therefore,  *  Spai'e  us,  good  Lord  !' 

Doct.  4.  God  is  glorious  in  heaven  and  in  earth  for 
this,  heaven  is  covered  with  his  glory,  and  the  earth 
is  full  of  his  praise. 

This  is  the  conclusion  of  David:  Ps.  viii.  1,  '  0 
*   Qu.  '  of  fire  at  his  feet '  ?— Ed. 


Ver.  6.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


181 


Lord,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all  the  earth,  who 
hast  set  thy  glory  above  the  heavens.' 

What  need  we  any  more  reason  to  think  this  his 
dae,  than  these  two  : 

Reason  1.  His  name  only  is  excellent,  his  glory  is 
above  the  earth  and  heaven,  Ps.  cxlviii,  13.  Here 
we  are  sure  we  cannot  overdo  in  matter  of  praise  and 
glory ;  the  angels  and  saints  do  him  that  service,  and 
cover  the  heaven  with  the  praises  of  God,  for  his  love 
shineth  to  his  church,  and  we  pray  Sicut  in  ccelo,  as 
in  heaven.  Yer.  14,  '  He  also  exalteth  the  horn  of 
his  people,  the  praise  of  all  his  saints.' 

Use.  Let  us  not  sit  out  when  all  join  to  glorify  God ; 
let  not  any  of  us,  like  the  fleece  of  Gideon,  be  dry, 
when  all  the  floor  is  watered  with  the  joys  and  jubila- 
tions of  the  church.  David  is  not  content  with  a  bare 
praising  of  the  name  of  God,  as  they  that  say  alway, 
*  The  Lord  be  praised,'  but  he  requireth  both  a  song, 
canticum  nornni,  '  a  new  song,'  and  that  '  in  the  con- 
gregation of  the  saints,'  Ps.  cxlix.  1.  He  also  re- 
quireth a  dance ;  he  requireth  also  instruments  of 
music,  ver.  3  ;  he  gives  reason. 

He  would  have  us  delight  in  the  service  that  we  do 
to  God,  therefore  he  addeth,  vers.  4—6,  *  The  Lord 
taketh^pleasure  in  his  people  :  he  will  beautify  the 
meek  with  salvation.  Let  the  saints  be  joyful  in  glory : 
let  them  sing  aloud  upon  their  beds  :  let  the  high 
praises  of  God  be  in  their  mouth.' 

This  is  that  which  this  example  requireth,  not  to  be 
shallow  and  slight  in  the  promises*  of  God,  but  to 
strain'ourselves  to  the  uttermost ;  the  inward  man  of 
the  heart,  the  voice,  the  hand  playing,  the  feet  danc- 
ing, tUl  we  cover  the  heaven  and  fill  the  earth  with 
his'glory. 


Ver.  6.  He  stood,  and  measured  the  earth  :  he  be- 
held, and  drove  in  sunder  the  nations  ;  and  the  ever- 
lasting mountains  were  scattered,  the  perpetual  hills 
did  how  :  his  umys  are  everlasting. 

2.  Here  is  a  commemoration  of  the  power  and  glory 
of  God,  in  giving  to  his  Israel  the  land  of  Canaan  for 
their  possession. 

Divers  judgments  have  made  divers  constructions 
of  these  words. 

Mr  Calvin  is  of  opinion  that  they  declare  God  in 
his  glorious  Lordship  over  aU  the  world,  for  as  David, 
when  he  should  come  to  be  absolute  monarch  of  Judah 
*   Qu.  '  praises  '  ? — Ed. 


and  Israel,  said,  *  I  will  rejoice,  therefore,  and  divide 
Shechem,  and  mete  out  the  valley  of  Succoth,'  &c., 
60  God  is  here  declared  absolute  monarch,  in  this 
phrase  of  measuring  of  the  earth.  As  David  would  cast 
his  shoe  over  the  Philistines,  would  rejoice,  so  God  is 
here  declared  conqueror  of  all  by  dividing  in  sunder 
the  nations,  &c. 

St  Augustine  turns  all  into  allegory,  and  applieth  it 
to  Christ. 

You  remember  hotv  before  I  found  that  the  church 
doth  comfort  their  present  miseries  with  remembrance 
of  God's  former  mercies,  therefore  I  choose  to  keep 
pace  with  the  story  of  God's  former  mercies  to  his 
Israel.  And  as  before  he  spake  of  the  coming  of  God 
from  Teman  and  Paran,  when  he  appeared  glorious  to 
them  in  giving  the  law,  so  now  he  comes  to  another 
powerful  mercy,  that  is,  when  he  gave  them  the  pro- 
mised land  ;  for  then  he  that  went  before  them  all  the 
way  of  their  journey  in  their  removes  now  stood  stiU, 
as  declaring  that  now  they  were  come  to  the  land  of 
their  rest,  as  he  had  promised  it. 

And  there,  '  he  measured  the  earth ;'  it  is  ascribed 
here  to  God,  that  he  divided  the  land  amongst  the 
tribes,  because  it  was  done  by  lot,  wherein  not  chance 
but  God  answered. 

This  has  reference  to  that  story  which  we  read, 
Joshua  v.,  for  when  the  people  were  entered  into  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  were  come  so  far  into  it  as  Gil- 
gal,  that  the  ark  of  God  was  settled  in  Gilgal.  Then 
God  commanded  the  sacrament  of  circumcision  to  be 
revived,  which  in  the  whole  journey  between  their 
coming  out  of  Egypt  to  this  place  had  been  omitted ; 
so  long  was  it  omitted,  because  of  the  journey,  that 
there  entered  into  Canaan  but  two  of  aU  that  came 
out  of  Egypt,  who  had  received  the  sacrament  of  cir- 
cumcision, who  were  Caleb  and  Joshua.  Now  aU  the 
males  are  circumcised  at  Gilgal,  there  the  children  of 
Israel  kept  the  passover,  and  there  they  began  to  eat 
of  the  old  provision  of  com  that  they  found  in  the 
land ;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  eaten  thereof  manna 
ceased,  and,  ver.  13,  'there  stood  a  man  over  against 
him,  with  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand,  to  whom 
Joshua  went,  and  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  for  us,  or 
for  our  adversaries  ?  He  said,  Nay ;  but  as  a  prince 
of  the  host  of  the  Lord  am  I  now  come.  And  Joshua 
fell  on  his  face,  and  did  worship.' 

Compare  that  story  with  this  text,  and  you  shall 
see  that  this  man  that  stocd  before  Joshua  is  he  that 
stood  in  my  text,  and  after  measured  the  earth ;  and 

269 


182 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


so  Joshua  conceived  him  to  be,  else  he  had  not  wor- 
shipped him,  for  Joshua  was  not  to  learn  that  angels 
are  not  to  be  worshipped. 

So  this  place  will  not  help  the  church  of  Eome  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  worship  of  angels,  though 
Ljranus  say  that  it  was  adoratio  dulicc,  quia  cognovit 
eum  esse  angelum.  The  man  that  stood  there  was 
that  Son  of  man,  that  Prince  of  the  Lord's  armies, 
"which  brought  Israel  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of 
the  house  of  bondage.  And  he  stood  there,  for  there 
■was  the  ark  settled,  and  the  sacrament  revived,  and 
they  were  at  home  when  they  began  to  feed  upon  the 
provision  of  the  promised  land  ;  and  next  it  followeth 
that  '  he  measured  the  earth.'  For,  in  the  next  chap- 
ter, Jericho  was  taken,  chap,  viii.,  Ai  is  overcome, 
and  shortly  after  the  land  is  measured,  and  by  lot 
assigned  to  the  tribes.  The  nations  are  drove  in  sun- 
der, for  they  took  and  destroyed  Jericho,  Ai,  and  the 
five  kings  that  made  war  against  Gibeon ;  as  David 
saith,  '  He  cast  out  the  nations,  and  planted  them  in.' 

Then  the  everlasting  mountains  were  scattered,  and 
the  perpetual  hills  did  how.  These  titles  and  attri- 
butes of  everlasting  and  perpetual  are  in  true  pro- 
priety of  sense  only  belonging  to  Godj  but  this  is  a 
poetical  and  figurative  hymn,  and  by  an  hyperbole  these 
words  do  signify  the  mighty  power  of  God,  who 
stooped  these  unconquered  mountains,  fixed  and  set- 
tled in  their  places,  to  the  obedience  of  his  people, 
and  brought  the  strength  of  the  land  into  their  sub- 
jection :  declaring  that  by  no  strength  of  their  own,  they 
got  the  quiet  possession  of  that  land,  but  they  re- 
ceived it  of  the  gift  of  God,  who  subdued  the  impreg- 
nable strength  to  their  hand,  and  gave  them  victory ; 
for  it  followeth,  his  ways  are  everlasting  ;  that  is,  as 
David  doth  render  it,  '  He  doth  whatsoever  he  will.' 
He  long  before  promised  Abraham  this  land,  and 
though  the  posterity  of  Canaan  have  held  the  land  in 
possession  for  many  ages,  yet  there  is  no  prescription 
against  God.  Nullum  tempus  occurrit  regi,  he  will  go 
in  the  way  that  the  counsel  of  his  wisdom  hath  long 
ago  trod  out  for  them. 

There  is  an  old  curse  which  lay  in  the  deck  and 
slept  all  this  while,  ever  since  Ham,  the  youngest 
son  of  Noah,  discovered  his  father's  nakedness  ;  for 
then  Noah  awoke  and  knew  what  his  sons  had  done  to 
him ;  and  he  said.  Cursed  be  Canaan,  that  is,  let  a 
curse  fall  upon  the  posterity  of  Ham.  These  be  the 
ways  of  God,  for  the  issue  of  Shem  drove  out  Canaan's 
seed,  and  possessed  their  land. 
270 


Here  is  another  argument  drawn  from  the  same 
head  with  the  former ;  for  the  church  doth  comfort 
herself  in  present  misery,  by  remembering  what  God 
did  for  them  in  giving  to  them  the  possession  of  the 
promised  land,  which  is  wholly  ascribed  to  God,  as 
the  psalmist :  Ps.  xliv.  3,  *  For  they  got  not  the  land 
in  possession  by  their  own  sword,  neither  did  their 
own  arm  save  them  ;  but  thy  right  hand,  and  thine 
arm,  and'  the  light  of  thy  countenance,  because  thou 
hadst  a  favour  unto  them. 

This  commemoration  of  God's  settling  them  in  the 
promised  laud  serveth  to  comfort  the  captivity  of  Israel 
in  Babylon,  because  it  teacheth  them, 

1.  That  their  tenure  of  that  land,  howsoever  inter- 
rupted by  calamities  and  deportations,  is  a  good 
tenure.  They  hold  it  by  the  free  gift  of  God,  who  is 
able  to  maintain  the  right  of  his  donation  against  all. 

2.  That  there  is  no  counsel  or  strength  against  the 
Lord,  for  he  that  can  subdue  mountains  and  eternal 
hills,  and  he  whose  ways  are  everlasting,  is  not  to  be 
resisted. 

From  which  premises  they  conclude  comfortably 
that  they  shall  have  their  land  again,  and  that  their 
enemies  shall  not  be  able  to  keep  them  out  of  it  with 
all  their  strength.  For  God  did  not  do  so  great  things 
for  them,  to  plant  them  in  Canaan,  for  no  long  time 
his  standing  there,  as  if  he  would  say.  Now  I  have 
brought  them  to  their  rest. 

His  driving  out  of  the  nations  to  make  them  room, 
his  scattering  of  the  mountains,  and  bowing  of  the 
hills,  all  this  was  not  done  that  Israel  might  hold  the 
land  of  promise  no  longer,  for  the  promise  was  made 
to  Abraham;  and  St  Matthew  saith,  chap.  i.  17,  that 
from  Abraham  to  David  are  fourteen  generations, 
and  from  David  to  the  deportation  into  Babylon,  four- 
teen generations.  There  were  from  the  promise  of 
this  land  to  the  captivity  but  twenty-eight  generations  ; 
and  the  first  fourteen  generations  from  Abraham  to 
David  were  well  spent  before  the  land  was  possessed  ; 
and  so  much  God  foretold  Abraham,  and  four  hundred 
years'  delay  and  expectation  of  the  promise,  we  have 
hereof  from  the  mouth  of  God  to  Abraham,  before  they 
should  come  out  of  Egypt,  Gen.  xv.  13  ;  and  thirty 
years  were  found  added  to  that  reckoning  before  they 
had  a  deliverance,  and  forty  more  spent  in  the  wilder- 
ness, four  hundred  and  seventy  years,  which  will 
make  up  much  of  the  time  between  the  promise  and 
the  possession  of  this  land,  that  is,  four  of  the  gener- 
ations.    Compare  this  with  the  promise  of  this  land, 


Ver.  6.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


183 


and  you  shall  find  it  so  :  Gen.  xv.  16,  *  But  in  the 
fourth  generation  they  shall  come  hither  again.' 

Now,  for  the  term  for  which  they  should  have  this 
land,  that  is  set  down  before  :  Gen.  xiii.  15,  '  For  all 
the  land  which  thou  seest,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and 
to  thy  seed  for  ever.'  Yet  we  find  that  for  seventy 
years  they  lost  the  possession  of  their  land,  being 
carried  captive  into  Babylon  ;  and  our  church  stories, 
and  the  histories  of  the  heathen  writers,  old  and 
modem,  do  shew  that  the  Jews  have  lost  this  land 
almost  1600  years,  which  may  seem  to  frustrate  that 
deed  of  gift  in  respect  of  the  term,  and  so  it  doth  for 
matter  of  fact ;  for  matter  of  right  it  is  unquestionable, 
and  thereupon  some  have  determined, 

1.  That  that  land  is  by  right  as  yet  belonging  to 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  by  virtue  of  that  promise. 

2.  That  in  the  last  calling  of  the  Jews,  it  shall  be 
restored  to  them  again,  and  that  the  commonwealth  of 
the  Jews  shall  be  resettled  there  before  the  end  of  the 
world,  as  it  was  aft^r  the  return  from  the  captivity  of 
Babylon  ;  so  that  though  there  have  been  interruption 
of  possession  for  so  many  years,  there  shall  be  no 
impeachment  of  title,  but  their  right  doth  run  on  till 
the  time  appointed  for  the  restoring  of  them. 

Concerning  the  calling  of  the  Jews,  and  the  restoring 
of  them  to  the  church,  St  Paul  hath  prophesied  so 
plainly,  Rom.  xi.,  as  there  can  be  no  doubt  thereof. 
But  for  the  restoring  of  them  to  the  land  of  promise, 
we  have  no  good  ground  in  holy  Scripture. 

1.  Because  they  have  forfeited  their  estate  therein, 
which  they  held  with  condition  of  obedience  :  Deut. 
iv.  25,  *  When  thou  shalt  beget  children  and  children's 
children  in  the  land,  and  shalt  have  remained  long  in 
the  land,  and  shall  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make  a 
graven  image  or  the  likeness  of  anything,  and  shall  do 
evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  thy  God  to  pi'ovoke  him 
to  anger,  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  against 
you  this  day,  that  ye  shall  soon  utterly  perish  from  off 
the  land,  whereunto  you  go  over  Jordan  to  possess  it ; 
ye  shall  not  prolong  your  days  upon  it,  but  shall 
utterly  be  destroyed  ;  and  the  Lord  shall  scatter  you 
among  the  nations.'  This  is  not  without  hope,  for  as 
by  sin  they  lost  their  inheritance  there,  so  by  re- 
pentance it  was  recoverable :  ver.  3,  '  When  thou  art 
in  tribulation,  and  all  these  things  are  come  upon  thee 
even  in  the  latter  days,  if  thou  turn  to  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  be  obedient  to  his  voice,  he  will  not  forsake 
thee  nor  destroy  thee,  nor  forget  the  covenant  with  thy 
fathers.' 


This  proves  their  tenure  conditional ;  and  their  res- 
titution to  this  land  after  their  return  from  captivity 
was  also  upon  the  same  condition  of  obedience,  as 
appeareth  in  the  words  of  Christ,  Mat.  xxiii.  37-39, 
'  How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  toge- 
ther, even  as  an  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  ye  would  not.  Behold,  the  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate.  For  I  say  unto  you,  you  shall  not 
see  me  henceforth  till  ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is  he  that 
Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.' 

That  place  is  plain  that  tlie  habitation  of  Jerusalem, 
that  is,  domus  vestra,  and  the  temple  of  which  our  God 
said  domus  mea,  now  become  by  abuse  domus  vestra, 
shall  be  desolate  till  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

2.  The  prophets  do  speak  plain :  Jer.  xix.  11, 
*  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Even  so  will  I  break 
this  people  and  this  city,  as  one  breaketh  a  potter's 
vessel,  that  cannot  be  made  whole  again.'  My  con- 
clusion therefore  is,  that 

Though  the  argument  drawn  from  the  free  gift  of 
that  land  to  the  people,  measuring  out  the  same  to  the 
tribes,  do  serve  to  comfort  their  captivity  in  Babylon 
with  hope  of  restitution,  yet  now  in  these  times,  and 
ever  since  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  for  the  cause  of 
Christ,  this  can  minister  no  comfort  at  all  to  that 
nation,  to  promise  them  their  land  again. 

I  come  to  matter  of  instruction, 

1.  These  words  aim  not  at  the  general  scope  of  this 
section,  in  which  is  declared  that  the  remembrance  of 
God's  former  mercies  is  a  sweet  consolation  of  present 
afflictions. 

Because  he  nameth  the  measuring  out  of  the  land 
of  Canaan  to  the  tribes,  the  driving  in  sunder  the 
nations,  the  scattering  of  the  mountains,  the  bowing 
of  the  hills. 

(1.)  Docemur,  we  are  taught  the  best  form  of  thanks- 
giving is  that  which  maketh  particular  commemoration 
of  the  mercies  of  God  to  his  church,  or  to  any  member 
of  it. 

(2.)  That  the  matter  of  thanksgiving  is  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  all  benefits  as  received  from  the  hand  and 
free  gift  of  God. 

(3.)  From  the  phrase  and  manner  of  speech  here 
used,  we  are  taught  that  figurative  forms  of  speech 
are  in  use  in  holy  Scripture. 

Doct.  1.  In  thanksgiving,  let  us  be  particular  in  our 
commemoration  ;  we  have  David's  example  for  it :  Ps. 
ciii.  2,  '  Praise  the  Lord,  0  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all 
his  benefits.'     So  he  stirreth  up  himself  to  remember 

271 


184. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


I 


them,  to  remember  them  all.  The  two  psalms,  cv. ,  cvi. , 
are  full  examples  of  this  particular  thankfulness,  and 
they  are  good  guides  to  such  as  would  learn  it. 

Beason  1.  This  is  necessary,  1,  because  the  more 
particularly  we  recount  the  favours  of  God  to  us,  the 
more  we  discern  God's  love  to  us ;  as  in  the  example 
of  this  people,  Moses  sailh,  Deut,  iv.,  that  God  hath 
done  much  for  this  people  ;  never  so  much  for  any. 
Read  from  ver.  32  adjinem,  38.  And  all  those  favoui's 
grew  out  of  one  root,  '  Because  he  loved  thy  fathers.' 

It  is  the  apostle's  note,  Ecce  quantam  charitatem, 
'  Behold,  how  great  love.'  Sic  Deus  dilcxit  miindum, 
'  God  so  loved  the  world. 

Reason  2.  Seeing  God's  temporal  favours  are  not 
always  bestowed  in  love,  but  are  made  rods  to  whip 
the  ungodly;  this  is  a  certain  rule  that  these  favours 
of  God  are  evermore  tokens  of  his  love  to  such  as  are 
thankful  for  them,  and  to  none  else. 

Reason  3.  They  that  keep  an  inventory  of  their  re- 
ceipts, and  are  always  reckoning  and  reporting  the 
bounty  of  God  to  them,  shall  find  that  their  receipts 
of  favours  have  been  more  and  greater  than  their 
issues  of  prayers.  For  how  many  great  blessings  have 
we  from  God  that  we  never  prayed  for  ;  so  that  God 
giveth  us  much  more  cause  of  thanksgiving  and  praise 
of  his  name,  than  of  prayer  and  supplication. 

Reason  4.  Thanksgiving  is  a  work  of  justice :  as 
David,  *  It  well  becometh  the  just  to  be  thankful ;' 
and  again,  '  Give  to  the  Lord  the  glory  due  to  his 
name  ;'  that  is,  for  every  particular  benefit,  particular 
praise  and  thanks. 

Reason  5.  Thanksgiving  doth  put  us  in  mind  of  our 
unableness  to  requite  God  ;  we  cannot  make  him 
amends  for  his  favours  done  to  us  ;  we  shall  find  that 
our  well-doing  extendeth  not  to  him,  we  must  there- 
fore do  good  to  all  propter  Doviinum,  for  the  Lord. 

Reason  6.  Thanksgiving  doth  put  us  in  mind  of  our 
unworthiness ;  as  Mephibosheth  to  David,  2  Sam.  ix.  8, 
'  What  is  thy  servant,  that  thou  shouldest  look  upon 
such  a  dead  dog  as  I  am  ?'  Jacob,  Non  sum  dignus, 
*  I  am  not  worthy.'  David  himself,  '  What  is  man, 
that  thou  art  so  mindful  of  him  ?' 

Reason  7.  If  we  will  forget,  God  will  remember  us. 
As  to  David,  '  I  anointed  thee  king  over  Israel,  I  de- 
livered thee  out  of  the  hand  of  Saul ;  I  gave  thee  thy 
master's  house,  and  thy  master's  wives  into  thy  bosom :' 
Damns  Israel,  domus  Judah. 

Use.  Surely  we  have  not  well  taken  out  the  lesson  of 
thanksgiving  to  God,  for  to  shuffle  it  up  with  a  general 
272 


God  be  thanked  for  all,  comes  but  coldly,  and  is  a  poor 
rependam  for  all  the  benefits  bestowed  upon  us. 

St  Augustine  upon  those  words  of  David,  and  for- 
get not  all  his  benefits,  saith.  Pro  quibus  bonis  ? 
Primo  quia  es,  cum  non  esses  ;  sed  est  et  lapis  ;  delude 
quia  vivis  ;  sed  vivit  et  pecus  ;  sed  fecit  te  ad  siorilitu- 
dinem  suam  ;  suum  exigit ;  retrihue  ei  similitudinem 
suam  in  te. 

Look  to  the  common  blessings  of  God  in  general. 
Upon  the  church  in  which  thou  livest ;  pay  God  his 
debt  for  the  good  he  hath  done,  before  thou  find  fault 
with  the  defect  in  it ;  recount  what  he  hath  done  for 
the  commonwealth  in  which  thou  livest ;  look  home 
to  thine  own  fomily,  to  thine  own  person ;  recount 
thy  spiritual  graces,  thy  temporal  blessings  ;  consider 
what  God  hath  given  thee,  what  he  hath  forgiven  thee, 
the  preventions,  the  subventions  of  his  love ;  what 
spiritual,  what  temporal  evils  thou  hast  either  not  felt 
by  his  keeping  of  thee,  or  escaped  by  his  delivering 
of  thee ;  and  to  all,  and  to  each  of  these  say,  '  The 
Lord  be  thanked.'  It  is  a  small  duty  that  is  required 
of  us,  to  repeat  what  God  hath  done  for  us. 

Doct.  2.  '  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth,  he 
drove  asunder  the  nations,  he  scattered  the  everlast- 
ing mountains.'  Here  we  are  taught  to  give  the  whole 
glory  and  praise  of  all  good  to  God.  We  know  that 
Joshua  brought  this  people  into  the  promised  land, 
that  he  caused  the  land  to  be  measured,  that  he  led 
them  against  the  inhabitants  of  God,*  and  that  the 
people  of  God  did  valiantly  ;  yet,  *  Not  unto  us,  not 
unto  us,  but  to  thy  name  give  the  praise.' 

Reason.  We  need  no  other  reason  for  this  doctrine 
than  that  of  St  James,  '  For  every  good  and  perfect 
gift  cometh  from  him.' 

Thanks  are  given  to  creatures  as  the  ministers  and 
instruments  of  God,  by  whom  he  worketh  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will,  but  none  hath  a  proper  right  to 
them  but  God  only.  The  Lord  giveth,  the  Lord  for- 
giveth  ;  in  both  he  useth  the  ministerial  means,  for 
both  he  must  be  thanked. 

Use  1.  This  serveth  to  inform  our  understanding 
in  the  truth  of  this  doctrine,  because  the  ignorance 
hereof  is  the  mother  of  unthankfulness.  It  is  God's 
complaint :  Isa.  i.  3,  *  The  ox  hath  known  his  owner, 
the  ass  his  master's  crib :  but  my  people  do  not  know,' 
&c.  It  was  charged  on  them  in  Hosea  :  chap.  ii.  8, 
*  She  did  not  know  that  I  gave  her  com,  and  wine, 
and  oil,  and  multiplied  her  silver  and  gold.' 
*  Qu,  'the  land'?— Ed. 


7er.  6.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


185 


2.  This  serveth  to  reprove  all  those  that  ascribe 
the  benefits  which  they  receive  to  themselves,  like 
them  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  prophecy,  ver.  16, 
that  did  *  sacrifice  to  their  net,  and  bnm  incense  to 
their  drag  ;  because  by  them  their  portion  is  fat,  and 
their  meat  plenteous.' 

3.  This  reproveth  them  that  murmur;  for  seeing 
God  is  the  author  and  giver  of  all  good,  we  must  seek 
all  from  him  ;  but  we  must  not  be  our  own  carvers, 
we  must  learn  to  abound  if  the  Lord  giveth,  and  to 
want  if  the  Lord  taketh  away. 

4.  This  chide th  those  that  repine  at  common  bless- 
ings, when  they  do  abate  anything  of  their  own  par- 
ticular profits. 

Of  this  God  hath  given  us  a  fearful  example  ;  for 
the  last  year  our  portion  was  fat,  and  our  bread 
plenteous,  great  was  the  unthankfulness  of  many  to 
God  for  it.  Then  the  landlord  complained  he  could 
not  have  his  rent,  the  tenant  that  he  could  not  pay  it ; 
plenty  had  undone  him.  Snch  is  the  unconscionable 
rack  of  rents  generally  through  the  commonwealth, 
that  plenty  is  a  punishment  to  many,  even  a  sharp 
and  smarting  rod.  And  doth  not  God  begin  to  visit 
our  land  with  sudden  dearth ;  how  much  of  the  hope 
of  the  earth  doth  now  Ue  in  steep  in  the  drowned 
earth,  never  likely  to  pay  the  seed  that  the  earth 
borrowed  ? 

It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord,  to  pull  thy  hand  out  of 
thy  bosom,  and  to  whet  thy  sword,  when  thy  mercies 
become  burdens  to  the  sons  of  men. 

0.  This  reproveth  all  those  that  study  men,  and 
tender  all  their  addresses  to  them,  seeing  their  ad- 
vancement and  establishment  here  on  earth  by  the 
purchased  love  and  favour  of  men,  they  seek  not  the 
Lord.  Did  ever  age  sow  precedents  so  thick  for  pos- 
terity, of  drooping,  declining,  and  falling  greatness? 
Truly  God  is  the  Lord,  and  his  name  only  is  excellent. 
If  God  must  have  the  glory,  all  that  is  done  for  us, 
whatsoever  is  done  for  us  must  be  done  by  him,  else 
it  must  needs  miscarry. 

6.  This  serves  to  establish  the  hearts  of  those  who 
have  obtained  any  competency  for  the  support  of  this 
life  with  contentment ;  for  if  God  be  the  giver  of  my 
daily  bread,  and  if  his  hand  do  minister  to  my  ne- 
cessities, he  knows  best  what  state  of  life  is  fittest  for 
me,  I  will  not  aspire  higher  ;  he  knows  how  much  will 
serve  me,  I  will  not  covet  more.  This  resolution  will 
give  thee  much  peace,  for  it  casteth  all  thy  care  upon 
God,  who  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee. 


7.  This  also  stirreth  us  up  to  walk  in  the  obedience 
of  the  laws  of  God ;  for  if  we  consent  and  obey,  we 
shall  eat  the  good  things  of  the  land.  Let  us  seek 
the  face  of  God,  and  depend  upon  his  providence  for 
all  things  ;  let  us  consider  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
the  lilies  of  the  field,  and  wherein  we  are  better  than 
they,  even  in  our  reasonable  service  of  God,  and  con- 
clude that  God  will  not  let  ihem  want  anything  that 
lead  a  godly  Ufe  ;  so  will  he  furnish  us  with  matter  of 
praise,  that  we  may  ever  be  telling  of  his  goodness 
from  day  to  day. 

Unlawful  and  indirect  means  of  bettering  our  estates, 
by  corrupting  of  our  consciences,  do  break  our  bags, 
and  spring  leaks  in  our  ships,  that  we  and  our  goods 
perish  ;  but  the  fear  of  the  Lord  maketh  us  rich  ;  and 
what  wanteth  in  the  peace  of  the  world,  is  supplied  in 
the  peace  of  a  good  conscience. 

Doct.  3.  Figurative  speeches  are  in  use  in  holy 
Scripture ;  this  text  is  full  of  them,  so  is  this  whole 
psahn.  I  will  only  note  these  figures,  which  in  this 
verse  do  ofier  themselves  to  us,  for  a  taste. 

1 .  It  is  here  said  that  God  stood. 

This  is  spoken  after  the  manner  of  men  ;  for  when 
hearing,  and  seeing,  and  smelling,  and  touching,  and 
tasting,  which  are  our  senses,  are  attributed  to  God ; 
when  our  parts  of  body,  our  eyes,  ears,  mouth,  hands, 
feet,  arms,  are  given  to  him ;  our  motions,  as  sitting, 
standing,  rising,  going,  striking,  and  such  like,  are 
spoken  of  God,  know  that  these  be  figurative  forms  of 
speech,  wherein  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  retain  our  weak 
capacities,  and  under  those  forms  of  words  doth  pre- 
sent to  our  understandings  the  unconceivable  opera- 
tions of  the  most  high  God. 

And  let  us  take  heed  that  we  do  not  conceive  God 
in  our  thoughts  like  to  man  in  the  structure  and  com- 
position of  the  body,  as  the  Anthropomorphites  did. 
For  it  is  here  understood,  by  the  standing  of  God,  that 
when  he  brought  the  people  to  the  promised  land,  there 
the  progress  ended  ;  he  stood  there  where  he  brought 
them  to  rest. 

2.  It  is  here  said  that  he  measured  the  earth  ;  that 
is  also  a  figurative  manner  of  speaking,  wherein  that 
is  charged  upon  him  which  was  done  by  his  direction 
and  warrant. 

3.  He  beheld  and  drove  in  sunder  the  nations. 
God  is  all  eye,  and  beholdeth  all  things  ;  all  ear, 

and  heareth  all  things ;  all  hand,  and  maketh  all 
things,  and  doth  whatsoever  he  will ;  all  foot,  and 
standeth  in  all  places.     He  is  here  said  to  behold, 

273 
S 


186 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


which  denoteth  his  provident  care  of  his  work  ;  and 
he  is  said  to  drive  in  sunder  the  nations,  because  he 
ordained  their  expulsion  ;  and  he  gave  commission  for 
the  destruction  of  them,  that  he  might  give  their  land, 
according  to  his  promise,  to  his  own  people. 

4.  Where  he  calls  the  mountains  everlasting,  and  the 
hills  })erpelual,  this  is  also  a  figure  ;  for  these  be  attri- 
butes only  belonging  to  God  to  be  everlasting  and 
perpetual,  and  it  sheweth  the  stability  and  settledness 
thereof. 

5.  There  is  also  another  figure  in  the  very  name  of 
mountains,  for  we  must  not  literally  understand  that 
there  was  any  violence  ofiered  to  the  mountains  and 
hills,  but  thereby  the  strength,  and  process,  and  settled 
estate  of  those  nations  that  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Canaan 
is  signified  ;  and  so  the  scattering  and  bowing  of  these 
mountains  doth  express  the  dispersion  of  those  nations, 
or  the  bringing  of  them  under  the  yoke  of  subjection 
to  the  people  of  Israel. 

6.  His  ways  are  everlasting  ;  this  is  also  figurative, 
for  by  the  ways  of  God  are  understood  here  the  coun- 
sels and  decrees  of  God,  and  his  executions  of  his  will, 
which  are  no  sudden  operations,  but  proceed  from 
everlasting  wisdom. 

And  this  is  the  wisdom  of  the  reader  of  holy  Scrip- 
ture, to  observe  what  is  spoken  literally  and  what 
figuratively,  else  many  errors  and  heresies  may  arise. 
As  even  in  this  attribution  of  the  parts,  and  motions, 
and  actions  of  the  body  of  man  to  God,  the  Anthropo- 
morphites,  not  understanding  the  figure,  did  conceive 
God  in  body  like  to  man. 

The  heresy  of  transubstantiation  grew  out  of  the 
mistake  of  those  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  '  this  is 
my  body,'  wherein  the  figure  not  observed,  the  Roman- 
ists do  believe  a  real  transmutation  of  the  bread  into 
the  body  of  Christ ;  whereas  that  is  to  be  understood 
only  by  sacramental  representation,  as  the  sacrament 
of  circumcision  is  called  '  the  covenant  of  God  in 
the  flesh,'  and  the  water  of  baptism  is  called  *  the 
laver  of  regeneration,'  being  the  sign  and  seal 
thereof. 

You  know  that  when  Christ  said  to  his  disciples. 
Mat.  xvi.  16,  *  Beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,' 
they  understood  him  not  to  speak  figuratively,  and 
said,  *  It  is  because  we  have  taken  no  bread.'  So 
when  he  said,  '  Destroy  this  temple,'  the  Jews  under- 
stood him  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  scriptures 
of  both  Testaments  are  full  of  examples  of  figurative 
speaking.  The  whole  book  of  the  Song  of  Solomon 
274 


is  a  continued  figure,  and  all  the  poetical  part  of  holy 
Scripture  abound  therewith. 

The  reasons  why  the  wisdom  of  God  hath  thus  ex- 
pressed itself,  are  : 

1.  Because  herein  he  would  commend  to  us  the  use 
of  that  excellent  science  of  the  rhetoric,  which  teacheth 
the  use  of  figures  ;  for  there  is  no  eloquence  or  oratory 
in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world  comparable  to  the  holy 
elocution  "of  Scripture,  the  majesty  whereof  is  such, 
that  it  convinceth  the  judgment  of  man,  and  maketh 
it  to  yield  it  to  the  breath  of  God. 

2.  Because  this  cryptical  manner  of  speaking  doth 
involve  the  secrets  of  God's  wisdom  in  some  obscurity, 
to  stir  up  and  awake  our  diligence  in  the  search,  that 
we  may  be  put  to  it  to  study  holy  Scriptures  ;  as  Christ 
saith,  'E^evnars,  search,  for  easy  things  do  soon  cloy 
us,  and  make  us  idle. 

3.  Because  this  difficulty  doth  put  us  to  our  prayers, 
to  beseech  God  to  open  to  us  the  secrets  of  his  wisdom. 

4.  This  makes  us  fear  God,  because  the  secrets  of 
the  Lord  are  only  revealed  to  them  that  fear  Cod. 

5.  This  difiiculty  is  so  sweetened  with  the  pleasant 
mixture  of  art,  as  it  hath  omne  punctum  in  it,  for  it 
mingleth  idile  dulci. 

6.  It  doth  teach  us  to  be  spiritual,  for  the  carnal 
man  cannot  perceive  the  things  of  God,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned  ;  and  the  letter  killeth,  but 
the  Spirit  giveth  life.  This  Spirit  he  hath  left  to  teach 
his  church,  and  to  bring  all  things  to  our  remem- 
brance. 

7.  This  obscurity  doth  call  upon  us  to  set  apart 
some  time  for  the  study  and  search  of  Scriptures,  and 
we  cannot  employ  our  spare  hours  of  leisure  better 
than  in  this  search  ;  for  here  are  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  'and  knowledge,  and  these  are  able  to  make 
the  man  of  God  wise  to  salvation,  perfect,  then  to 
thoroughly  perfect,  to  all  good  works. 

8.  He  hath  distributed  his  graces  in  his  church 
accordingly,  and  hath  ordained  some  to  be  teachers  of 
others,  whose  whole  time  is  consecrated  to  the  study 
of  this  book  of  Scripture,  that  they  may  be  able  to 
understand  this  word  aright,  divide  it  aright  to  their 
hearers. 

Herein  you  have  a  great  advantage,  if  you  consider 
the  goodness  of  God  to  you  ;  for  in  one  hour  you  reap 
the  harvest  of  our  labours  in  many  hours  of  our  read- 
ings, of  our  inventions,  judgments,  search. 

These  reasons  I  gather  from  Clemens  Alexandrinus, 
St  Augustine,  and  St  Gregory,  and  some  others. 


Ver.  6.] 


MARBURY  OS  HABAKKUK. 


187 


Use  1.  This  teachetli  us  that  the  worthy  minister 
of  the  word  must  be  no  smatterer  in  those  necessary 
arts  and  learning  which  is  helpful  to  the  study  of 
divinity  ;  for  want  whereof  many  bunglers  handle  the 
word  of  God  too  homelily,  and  instead  of  giving  a  con- 
stant light,  do  only  make  a  blaze,  which  yet,  like  one 
of  our  night- walking  fires,  devours  more  admiration 
than  the  full  moon  that  shines  all  night  long. 

Logic  and  rhetoric  are  two  such  necessary  and  re- 
quisite parts  in  a  minister,  as  without  which  neither 
can  the  method  of  Scripture,  nor  the  power  of  the 
arguments  therein  used,  nor  the  clear  interpretation  of 
the  words,  be  given. 

Use  2.  This  teacheth  the  hearer  and  reader  of  the 
word  to  put  his  strength  to  it ;  not  to  parrot  the  words 
of  Scripture,  but  to  study  the  sense  thereof. 

St  Origen  saith,  that  as  man,  so  the  whole  Bible, 
doth  consist  of  a  body  and  a  soul ;  the  body  is  the 
letter,  the  sense  is  the  soul,  of  Scripture.  That  is  the 
spiritual  manna  that  giveth  strength  to  the  weak,  that 
is  the  true  light  that  giveth  understanding  to  the 
simple. 

Use  3.  Let  not  this  discourage  any  zealous  Chris- 
tian from  exercisiug  himself  in  the  reading  and  study 
of  holy  Scripture  ;  because  we  do  confess  that  the 
figurative  forms  used  therein  do  often  make  the  Scrip- 
ture obscure.  For  we  do  also  affirm,  that  figures  do 
sometimes  give  light  to  our  apprehension,  and  make 
the  mind  of  God  better  known  to  us  ;  as  when  Christ 
saith,  '  I  am  the  good  Shepherd,'  as  David  said,  '  The 
Lord  is  my  Shepherd  ;'  this  doth  make  Christ  better 
known  to  us  in  his  careful  protection  of  us,  and  his 
watchful  keeping,  and  his  plentiful  feeding,  and  safe 
folding  of  us,  and  in  such  like. 

Now,  because  the  church  of  Rome  hath  taken  ad- 
vantage of  the  obscurity  of  the  Scripture  to  forbid 
the  translation  thereof  into  the  vernacle  tongues  of 
nations,  and  to  prohibit  lay  persons,  or  any  other, 
without  special  leave ;  this  much  I  dare  affirm,  that 
holy  Scripture  are  plain  and  easy  in  all  dogmatical 
points,  all  the  articles  of  faith  are  plainly  set  forth, 
and  the  whole  doctrine  of  godly  life,  and  the  way  to 
salvation,  is  openly  declared.  So  far  our  church  doth 
avouch  ;  yet  withal,  we  must  consider  that  there  is  a 
double  plainness  of  Scripture. 

1.  Rational  and  intellectual,  which  apprehendeth 
the  true  meaning  of  the  words  in  grammatical  con- 
struction, in  logical  composition,  and  in  jhetorical 
illustration.     Thus  all  the  dogmatical  part  of  divinity 


is  plain  to  a  natural  man,  that  is  capable  of  these 
helps. 

2.  Spiritual  and  metaphysical,  which  is  saving 
knowledge,  and  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  us, 
making  us  thereby  wise  to  salvation ;  this  knowledge 
is  both  the  daughter  and  mother  of  faith,  for  by  faith 
we  hear  the  word,  else  it  would  not  profit  us,  and  by 
hearing  cometh  faith,  else  it  were  unfruitful. 

Therefore  I  must  indict  many  of  the  learned  of  the 
church  of  Rome  of  slander,  who  have  given  out  in 
print,  that  we  do  hold  the  whole  body  of  Scripture  so 
easy,  both  in  the  whole,  and  in  every  part  thereof, 
that  any  unlearned  men  and  women  may  read  and 
understand  all  as  they  go,  and  that  they  need  no  inter- 
preter. This  no  sober  man  will  affirm  ;  but  that  the 
difficulty  is  not  such  as  should  deter  us  from  the  study 
thereof,  rather  that  it  is  such  as  inviteth  us  thereto, 
that  we  affirm. 

Use  4.  This  serveth  us  for  caution : 

1.  Though  the  Scripture  be  full  of  figures,  let  us 
not  make  figures  where  there  are  none,  and  strain 
plain  and  evident  texts  from  their  genuine  and  proper 
sense,  to  foreign  and  far-fetched  mysteries,  as  the 
papist  doth  often.  For  when  Peter  saith,  Ecce  hie 
duogladii,  they  understand  the  double  power  of  Peter, 
and  so  of  all  popes,  as  his  successors  ecclesiastical  and 
temporal ;  so  on  these  words,  '  He  made  two  great 
lights,  the  greater  to  rule  the  day,  the  less  to  rule  the 
night,'  that  these  two  lights  are  the  pope  to  rule  the 
day,  that  is  to  say,  the  church  ;  and  the  emperor  to 
rule  the  night,  that  is,  the  lay  people.  "Where  note, 
that  as  the*  moon  borroweth  all  the  light  it  hath  of 
the  sun,  so  must  the  emperor  borrow  all  his  glory 
of  the  pope  ! 

Some  of  our  own  brethren  have  trod  awry  in  this 
way,  for  an  article  of  faith  lies  bleeding  in  the  unre- 
solved judgments  of  many,  by  this  fault  of  making  a 
figure  where  none  is.  The  words  of  Christ,  '  Thou 
wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell,'  are  plain  enough  ;  for 
we  know  that  Christ  had  a  soul,  we  know  that  there 
is  an  hell,  and  we  hear  Christ  say,  that  God  would 
not  leave  it  there.  But  Mr  Calvin  turns  this  into  a 
figure,  and  his  words  be  all  oracles  with  some  that 
take  their  faith  upon  trust ;  his  figure  is,  that  descendit 
ad  inferos  diros  in  anima,  cruciatm  damjiati  ac  perditi 
hominis  pertulit,  he  descended  into  hell,  that  is,  he 
bare  in  his  soul  all  the  torments  of  the  damned.  Mr 
Perkins  refuseth  this  as  the  meaning  of  the  article, 
for  he  saith  all  this  is  contained  in  the  former,  '  he 

275 


188 


MA113URY  ON  IlABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


suffered,  was  crucified,  dead.'  And  he  findeth  another 
figure  in  these  words  :  by  soul,  he  meaneth  the  body  ; 
and  by  hell,  he  meaneth  the  ffrave  ;  for  he  thus  ren- 
dereth  it,  *  He  descended  into  hell,'  that  is,  he  was  held 
captive  in  the  grave,  and  lay  in  bondage  under  death 
for  three  days.  Which  need  not,  for  the  article  that 
saith,  '  he  was  buried,'  containeth  that,  for  then  '  God 
did  not  suffer  his  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.' 

This  turning  of  articles  of  faith  into  figures  doth 
destroy  faith  ;  therefore  without  figure  the  safest  way 
is  to  understand  the  word  of  the  prophets  in  their 
own  proper  sense  and  natural  signification  :  by  soul, 
to  understand  the  living  soul  of  Christ,  which  by 
death  was  separated  for  a  time  from  his  body  ;  by  hell, 
to  understand  the  place  of  the  damned,  in  which  Christ 
triumphed  victoriously  over  the  devil  and  his  angels, 
and  brought  away  the  keys  thereof,  that  he  might 
open  it  to  the  reprobate,  and  shut  it  again  :  the  elect* 
to  whom  the  promise  is  made,  that  '  The  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  them.' 

2.  Let  us  also  take  heed,  that  where  there  is  a  plain 
figure,  we  do  not  understand  that  literally,  to  corrupt 
the  text ;  which  was  the  error  of  the  disciples,  to 
whom,  when  Christ  had  spoken  of  restoring  the  king- 
dom to  Israel,  they  understood  it  literally,  of  the  tem- 
poral kingdom  of  the  Jews,  which  was  meant  of  the 
spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ.  So  the  woman  of  Samaria 
thought  Christ  had  spoken  of  an  elementary  water, 
and  the  Capernaites  mistook  Christ,  speaking  of  the 
bread  of  life.  Therefore,  let  common  judgments  take 
good  counsel  how  they  expound  Scriptures,  lest  they 
pervert  them  to  their  own  damnation,  for  as  Augus- 
tine, Hinc  natcB  sunt  omnes  hareses,  quia  scripturcc  bona 
intelliguntur  nan  bene,  hence^all  heresies  grow,  &c. 


Ver.  7.  I  saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  in  afliction  :  and 
the  curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian  did  tremble. 

Here  foUoweth  further  instance  of  the  majesty  and 
glory  of  God,  and  goodness  to  his  church;  declared, 

1.  In  the  power  of  his  fear,  which  was  upon  the 
nations,  when  he  brought  his  Israel  to  Canaan,  for 
that  put  them  into  afl3iction  and  trembling. 

2.  In  the  wonders  that  he  shewed^  in  the  work  :  1 
saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  in  affliction.  Who  saw  this  ? 
Not  the  prophet  only,  but  the  church  of  God,  to  whom 
God  hath  made  himself  known  by  this  judgment. 

The  vision  was,  that  God  did  cast  the  fear  of  his 
*  Qu.  '  against  the  elect '  ? — Ed. 
276 


people  upon  the  nations ;  he  nameth  Cushan,  or  the 
people  of  Ethiopia,  bordering  upon  Egypt  and  Midian, 
which  took  name  of  Midian  the  son  of  Abraham  by 
Keturah,  Gen.  xxv.  2. 

The  terror  of  God  fell  upon  many  nations,  when 
God  put  Israel  into  the  way  to  the  promised  land,  and 
long  after  ;  and  these  two  nations  are  here  by  a  figure 
poetically  and  rhetorically  named,  for  many  nations. 
The  reason  whereof  I  conceive  to  be  this  : 
Cushan,  or  Ethiopia,  took  name  from  Cush  the 
eldest  son  of  Ham,  the  youngest  son  of  Noah,  Gen. 
X.  6,  to  shew,  that  though  Canaan,  the  son  of  Ham, 
be  only  named  in  Noah's  curse,  yet  the  smart  thereof 
should  also  light  upon  Cush  also,  and  he  should  taste 
also  of  affliction. 

Again,  herein  the  extent  of  this  terror  is  well  ex- 
pressed, that  Cushan,  or  Ethiopia,  should  be  made  to 
tremble,  which  was  remote  from  Canaan,  for  the 
whole  land  of  Egypt  lay  between.  Midian  lay  near  to 
that  land,  so  that  I  understand  the  text  thus  :  that  God 
cast  his  fear  upon  people  remote,  and  near  hand,  and 
shook  them  with  trembling  at  his  mighty  power,  when 
he  brought  his  Israel  into  the  promised  land  ;  and 
this  was  so  palpable  and  manifest,  that  the  church  of 
God  could  not  but  take  notice  of  it. 

By  tents  and  curtains,  he  expressed  this  people  dis- 
mayed, not  in  their  cities  and  towns  and  places  of 
habitation,  but  in  the  fields,  and  amidst  their  mili- 
tary preparations,  when  their  tents  were  pitched,  as 
it  were  in  readiness  to  give  battle,  which  is  a  rhetorical 
amplification  of  the  greatness  of  their  terror. 
My  observation  from  this  place  is  this  : 
Doct.  The  power  of  God,  shewed  in  the  terror  of  the 
wicked,  doth  prove  that  there  is  a  God,  and  therefore 
no  people  on  earth  can  be  altogether  ignorant  of  the 
Godhead. 

Why  should  the  tents  of  Cushan  be  in  afiliction  ? 
why  should  the  curtains  of  Midian  tremble,  but  that 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them,  God  daunteth  and 
dismayeth  them  ?  It  was  one  of  God's  promises  to  his 
people,  Deut.  ii.  4,  '  Ye  are  to  pass  through  the  coasts 
of  your  brethren  the  children  of  Esau,  which  dwell 
in  Seir,  and  they  shall  be  afraid  of  you.' 

This  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Egypt  was  a  most 
memorable  act  of  God's  power,  and  made  his  name 
great  in  all  the  earth.  It  foUoweth,  ver.  7,  '  He,'  i.  e. 
Esau,  *  knoweth  thy  walkings  through  the  great  wilder- 
ness :  these  forty  years,  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  been 
with  thee,  thou]_^hast  lacked  nothing.'     Rahab,  that 


Ver.  7.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK 


189 


entertained  the  spies  whom  Joshua  sent  to  view  the 
land  of  Canaan,  saved  them  from  the  dangerous  pur- 
suit of  the  messengers  of  the  king  of  Jericho.  And 
she  said  to  them,  Joshua  ii.  9-11,  '  I  know  the  Lord 
hath  given  you  the  land,  and  that  your  terror  is  fallen 
upon  us  ;  and  that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  melt 
because  of  it.  For  we  heard  how  the  Lord  dried  up 
the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea  for  you  when  ye  came  out 
of  Egypt,  and  what  you  did  to  the  two  kings  of  the 
Amorites  on  the  other  side  Jordan,  Sihon  and  Og, 
whom  ye  destroyed  utterly.  And  as  soon  as  we  heard 
these  things,  our  hearts  did  melt,  neither  did  there 
remain  any  more  courage  in  any  man  because  of  you, 
for  the  Lord  your  God,  he  is  God  above  in  heaven, 
and  in  earth  beneath.' 

And  this  is  the  right  way  to  make  God  known  to^the 
wicked  and  ungodly  of  the  earth. 

From  thence  came  that  prayer  of  David,  Ps.  ix.  20, 
'  Put  them  in  fear,  0  Lord,  that  they  may  know  them- 
selves to  be  but  men,'  The  fear  of  God  will  smite 
them  with  such  terror,  that  they  shall  not  have  heart 
to  stir  against  him.  So  it  is  said  that  God  is  known 
by  executing  his  judgments. 

Pwason.  For  as  the  apostle  saith,  Rom.  ii.  5,  '  The 
very  natural  man  hath  the  work  of  the  law  written  in 
his  heart.'  The  law  written  in  the  heart  of  every  man 
is  a  general  principle  both  of  truth  in  the  understand- 
ing, which  affirmeth  a  divine  nature,  and  of  awe  in  the 
aflfections,  to  make  him  feared.  And  this  law  is  not 
idle,  but  it  worketh;  for  there  is  i^/ov  too  »o/ioS,  the 
work  of  the  law.  And  this  is  the  true  cause  why 
there  is  no  peace  at  all  to  the  wicked  man,  because 
he  hath  the  law  of  nature  working  within  him,  which 
is  against  him ;  and  he  hath  not  the  law  of  grace  to 
lay  the  storms  which  the  law  of  nature  raiseth.  From 
hence  it  cometh  that  the  wicked  flieth  when  no  man 
pursueth,  as  Solomon  saith,  and  he  feareth  where  no 
fear  is;  and  Tully  could  say  that  all  the  poetical 
fictions  of  the  Furies,  which  disquieted  men  so  much, 
were  but  the  pinchings  and  convulsions  of  men's  guilty 
consciences,  who,  when  they  had  done  evil,  knew  that 
they  had  broken  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  and 
then  feared  the  power  which  they  saw  above  them, 
armed  with  vengeance  against  evil  doers. 

Vise.  St  Paul  teacheth  us  the  use  of  this  point : 
Rom.  xxxi.  3,  '  Wilt  thou  then  not  be  afraid  of  the 
power  ?  do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have 
praise  of  the  same.'  Where  doing  that  which  is  good 
hath  a  double  reward,  for  it  quieteth  fear,  and  it 


crowneth  us  with  praise.  Methinks  that  this  con- 
sideration of  the  reward  should  stir  us  up  to  say, 
John  vi.  28,  29,  '  What  shall  we  do  that  we  may  work 
the  works  of  God  ? '  Then  Christ  tells  us,  '  This  is 
the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath 
sent.' 

Faith  in  Christ  taketh  away  the  terror  of  the  Lord ; 
as  the  apostle  saith,  *  we  knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord, 
do  persuade  men.'  And  what  is  the  thing  to  which  the 
apostles  do  persuade,  but  to  reconciliation  with  God 
through  Christ ;  so  that  when  we  preach  faith  to  you, 
we  preach  peace ;  even  as  the  apostle  saith,  peace  to 
them  that  are  near,  and  peace  to  them  that  are  far  off; 
and  the  God  of  peace  sendeth  his  Son,  the  peace  of  his 
church  with  the  gospel  of  peace. 

Doct.  2.  We  are  taught  here  that  the  welfare  of  the 
church  is  the  grief  and  vexation  of  her  enemies.  Cushan 
and  Midian  are  afflicted,  and  in  a  cold  fit,  when  they 
hear  what  God  doth  for  Israel.  So  did  the  Egyptians 
repine  at  the  prosperity  of  Israel  in  Egypt ;  they  said, 
Exod.  i.  10,  '  Behold,  the  children  of  Israel  are  more 
and  mightier  than  we  :  come,  let  us  deal  wisely  with 
them,  lest  they  multiply,'  &c. 

You  see  what  the  world  thinks  of  their  plots  against 
the  church  of  God;  they  think  they  do  wisely  when 
they  vex  the  church ;  this  is  that  msdom  which  the 
apostle  doth  call  carnal,  sensual,  and  devilish.  And 
these  be  the  wise  men  of  which  it  is  said,  L'bi  sapiens? 
'  where  is  the  wise  man  ? '  and  God  hath  made  the 
wisdom  of  the  world  fooUshness. 

Reason  1.  The  reason  of  this  opposition  is  given  by 
our  Saviour :  '  The  world  hateth  you,  because  you 
are  not  of  the  world,  and  I  hav&  chosen  you  out  of 
the  world.'  And  for  this  they  weep  at  the  joy  of  the 
church,  they  joy  at  their  weeping ;  the  prophet's 
complaint,  Isa.  lix.  15,  '  Truth  faileth,  and  he  that 
departeth  fi-om  evil  maketh  himself  a  prey.'  So 
David,  Ps.  xxxviii.  19,  20,  *  But  mine  enemies  they  are 
lively,  they  are  strong,  and  they  that  hate  me  wrong- 
fully are  multiplied.  They  also  that  render  evil  for 
good  are  mine  adversaries,  because  I  follow  the  thing 
that  good  is.' 

They  began  betimes,  for  Cain  slew  his  brother ;  *  and 
wherefore  slew  he  him  ?  because  his  own  works  were 
evil,  and  his  brother's  righteous,'  1  John  iii.  12. 

Ratio  rationis.  1  can  easily  bring  you  to  the  head  of 
these  bitter  waters.  So  soon  as  Adam  had  fallen  from 
grace,  when  God  kept  his  first  assize  upon  earth,  and 
convented  and  arraigned  the  transgressors,  the  man, 

277 


190 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


the  woman,  and  the  serpent,  he  revealed  his  eternal 
counsel  of  election  and  reprobation,  and  put  a  differ- 
ence between  seed  and  seed,  the  seed  of  the  woman 
and  the  seed  of  the  serpent.  Which  is  not  only  to  bo 
understood  of  the  unreconcilable  enmity  that  is  between 
Christ  and  the  devil ;  for  Christ  was  the  seed  of  the 
woman,  quia  solus  ita  semen  mulieris,  ut  non  eliam  viri 
semen  sit ;  but  he  meant  therein  that  enmity  which 
should  be  betwixt  the  elect  (who  are  the  seed  of  the 
woman  by  natural  generation,  and  the  holy  seed  by 
spiritual  regeneration,  so  called  semen  sanctum.)  and 
the  seed  of  the  serpent.  For  Christ  called  the  wicked 
genemeta  viperarum.,  '  generation  of  vipers ;'  and  to 
such  he  saith,  John  viii.  44,  Vos  estis  ex  patre  vestro 
diabolo,  '  You  are  of  your  father  the  devil.'  For  this 
Rupertus  saith  that  the  Bible  is  called  the  book  of  the 
battles  of  the  Lord,  Num.  xxi.  14  ;  because  it  contain- 
eth  the  story  of  the  wars  between  these  two,  the  church 
and  the  world. 

From  this  enmity  which  God  put  between  the  church 
and  the  world,  ariseth  this  hatred  and  opposition,  so 
that  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked  is  David's  grief,  the 
miseries  of  David  be  the  world's  joy.  The  joy  of  the 
church  is  the  affliction  of  the  world. 

God  left  the  devil  in  his  fall,  and  took  him  not  up 
again,  thereby  forsaking  him.  He  put  enmity  into 
him ;  and  he,  for  the  hatred  that  he  beareth  to  God, 
hath  ever  since  persecuted  him  in  his  church,  because 
his  malice  cannot  extend  to  hurt  him.  And  herein  he  is 
the  more  cruel,  because  he  knows  his  time  is  but  short. 
Reason  2.  Satan  is  but  God's  instrument  in  the 
afflicting  of  the  church ;  so  it  is  said  to  the  angel 
of  the  church  of  Smyrna,  Rev.  ii.  10,  'Behold,  the 
devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may 
be  tried;  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days.' 
He  *  goes  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour.'  If  he  be  kept  from  devouring,  he  biteth 
and  rendeth,  and  doth  what  hurt  he  can,  for  he  is  a 
murderer;  but  if  God  shew  the  light  of  his  countenance 
to  them  whom  he  pursueth,  he  is  sick  of  that  mercy, 
and  so  are  all  the  tents  of  Cushan.  The  whole  brood 
of  vipers  have  this  venom  from  the  old  serpent,  to  be 
afflicted  at  the  prosperity  of  the  church. 

For  instance,  I  will  prevent  the  time.  David  saith, 
'  One  day  telleth  another,  and  one  night  certifieth  an- 
other.' To-morrow's  memorial  teacboth  this  day.  This 
was  the  vigil  of  that  popish  holiday  which  the  same 
papists  here  at  home,  and  many  beyond  the  seas,  hoped 
to  have  made  festival  to  all  posterity.  The  children 
278 


of  darkness  had  provided  to  put  out  our  light,  to  quench 
the  light  of  our  Israel.  It  was  an  affliction  to  the 
papists  to  behold  religion  and  peace  settled  under  the 
government  of  a  learned  king,  who  knew  what  he  be- 
lieved, and  why,  and  who  had  discovered  himself  an 
enemy  to  their  antichrislian  and  heretical  synagogue. 
They  saw  a  fair  issue  ready  for  timely  succession,  so 
graciously  seasoned  with  the  salt  of  heavenly  wisdom 
from  the  first  of  their  capacity  and  apprehension,  that 
there  remained  no  hope  for  their  politic  religion  to  find 
footing  in  these  churches.  The  flourishing  state  of 
church  and  commonwealth  was  such  an  affliction  to 
them,  that  some  zealots  of  their  religion,  the  sons  of 
thunder,  could  no  longer  contain  themselves,  but  their 
study  was  how  to  put  their  grief  upon  us,  and  to  transfer 
our  joy  upon  themselves.  They  shewed  us  the  way 
of  their  rejoicing ;  their  mercies  were  cruel ;  nothing 
could  remove  their  grief  at  our  welfare  but  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  head  and  body,  root  and  tree,  and  all  in  a 
day.  And  they  that  would  have  destroyed  us  thought, 
and  the  Jesuits  and  priests  of  the  Roman  faith  taught 
them  to  believe,  that  they  should  do  God  good  service. 
We  see  the  mercies  of  that  religion  so  clearly  in  this 
horrible  treason,  that  all  that  know  and  serve  the  God 
of  peace  have  just  cause  to  esteem  papists  disloyal 
subjects,  secret  enemies  to  the  state,  bloodj'  perse- 
cutors of  the  gospel  of  peace. 

Our  stories  are  full  of  their  malice,  rackings,  im- 
prisonments, starvings,  burnings,  hangings,  and  many 
exquisite  torments  executed  upon  innocent  and  holy 
martyrs.  But  when  we  remember  the  powder  treason, 
that  calleth  all  the  tormentors  of  the  church  before 
them  merciful,  the  devil  did  never  roar  so  loud 
before,  the  bulls  of  Rome  never  bellowed  such  terror 
to  the  church  as  in  that  damnable  and  desperate 
attempt.  The  provocation  was  their  affliction  at  our 
prosperity,  and  grief  at  our  welfare.  Again  this  venom 
of  the  generation  of  vipers  boiled  over,  and  they  that 
bore  evil  will  to  our  Sion  said  one  to  another,  Catesby 
to  his  confederates,  '  I  have  bethought  me  of  a  way  at 
one  instant  to  deliver  us  from  all  our  bonds,  and, 
without  any  foreign  help,  to  replant  the  catholic  reli- 
gion, which  is  to  blow  up  the  parliament  house  with 
gunpowder ;  for  in  that  place  have  they  done  us  all 
the  mischief,  and,  perchance,  God  hath  designed  that 
place  for  their  punishment;  for  this  striketh  at  the 
root,  and  will  breed  a  confusion  fit  to  beget  new  altera- 
tions.' What  alterations  would  be  here  meant  but 
those  that  Job  felt,  that  our  land  and  church  might 


Ver.  8.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


191 


complain,  '  Thou  hast  turned  my  harp  into  mourning, 
and  my  organs  into  the  voice  of  them  that  weep.' 

How  did  they  swallow  up  the  joy  of  this  change  in 
hopeful  expectation  of  success  ;  but  the  children  came 
to  the  birth,  and  there  was  no  strength  to  bring  forth. 
Their  own  fear  came  upon  them,  for  it  was  Catesby's 
own  V envoy  to  his  revealed  treason.  ^  But,  saith  he.  If 
this  take  not  effect  (as  most  of  this  nature  miscarry), 
the  scandal  will  be  so  great  to  the  catholic  religion,  as 
not  only  our  enemies,  but  our  friends  will,  with  good 
reason,  condemn  us.  Thus  did  their  minds  misgive, 
and  bodements  of  evil  did  secretly  call  upon  them  to 
fly  from  the  anger  to  come. 

This  diverted  them  a  while  from  this  execution,  and 
put  them  into  a  new  project.  Thomas  Winter  was 
sent  (as  his  confession  under  his  own  hand  reporteth)'to 
inform  the  constable  of  Spain,  then  coming  in  embassy 
from  the  king  of  Spain  to  our  sovereign,  of  the  state  of 
the  catholics  in  England,  and  to  entreat  his  mediation 
to  solicit  our  king  for  the  revocation  of  some  penal 
laws,  and  the  admittance  of  the  English  catholics  into 
the  rank  of  his  other  subjects.  Winter  met  with  him 
at  Bergen,  near  Dunkirk,  and  by  the  means  of  Owen, 
an  apostate  traitor,  he  had  access  to  him,  moved  him 
in  his  suit,  and  had  a  fair  promise  from  him  to  do  all 
good  offices  in  that  errand.  But  Owen  discouraged 
that  hope,  saying  that  he  believed  nothing  less,  and 
that  they  sought  only  their  own  ends,  meaning  the 
state  of  Spain,  holding  small  account  of  catholics. 
Owen  animated  the  treason,  and  promised  to  send 
Fawkes  over  to  help  to  set  it  forward.  From  thence 
Winter  went  to  another  of  our  fugitives,  Sir  William 
Stanley,  to  Ostend,  where  he  asked  his  opinion  whether, 
if  the  catholics  of  England  should  do  anything  in  Eng- 
land to  help  themselves,  the  archduke  would  second 
them  ?  He  answered,  No  ;  for  all  those  parts  desired 
peace  with  England.  Afler  all  these  despairs,  they 
had  no  remedy  to  cure  their  disease  of  envy  at  the 
gracious  peace  of  this  state,  but  their  powder  plot,  in 
which  none  but  professed  papists  within  the  land  had 
any  hand.  None  that  we  can  discover  but  priests  and 
Jesuits,  here  or  abroad,  did  blow  the  fire.  No  foreign 
prince  hath  the  dishonourable  name  of  privacy  with 
it,  or  abetment  of  it ;  only  the  church  of  Rome  lent  her 
help  to  this  nefarious  treason,  for  there  was  here, 

1.  The  seal  of  catholic  confession. 

2.  The  bond  of  a  catholic  oath. 

3.  The  vow  by  a  catholic  sacrament. 

4.  The  indiction  of  catholic  prayers,  to  be  used  for 


the  prosperous  success  of  the  catholic  cause  in  Eng- 
land. 

But  I  may  be  short  in  the  catastrophe  of  this  whole 
danger,  as  God  was  sudden  in  his  exceeding  great 
mercies  to  us.  '  The  nets  were  broken,  and  we  escaped 
as  a  whole  nest  of  birds  from  the  hands  of  the  fowler.' 
Never  was  there  day  wherein  God  did  so  great  things 
for  this  land  as  on  that  day ;  never  did  the  sun  shine  in 
more  perfect  strength  upon  this  church  than  on  that 
day,  which  God  crowned  with  our  deliverance. 

1.  It  was  and  is  a  good  use  of  this  mercy  to  fill  our 
mouths  with  laughter  and  our  tongues  with  joy ;  but 
that  must  not  be  all. 

2.  We  must  tell  the  people  what  things  he  hath 
done ;  and  once  a-year,  at  least,  we  must  say,  *  This 
is  the  day  that  the  Lord  hath  made,'  exultemm  et 
Itetemur,  and  his  praise  must  be  in  our  mouths ;  we 
must  give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  to  his  name, 
and  praise  him  according  to  his  excellent  greatness. 

3.  But  that  is  not  all.  We  must,  being  delivered 
from  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  serve  him  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  before  him  all  the  days  of  our  life, 
and  remember  that  if  we  do  wickedly,  we  shall  perish, 
we  and  our  king. 

4.  But  that  is  not  all.  We  must  pray  also  for  the 
peace  of  our  Jerusalem,  for  we  shall  prosper  if  we  love 
it.  For  our  brethren  and  companions'  sake  in  the 
common  faith,  we  must  wish  it  now  prosperity ;  for 
the  house  of  God's  sake,  we  must  seek  to  do  it  good. 

5.  But  this  is  not  all.  We  must  cast  out  the  bond- 
woman and  her  son,  that  is,  the  superstition  of  the 
bloody  church  of  Rome.  I  may  safely  persuade  thus 
far  every  one  of  us  out  of  his  own  heart,  and  thus  far 
we  may  go  without  ourselves  to  let  our  Ught  shine 
before  men,  that  in  our  light  they  may  see  light.  The 
minister  may  go  further,  for  he  hath  the  warrant  of  a 
lawful  calling  to  reprove  the  works  of  darkness  openly, 
and  to  convince  heresies,  and  to  warn  men  to  take 
heed  of  the  leaven  of  the  scribes  and  pharisees.  The 
magistrate  may  go  further,  to  execute  the  just  laws  of 
our  land  upon  such,  and  let  him  see  to  it  that  he  bear 
not  the  sword  of  God  in  vain.  The  sovereign  de- 
fender of  the  faith  amongst  us  beareth  that  high  title, 
which  is  proper  to  all  godly  kings,  to  this  end  account- 
able to  none  but  God  for  his  vicegerency  herein. 


Yer.  8.   Was  the  Lord  displeased  against  the  rivers? 
was  thine  anger  against  the  rivers?   was   thy   lorai^ 

279 


192 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


I 


against  the  sea,  that  thou  didst  ride  upon  thy  horses, 
or  thy  chariot  of  salvation  ? 

Now  he  proceedeth  to  commemorate  the  wonderful 
things  that  declared  God  a  friend  to  his  people,  in  their 
safe  conduct  to  the  land  of  promise. 

1.  The  power  of  God  shewed  in  the  waters  :  1.  He 
made  a  passage  for  his  Israel  through  the  Red  Sea,  as 
on  dry  land,  to  bring  them  out  of  Egypt. 

2.  He  made  a  passage  through  Jordan,  the  river 
turned  back,  and  gave  them  way  to  pass  over  into  the 
land  of  promise. 

The  words  of  my  text  are  easy. 

Doth  any  man  conceive  that  God  did  take  any  spleen 
at  the  river  of  Jordan,  that  he  drove  it  back  ;  or  that 
he  was  angry  with  the  sea,  that  he  made  dry  land  to 
appear  ?  Surely  God  was  not  moved  thereto  from  any 
fury  against  the  creatures,  which  keep  their  course 
according  to  his  appointments. 

And  he  saith,  that  God  did  ride  upon  his  horses, 
poetically  and  figuratively  expressing  God  in  state, 
*  riding  on,'  as  the  psalmist  saith,  '  prosperously.' 
And  he  calleth  the  protection  of  God  '  the  chariots  of 
salvation,'  because  God  took  them  up  to  him  to  pre- 
serve them. 

And  this  is  well  expounded  in  the  next  words,  in  a 
new  figure. 


Ver.  9.  Thy  how  was  made  quite  naked,  according 
io  the  oaths  of  the  tribes,  even  thy  word.  Selah.  Thou 
didst  cleave  the  earth  with  rivers. 

For  here  by  the  bow  of  God  is  meant  the  armour 
wherewith  God  is  furnished  for  the  defence  of  his 
church.  This  bow  is  therefore  said  to  be  made  quite 
naked,  because  then  God  declared  that  all  the  won- 
ders which  he  did  in  the  division  of  the  waters  of  the 
Red  Sea,  and  of  Jordan,  were  wrought  for  the  preser- 
vation of  his  church. 

This  bow  he  always  had,  that  is,  this  strength  for 
his  church,  but  then  he  made  it  so  naked,  that  the 
Egyptians  cried.  Let  us  fly  from  Israel ;  and  the  tents 
of  Cushan  were  afilicted,  and  the  curtains  of  Midian 
trembled  to  see  this  bow  of  the  Lord. 

Abraham  saw  this  bow,  but  in  the  case,  for  it  was 
under  promise.  The  patriarchs  saw  it  somewhat 
nearer  hand,  but  yet  not  uncased.  In  the  deliverance 
from  Egypt,  it  began  to  be  drawn  out ;  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  land  of  Canaan,  it  was  made  quite  naked, 
and  this  was  done  '  according  to  the  oaths  of  the 
280 


tribes,  even  thy  word ;'  that  is,  all  this  was  done  that 
thou  mightest  make  good  thy  word,  whereby  thou 
hadst  sworn  to  give  this  land  to  the  tribes.  The  oath 
of  God  was  sworn  to  Abraham,  as  Zacharias  remem- 
bereth  it :  Luke  i.  72,  73,  '  To  perform  the  mercy 
promised  to  our  fathers,  and  to  remember  his  holy 
covenant.  The  oath  which  he  sware  to  our  father 
Abraham.' 

Selah  is  a  rest  for  meditation,  for  admiration ;  it  is 
a  confession  of  the  goodness  of  God. 

Thou  didst  cleave  the  earth  ivith  rivers.  This  was 
another  of  God's  water-works. 

Tremellius  and  Junius  read  thus :  jlumina  diffidisti 
terra  ;  and  so  it  is  no  more  but  what  before  he  said, 
more  plainly  expressed,  that  he  clave  the  waters  to 
make  way  for  passage. 

And  to  omit  the  various  opinions  of  men  concerning 
this  wonderful  work  of  God,  I  think  it  hath  special 
reference  to  that  story,  where  the  people  of  Israel  upon 
the  way  almost  perishing  with  thirst,  Num.  xx.  11,  and 
therefore  murmuring,  Moses  struck  the  rock,  which 
by  the  commandment  he  should  only  have  spoken  to, 
and  the  waters  gushed  out,  and  cut  themselves  a 
channel,  which  here  is  called  cleaving  of  the  earth 
with  rivers. 

Here  was  a  double  miracle  :  one  in  giving  the  water 
out  of  the  rock,  whence  formerly  none  have  issued  ; 
another  in  the  continuance  of  this  full  stream,  running 
along  the  way  of  their  journey  in  the  wilderness,  to 
supply  them.  So  the  psalmist  saith,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  16, 
'  He  brought  streams  also  out  of  the  rock,  and  caused 
waters  to  run  down  like  rivers.' 

These  words  do  contain  three  parts: 

1.  The  wonders  which  God  shewed  in  the  waters. 

2.  The  motive  that  induced  him. 

3.  The  argument  drawn  from  hence. 

1.  The  wonders  here  mentioned  are  three. 

1.  He  nameth  the  last  as  freshest  in  memory,  the 
division  of  the  waters  of  Jordan,  to  give  way  to  the 
passage  of  Israel  into  the  promised  land. 

2.  He  nameth  the  first,  the  cutting  of  a  passage 
through  the  Red  Sea,  to  bring  Israel  out  of  Egypt. 

3.  He  nameth  the  miracle  of  giving  his  people 
water  out  of  the  rock,  and  leading  the  stream  along 
with  the  host. 

2.  The  motive  that  induced  him.  1.  Affirmative; 
2.  Negative. 

Affirm.  1.  There  was  internus  motor,  the  inward 
motive,  his  love  to  Israel,  and  his  care  to  preserve 


Ver.  9.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKX7K. 


193 


them,  which  is  expressed  in  his  riding  on  the  chariots 
of  salvation. 

2.  There  was  externum  motivum,  the  outward  mo- 
tive, and  that  was  the  oaths  of  the  tribes,  even  his 
word  which  he  had  put  to  Abraham  for  that  land. 

Neg.  2.  Non  iratus,  I  am  not  angry. 

8.  The  argument  drawn  from  hence. 

God  hath  shewed  himself  marvellous  to  Israel :  in 
ea-itii,  in  their  going  forth,  then  he  divided  the  sea 
for  them ;  in  via,  in  their  way,  then  he  made  rivers 
to  run  in  dry  places  after  them  ;  in  introitu,  in  their 
entrance,  then  he  divided  Jordan  for  them. 

Therefore  we  may  trust  in  him,  and  commit  our- 
selves to  his  care  ;  he  will  never  leave  us,  nor  for- 
sake us. 

1.  Of  the  wonders  shewed  in  the  waters,  and  therein, 

(1.)  Of  the  division  of  Jordan. 

This  was  a  great  wonder :  the  story  of  it  is  recorded 
so ;  for  the  day  before  it  was  doae,  Joshua  said  to  the 
people.  Josh.  iii.  0,  '  Sanctify  yourselves  :  for  to-mor- 
row the  Lord  will  do  wonders  among  you.'  Yea,  God 
himself  said  to  Joshua,  ver.  7,  '  This  day  will  I  mag- 
nify thee  in  the  sight  of  aU  Israel,  that  they  may  know 
that,  as  I  was  with  Moses,  so  will  I  be]  with  thee.' 
The  wonder  is  set  down  thus  :  ver.  15,  16,  'No  sooner 
did  the  feet  of  the  priests  which  bare  the  ark,  dip  in 
the  brim  of  the  water,  but  the  waters  that  came  down 
from  above  stood,  and  rose  up  upon  an  heap  very  far 
from  the  city  Adam,  that  is  beside  Zaretan :  and 
those  that  came  down  from  the  sea  of  the  plain,  even  the 
salt  sea,  failed,  and  were  cut  off;  and  the  people  passed 
over  right  against  Jericho.'  This  was  so  great  a  won- 
der, that  we  read,  Joshua  v.  1,  '  When  all  the  kings^of 
the  Amorites,  which  were  on  the  side  of  Jordan  west- 
ward, and  all  the  kings  of  the  Canaanites  which  were 
by  the  sea,  heard  that  the  Lord  had  dried  up  the  wa- 
ters of  Jordan  from  before  the  children  of  Israel,  until 
we  were  passed  over,  that  their  hearts  melted  ;  neither 
was  there  spirit  in  them  any  more,  because  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.'  And  the  psalmist  doth  celebrate  the 
praises  of  God  for  the  same,  with  poetical  strains  of 
divine  rapture.  He  putteth  both  together,  as  this  our 
psalmist  doth,  both  that  of  the  Red  Sea  and  this  of  Jor- 
dan :  Ps.  cxiv.  1-3,  '  The  sea  saw  that  and  fled'  (i.  e. 
it  saw  that  when  Israel  came  out  of  Egypt,  Judah  was 
his  sanctuary,  and  Israel  his  dominion).  '  Jordan 
was  driven  back.  What  ailed  thee,  0  sea,  that 
thou  fleddest  ?  thou  Jordan,  that  thou  wast  turned 
back  ?' 


The  things  most  remarkable  in  that  wonderful  work 
of  God  were  these  : 

1.  That  the  waters  of  so  great  a  river  as  Jordan 
should  recoil  towards  their  head ;  for  water,  being  a 
ponderous  body,  doth  naturally  fall  downward,  and 
seeketh  still  the  lower  place  ;  but  God  did  make  a  wall 
of  water  to  stop  the  decourse  of  the  stream,  which  was 
a  work  against  nature  ;  for  the  other  part  of  the  stream 
ran  on,  and  left  the  land  dry. 

2.  The  second  wonder  was  the  means  that  God  used 
to  accomplish  this  great  work ;  for  the  priests  that 
bear  the  ark  must  set  the  first  foot  into  the  river ;  for 
God  said,  Joshua  iii.  13,  'As  soon  as  the  soles  of 
the  feet  of  the  priests  that  bear  the  ark  of  the  Lord, 
the  Lord  of  all  the  eai-th,  shall  rest  in  the  waters  of 
Jordan,  the  waters  of  Jordan  shall  be  cut  off,'  &c. 

Here  was  the  ark,  the  sacrament  visible  of  God's 
invisible  presence,  and  the  priests  of  the  Lord  bearing 
it ;  they  had  the  warrant  of  God's  word  to  attempt 
this  passage,  and  they  did  not  so  much  as  wet  their 
feet  in  that  river.  Xo  sooner  did  the  soles  of  their 
feet  touch  the  waters,  but  they  fled  from  the  Lord,  not 
from  the  priests,  yet  from  the  priests  as  the  Lord's 
instruments ;  not  that  any  virtue  or  efficacy  was  in 
the  feet  of  the  priests,  the  virtue  was  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  God's  presence,  the  ark  which  they  carried 
upon  their  shoulders ;  neither  was  the  virtue  of  that 
wonder  in  the  sacrament  efficiently  and  primarily,  but 
mediately  and  instrumentally.  It  was  the  work  of 
the  Lord  of  all  the  earth,  whose  sacrament  was  the 
ark,  whose  servants  the  priests. 

3.  A  third  wonder  was  the  faith  of  the  priests  that 
did  bear  the  ark,  who  could  believe  a  thing  ip  nature 
so  impossible,  in  reason  so  improbable,  that  they  durst 
attempt  it  both  in  regard  of  their  own  persons,  but 
especially  of  the  ark  of  God  which  they  did  bear. 
Moses  wanted  faith  in  a  less  matter ;  when  God  bade 
him  only  speak  to  the  rock,  he  smote  it  twice :  once 
in  vain,  to  punish  his  unbelief ;  once  with  success,  to 
fulfil  God's  promise.  Yet  the  priests  believed  faith- 
fully and  obeyed  willingly,  and  did  not  debate  the 
matter  anxiously,  or  go  on  timorously. 

4.  A  fourth  wonder  was  in  the  time,  for  it  was  '  in 
the  time  of  the  harvest,  when  Jordan  overfloweth  all 
the  banks,'  Joshua  iii.  15,  when  there  was  a  great 
deal  more  river  than  channel ;  and  the  more  water  the 
more  wonder. 

5.  We  may  add  hereto  a  fifth,  that  when  all  the 
people  were  passed  over,  Joshua  did  command  twelve 

281 


194 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK, 


[Chap.  III. 


men,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man,  to  return  back  again 
into  the  midst  of  the  channel,  Joshua  iv.  5  ;  aud  they 
were  not  priests  but  laymen,  and  they  were  not  to 
follow  the  ark,  but  to  go  before  it,  and  from  thence 
they  must  every  man  bring  upon  his  shoulder  a  stone  ; 
and  those  were  set  up  in  Gilgal  for  a  monument  of 
this  passage,  for  the  memorial  thereof  to  their  children. 

6.  The  last  wonder  was,  that  when  the  twelve  men 
returned  from  the  midst  of  the  channel  of  Jordan  to 
the  land  which  was  for  them  to  dwell  in,  the  priests 
following  them  with  the  ark  of  God,  the  soles  of  their 
feet  were  no  sooner  lifted  upon  the  dry  land,  but,  Josh. 
iv.  18,  *  the  waters  of  Jordan  returned  to  their  place, 
and  flowed  over  all  his  banks,  as  they  did  before,' 

But  he  names  rivers  in  my  text ;  so  further,  this 
mention  of  the  rivers  is  yet  referred  to  a  former  story, 
wherein  God  declared  his  power  in  the  rivers  of  the 
Egyptians,  and  that  not  improperly,  because  then  the 
people  were  in  the  house  of  bondage,  and  the  fu'st 
plague  which  God  put  upon  the  Egyptians  was  this  : 
Exod.  vii.  20,  'All  the  waters  were  turned  into 
blood ;  the  fish  died,  and  the  waters  stank.' 

It  may  also  renew  the  memory  of  two  more  pas- 
sages over  Jordan :  one  of  Elijah,  2  Kings  ii.  8,  who 
'  took  his  mantle,  and  wrapped  it  together,  and  smote 
the  waters  ;  and  they  were  divided  hither  and  thither, 
so  that  they  two  went  over  on  dry  land  ;'  another  of 
Elisha,  ver.  14,  who  '  took  up  the  mantle  of  Elijah, 
and  stood  by  the  river  of  Jordan,  and  said.  Where  is 
the  Lord  God  of  Elijah  ?  and  smote  the  water,  and 
it  parted  hither  and  thither  ;  and  Elisha  passed  over.' 

(2.)  In  the  next  place,  he  remembereth  the  sea, 
meaning  the  Eed  Sea,  and  God's  riding  through  it, 
and  conducting  his  Israel  through  the  midst  of  it. 
The  story  of  it  is  recorded  by  Moses,  Exod.  xiv.  16. 
And  there  are  many  wonders  in  it. 

1.  The  danger  that  Israel  was  in  :  the  Egyptians 
behind  them,  with  power  and  fury  to  destroy  them  ; 
the  sea  before  them,  to  swallow  them.  God  opened 
them  a  passage  through  the  sea  to  save  them  from  the 
overtaking  of  their  enemies,  and  to  lead  them  to  the 
next  shore,  a  wonderful  help  in  extremity  of  danger. 

2.  Another  wonder,  that  God  rather  used  Moses 
and  his  rod  than  his  own  word  in  the  parting  of  the 
waters  of  the  sea,  Exod.  xiv.  16.  For  using  the  minis- 
try and  service  of  men  in  his  great  and  extraordinarj'^ 
operations,  he  doth  honom*  to  men  therein.  As  he 
said  to  Joshua,  chap.  iii.  7,  *  This  day  will  I  begin  to 
magnify  thee  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel,  that  they  may 

282 


know  that  as  I  was  with  Moses,  so  I  will  be  with  thee.' 
So  the  psalmist  saith,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  20,  '  Thou  leadest 
thy  people  like  sheep  by  the  hand  of  Moses  and 
Aaron.  It  is  well  observed  of  Master  Calvin,  Mini- 
stros  simul  commetidat,  quibus  tarn  honorijicum  munus 
Deiis  injunxit. 

So  in  the  gospel,  Christ  hath  honoured  his  ministers, 
to  whom  he  hath  committed  the  office  of  the  ministry 
of  reconciliation ;  teaching  by  them,  baptizing  by  them, 
binding  and  loosening  by  them  ;  for  though  he  do  all 
these  things  himself,  as  he  saith,  sine  me  nihil  j)otestis 
facere,  '  without  me  you  can  do  nothing,'  yet  he  will 
do  nothing  ordinarily  in  these  things  without  us,  be- 
cause this  is  his  ordinance  and  the  established  con- 
stitution in  his  church. 

3.  As  he  used  the  ministry  of  Moses  in  this  great 
work  of  dividing  the  sea,  Exod.  xiv.  21,  so  did  he  also 
use  the  service  of  an  east  wind  all  the  night  to  drive 
back  the  waters,  that  dry  land  might  appear.  This 
abated  nothing  of  the  honour  of  God,  that  he  used  the 
service  of  his  creatures ;  neither  can  this  separation 
of  the  waters  be  therefore  ascribed  to  some  natural 
causes,  seeing  this  wind  was  miraculously  sent  of 
God  to  this  purpose. 

Some  enemies  of  God  have  slandered  this  miracle, 
and  said  that  the  passage  of  Israel  was  but  an  ad- 
vantage taken  of  an  extraordinary  neap  tide  ;  which 
turns  the  truth  into  a  lie,  for  it  is  here  added  that  the 
waters  were  a  wall  on  both  sides  of  them.  The 
work  itself  of  dividing  the  sea,  that  was  the  greatest. 
What  is  the  rod  of  Moses,  or  the  force  of  an  east  wind, 
to  part  the  waters  in  two,  and  to  cut  out  a  lane  of  dry 
land  in  the  midst  of  the  sea  for  such  an  army  to  pass 
through  on  foot ;  to  make  the  waters,  a  fluent  and 
liquid  element,  to  stand  on  both  sides  as  a  wall  and 
fence  to  their  passage  ! 

Yet  I  must  tell  you  that  many  learned  have  believed 
and  written  that  the  waters  of  the  sea  were  divided  in 
twelve  places,  and  twelve  lanes  cut  out  for  the  twelve 
tribes  to  pass  over,  every  of  the  tribes  apart,  and  by 
himself.  And  this  was  the  tradition  of  the  Hebrews, 
as  St  Origen  *  upon  this  place  affirmeth. 

Audivi  a  majoribus  traditum  quod  in  ista  digrcssione 
maris,  singulis  quibusque  tribubus  filiormn  Isr.  singula 
aquarum  divisiones  factce  sint,  et  propria  unicuique  tri- 
bui  in  mari  aperta  sit  via.  And  for  proof,  he  allegeth 
the  words  of  the  psalm  :  Ps.  exxxvi.  13,  'He  divided 
the  Red  Sea  into  parts  ;'  it  is  rendered  '  in  divisions,' 
*  Horn.  V.  in  Exod, 


Ver.  9.] 


JVIAEBURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


195 


implving  more  than  one  division.  I  say  with  St 
Origen,  Hcec  d  majoribus  observata  in  Scripturis  divinis 
religiosum  credidi  non  tacere. 

Bat  though  this  do  much  advance  the  glory  of  God's 
power,  yet  because  it  is  not  recorded  in  this  story  of 
the  passage,  we  need  not  admit  it ;  and  against  it  I 
find  that  the  place  alleged  will  not  carry  it  through. 
For  the  same  word  which  is  used  to  express  the 
division  of  the  waters  in  this  story  is  used  by  Moses 
in  the  story  of  Abraham,  Gen.  xv.  9,  10,  who,  by  the 
commandment  of  God,  took  a  young  heifer,  a  she-goat, 
a  ram,  a  turtle  dove,  and  a  young  pigeon,  and  divided 
them  in  the  midst,  and  laid  each  piece  one  against 
another.  Here  was  a  division  made,  but  into  two 
parts  only,  yet  it  is  said  after  that,  '  Behold,  a  smok- 
ing furnace  and  a  lamp  of  fire  passed  between  those 
pieces.'  The  word  is  the  same,  DntJn,  yet  the  division 
was  but  into  two  ;  no  doubt  that  story  would  not  have 
concealed  so  great  an  addition  to  the  wonder,  so  much 
serving  to  set  forth  the  glory  of  God. 

The  Lord  sufficiently  shewed  his  church  that  all 
things  serve  him,  and  they  had  as  good  cause  as  those 
in  the  Gospel  to  have  said,  *  Who  is  this,  that  both 
winds  and  sea  obey  him  ?' 

5.  Another  wonder  was  the  hand  of  God  drawincr 
the  Egyptians,  Pharaoh,  and  his  host  after  Israel  into 
the  sea ;  for  God  hath  taken  it  upon  himself  that  this 
was  his  own  doing  :  Exod.  xiv.  17,  18,  '  And  I,  be- 
hold, I  will  harden  the  hearts  of  the  Egyptians,  and 
they  shall  follow  them  :  and  I  will  get  me  honour 
upon  Pharaoh,  and  upon  all  his  host,  upon  his  cha- 
riots, and  upon  his  horsemen.  And  the  Egyptians 
shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord.'  They,  no  doubt, 
had  their  own  ends  in  this,  for,  as  St  James  saith, 
chap.  i.  14,  '  every  man  is  tempted  when  he  is  drawn 
of  his  own  lust,  and  is  enticed.' 

They  had  their  own  motives  to  draw  them  into  this 
mischief : 

1.  Their  desire  to  recover  the  Israelites  to  theii-  ser- 
vice, whom  they  held  so  long  vassals  to  them. 

2.  They  had  also  a  desire  to  recover  from  them  the 
wealth  of  Egypt,  which  they  had  improvidently  parted 
with  to  the  Israehtes. 

3.  Their  desire  of  revenge,  to  punish  this  flight  and 
this  robbery  of  the  Egyptians. 

4.  Their  error,  who  thought  they  might  pass  as 
safely  after  Israel  as  Israel  went  before,  as  Josephus 
speaks  for  them. 

These  motives  grew  within  themselves,  and  they 


were  their  own  lusts;  but  God  gave  them  over  to 
these  lusts  and  desires,  of  purpose  to  prmish  their 
cruelty  to  his  people,  and  to  make  his  name  glorious 
in  the  deliverance  of  his  church,  and  in  the  conquest 
of  the  enemies  thereof.  It  is  revenge  enough  in  God 
upon  man  to  leave  him  to  his  own  ways,  for  they  lead 
him  to  destruction. 

Some  heathen  writers  have  charged  all  this  wonder 
of  the  escape  of  Israel,  and  of  the  passage  through  the 
sea  upon  Moses,  who  by  art  magic  they  say  did  all 
this.  But  could  he  by  that  art  work  upon  the  affec- 
tions and  wills  of  king  Pharaoh  and  all  his  people,  to 
force  them  after  Israel  into  the  Bed  Sea  ?  The  most 
that  we  read  of  Moses  concerning  any  art  in  natural 
philosophy  is,  that  Moses  was  brought  up  in  all  the 
wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  and  no  man  thinketh  that 
he  got  all  their  wisdom  from  them  :  how,  then,  did 
not  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians  at  time  serve  the 
Egyptians  themselves  when  this  was  done  ? 

6.  Another  memorable  miracle  of  this  passage  was, 
that  before  all  Israel  had  recovered  the  further  shore, 
the  same  passage  was  safe  to  Israel,  and  pernicious 
and  fatal  to  the  Egyptians  ;   which  appeared, 

(1.)  Because  God  did  not  let  the  waters  come  toge- 
ther to  hinder  the  Egyptians'  pursuit,  but  kept  them 
divided  till  they  were^all  within  the  verge  of  the  sea  ; 
for  this  God  could  have  done,  as  it  after  foUoweth. 

(2.)  That  to  hinder  their  journey  of  pursuit,  God 
turned  the  pillar  of  cloud  behind  Israel,  between  them 
and  the  Egyptian?,  so  that  Israel  led  the  way  by 
a  clear  light,  the  Egyptians  followed  them  in  the 
dark. 

(3.)  That  their  chariot  wheels  were  smitten  off  in 
the  night,  so  that  they  drove  uneasily. 

(4.)  That  the  waters  came  together  upon  their  con- 
sultation to  return,  and  drowned  them  all,  before  all 
the  children  of  Israel  had  recovered  the  further  shore. 

7.  The  last  memorable  wonder  was  the  casting  up 
of  the  bodies  of  the  Egyptians  upon  the  further  shore 
which  Israel  had  recovered,  and  whereon  they  pitched, 
to  make  good  the  word  of  Moses,  '  You  shall  see  them 
no  more,'  that  is,  living,  to  terrify  you.  Thus  Israel 
saw  what  God  had  done  for  them,  and  their  eye  had 
its  desire  against  their  enemies. 

All  these  be  thinpfs  worth  remembering. 

3.  He  addeth  another  wonderful  mercy  in  '  cleaving 
the  earth  with  rivers,'  which  hath  reference,  as  you 
have  heard,  to  Num.  xx.  11,  in  which,  1,  it  is  won- 
derful that  God,  hearing  the  murmur  of  his  people  for 

283 


196 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


want  of  water,  had  not  punished  their  sin  with  present 
death,  but  did  choose  rather  to  give  them  their  hearts' 
desire,  and  to  satisfy  them  with  water. 

2.  That  he  made  the  rock  to  yield  them  water, 
which  did  not  naturally,  but  by  virtue  of  his  word. 

8.  That  it  should  have  been  done  so  easily  as  by 
a  word  of  Moses  ;  that  it  was  done  so  easily  as  by 
twice  smiting. 

4.  That  those  waters  did  follow  the  host  to  relieve 
it  all  the  way  of  their  journey,  till  they  had  other 
supply,  as  also  the  manna  did  till  they  came  to  come 
in  Canaan  ;  so  these  waters  ran  into  no^sea. 

5.  That  these  rivers  dried  up  after  Israel,  and  no 
show  of  any  river  ever  since,  where  these  waters  ran 
in  diy  places,  to  shew  who  ordained  that  stream,  and 
for  whom. 

Though  God  hath  had  his  praise  for  all  the  things 
before,  yet  they  desire  canticum  novum,  a  new  song, 
and  here  it  is  work  for  the  rector  chori. 

2.  The  motive  that  induced  God  to  do  all  this  for 
his  people  expressed  in  two  things,  intemus  motor : 

(1.)  His  desire  of  the  preservation  of  his  Israel, 
*  for  he  did  ride  upon  his  horses  and  chariots  of  sal- 
vation.' Pharaoh  followed  Israel  into  the  Red  Sea 
on  horses  and  in  chariots  ;  these  were  the  horses  and 
chariots  of  destruction :  God  took  off  their  wheels,  and 
they  failed  in  their  speed.  But  God  went  forth  with 
salvation  ;  Israel  could  not  but  see  in  all  these  won- 
derful works  of  God  that  God  was  for  them. 

1.  In  their  setting  forth,  to  bring  them  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage,  even  through  the  sea. 

2.  In  the  way  of  their  journey,  to  quench  their  thirst 
in  the  dry  and  unwatered  wilderness. 

8.  At  their  journey's  end,  to  open  them  a  passage 
into  the  promised  land  through  Jordan. 

Israel  is  a  type  of  the  catholic  church  of  God  on 
earth,  and  their  passage  from  Egypt  to  Canaan  is  a 
type  of  our  passage  from  the  womb  to  heaven ;  and 
God  is  the  same :  his  church  is  as  dear  to  him  as  ever 
it  was,  and  he  hath  taken  upon  him  the  care  of  it. 

He  is  called  by  Job  *  the  preserver  of  men,'  espe- 
cially of  his  elect. 

Here  are  only  mentioned  three  of  the  most  eminent 
wonders  of  God ;  there  were  many  more  which  David 
repeated,  Ps.  cv.  and  cvi.  All  these  were  the  effects 
of  the  free  favour  of  God  to  his  people,  whereby  he 
got  the  name  of  a  Saviour,  Ps.  cvi.  21.  And  the 
psalmist  prayeth,  ver.  4,  '  Remember  me,  0  Lord, 
with  the  favour  that  thou  bearest  to  thy  people,  0 
284 


visit  me  with  thy  salvation.'  This  was  a  singular 
favour,  for  he  saith  also,  Non  fecit  talker,  he  did  not 
so  to  any  nation.  Ver.  5,  '  That  I  may  see  the  good 
of  thy  chosen,  that  I  may  rejoice  in  the  gladness  of 
thy  nation,  that  I  may  glory  with  thine  inheritance  ;' 
for  this  favour  of  God  to  his  church  is  a  special  grace 
above  his  universal  protection.  This  it  is  that  the 
spouse  of  Christ  doth  pray  for.  Cant.  viii.  6,  '  Set  me 
as  a  seal  on  thy  heart,  and  as  a  signet  upon  thine 
arm.'  That  wish  of  the  church  then  was  thus,  and  is 
now,  an  article  of  faith ;  that  was  then  prayer,  and 
now  is  our  creed. 

But  much  more  evidently  hath  this  eternal  love  of 
God  to  his  church  in  Christ  Jesus  shewed  itself,  since 
Christ  our  Saviour  was  made  manifest  in  the  flesh, 
and  much  more  hath  it  extended  and  dilated  itself, 
since  he  was  believed  on  of  the  Gentiles,  and  preached 
to  the  world.  For  when  God  once  had  fitted  him 
with  a  body,  and  therewith  had  given  him  a  heart 
like  ours,  and  such  an  arm  as  we  have,  and  such 
hands,  it  hath  been  more  discerned  how  we  were  set 
as  a  seal  upon  that  heart,  how  we  are  worn  upon  that 
arm,  how  we  are  engraven  in  the  palms  of  those 
hands  ;  for  that  heart  was  pierced  with  a  spear,  those 
hands  were  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  these  be  the 
stamps  and  characters  of  his  love  to  us. 

And  as  the  affection  of  love  is  noted  to  be  most 
vehement  iu  a  woman,  as  David  doth  imply  when  he 
bewailed  Jonathan's  death,  2  Sam.  i.  26,  '  Thy  love 
to  me  was  wonderful,  passing  the  love  of  women,'  so 
our  Saviour,  to  take  upon  him  this  affection  in  the 
dearest  tenderness,  and  most  intense  measure  and 
degree,  is  said  to  be  made  of  a  woman,  and  she  a 
virgin,  Gal.  iv.  4.  And  that  sin  might  not  corrupt 
this  affection  or  harden  the  heart,  he  was  conce|ived 
by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  church  doth  well  to  remember  this  interest  that 
God  gave  them  in  this  land,  for  thereout  suck  they 
no  small  advantage.  This  calls  God  the  God  of  Israel, 
and  it  calls  Israel  God's  peculiar  people.  This  doth 
spread  the  wings  of  this  hen  over  all  her  chickens,  and 
gathereth  them  together  under  the  same ;  it  makes 
them  room  in  the  bosom  of  God. 

2.  Another  motive  was  the  oaths  of  the  tribes,  even 
God's  word,  that  is,  the  covenant  of  God  made  with 
Abraham  and  his  seed  ;  for  so  the  psalmist  doth  ex- 
press it :  Ps.  cv.  8-10,  '  He  hath  remembered  his 
covenant  for  ever,  the  word  that  he  commanded  to  a 
thousand  generations  :  which  covenant  ho  made  with 


Veb.  9.J 


MARBURY  ON  HARAKKtTK. 


197 


Abraham,  and  his  oath  unto  Isaac ;  and  confirmed  the 
same  unto  Jacob  for  a  law,  and  to  Israel  for  an  ever- 
lasting covenant.'  And  after  having  briefly  surveyed 
the  story  of  Israel's  deliverance  and  passage,  having 
recapitulated  the  coming  of  Israel  into  Egypt,  the 
plagues  of  Egypt,  their  coming  out  thence  with  the 
wealth  of  Egypt,  the  pillar  of  cloud,  the  pillar  of  fire, 
the  quails,  the  manna,  the  water  out  of  the  rock,  he 
gives  this  reason  of  all,  ver.  42,  '  For  he  remembered 
his  holy  promise,  and  Abraham  his  servant.' 

Of  this  oath  of  God,  the  author  to  the  Hebrews, 
chap.  vi.  13,  '  For  when  God  made  a  promise  to  Abra- 
ham, because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  sware 
by  himself,  saying.  Sorely  blessing  I  will  bless  thee, 
and  multiplying  I  will  multiply  thee.'  The  reason 
why  God  bound  himself  by  oath  followeth  :  ver.  17, 
'  Wherein  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  shew  unto 
the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel, 
confirmed  it  by  an  oath.' 

This  was  a  great  obUgation,  to  bind  God  to  this  per- 
formance ;  neither  doth  it  any  whit  abridge  his  own 
liberty,  but  that  he  remained  liherrimum  agens  still ; 
for  that  he  declared  therein  the  constancy  of  his 
decree,   which    was   y.ara   r7,v   ^oZXr,;/    ro\J   '^sXr,,'Maro; 

(2.)  Because,  as  I  have  shewed,  that  and  all  other 
God's  promises  have  reference  to  the  obedience  of  the 
people,  so  that  God  might  have  cancelled  this  obUga- 
tion upon  their  forfeiture  thereof  by  disobedience,  if 
he  had  pleased  ;  which  maketh  good  the  former  motive 
of  his  own  good  will  and  favour,  who,  notwithstanding 
their  many  provocations  and  rebellions,  yet  performed 
this  promise. 

2.  The  motive  is  negatively  set  down  ;  for  here  it 
is  expressed,  what  was  not  the  cause  of  these  wonder- 
ful waterworks ;  'Was  it'  (which  is  as  much  as  it  iras 
not)  •  because  the  Lord  was  displeased  at  the  rivers  ; 
it  was  not  because  his  wrath  was  against  the  sea.' 

To  part  the  sea  in  two,  to  divide  Jordan,  to  make 
rivers  run  a  while  in  full  stream  to  serve  his  people, 
was  no  displeasure  taken  at  these  elements.  God 
never  layeth  his  rod  upon  those  creatures  which  he 
hath  ordained  for  the  service  of  man,  but  to  punish 
man.  To  the  creature,  it  is  all  one  to  keep  the 
natural  order  of  creation,  or  to  sufier  supernatural 
alteration  ;  for  omnia  illi  servivnt,  all  things  do  serve 
him.  Was  God  angry  with  the  earth  when  he  cursed 
it  after  Adam's  fall ;  when  he  drowned  it,  after  it  grew 
full  of  cruelty  ? 


The  insensible  creatures  do  the  will  of  him  that 
made  them. 

It  is  recorded  as  a  blemish  to  that  mighty  king 
Xerxes,  *  that  he  foolishly  over- weened  his  power  in 
such  a  case.  For  being  to  pass  his  army  over  the 
Hellespont,  where  the  sea  was  about  seven  furlongs 
over,  he  caused  a  bridge  to  be  made  of  floating  vessels 
to  that  purpose.  But  a  great  tempest  arising,  and 
breaking  his  bridge,  when  he  heard  thereof,  he  was 
in  such  passion  at  the  sea,  that  he  commanded  it  to 
be  punished  with  three  hundred  stripes  ;  and  he  cast 
in  fetters  into  it  to  take  it  prisoner,  and  caused  these 
wise  words  to  be  spoken  to  it :  O  aqua  amara,  domi- 
mis  hanc  tibi  irrogat  lianain,  quod  eum  lasisti,  qui  de 
te  nihil  mali  meritus  es ;  te  tamen  rex  Xerxes,  velis 
noliuve,  transmittet. 

As  wisely,  either  he  himself,  or  as  Herodotus  re- 
porteth,f  CjTus  his  grandfather,  fell  out  with  the  river 
Gyndes  for  dro^Tiing  him  a  white  horse  ;  but  his  re- 
venge was  more  in  sight,  so  was  his  deliberate  furious 
folly.  For  he  set  his  army  a-work  to  cut  out  new 
channels,  and  divided  the  river  into  360  brooks  ;  itt 
a  nudieribus  ne  genua  tingentibus  transiri  possit. 

But  our  God  had  no  quarrel,  the  text  saith,  to 
these  inanimate  creatures  of  his,  which  were  so  at  his 
command.  The  church  here  doth  God  right,  to  con- 
fess the  true  motive  of  this  extraordinary  operation  of 
God  ;  so  here  is  a  double  confession  : 

1.  That  Tu,  Domine,fecisti,  thon,  Lord,  hast  done 
it. 

2.  That  he  did  it  for  such  a  cause. 

This  is  not  barely  avouched,  but  it  is  proved.  •  Thy 
bow  was  made  quite  naked,'  that  is,  thou  didst  let  all 
the  world  take  notice  of  thy  power,  and  strength,  and 
favour,  in  the  cause  of  thy  church.  At  the  coming  of 
God  in  great  majesty  and  glory  on  mount  Sinai  to  give 
the  law  before  mentioned,  there  was  absconsio  roboris, 
the  hiding  of  his  strength  ;  God  revealed  himself  then 
to  Israel  only,  but  these  three  great  wonders  here  con- 
fessed did  uncase  the  bow  of  God,  and  made  it  quite 
naked,  so  that  all  nations  might  take  knowledge  of 
the  arm  of  the  Lord,  and  might  give  testimony  to  the 
same. 

The  argument  drawn  from  hence  is  still  the  same, 
for  from  the  former  evidences  of  God's  great  power 
and  mercy  shewed,  and  openly  declared  unto  the 
church,  they  gather  comfort,  to  assure  themselves  of 

♦   Herod,  Polihim,  lib.,  Num.  173. 
t  Clio  xxxiv.,  Cjras. 

28$ 


198 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


the  favour  of  God  toward  them  in  this  captivity  in 
Babylon. 

They  know  and  beheve  that  the  hand  of  God  is  not 
shortened,  nor  his  arm  weakened,  but  that  he  who 
was  able  to  cut  a  way  for  them  through  the  sea,  and 
the  river  of  Jordan,  and  to  make  rivers  run  in  dry 
places,  to  relieve  their  fathers  in  the  wilderness,  is  still 
as  able  to  succour  them  in  that  captivity  against  the 
king  of  Babel  and  all  the  Chaldeans  ;  so  he  shewcth  by 
what  faith  the  just  shall  live  in  their  banishment, 
namely,  by  faith  grounded  on  the  power  and  wisdom 
and  love  of  God,  and  of  his  truth. 

The  doctrines  which  this  passage  affordeth  are 
these  : 

Doct.  1.  God  must  have  the  glory'of  his  own  great 
works. 

David  is  a  full  example  of  this  duty  ;  for,  1,  in  his 
own  case,  he  saith,  Ps.  Ixvi.  16,  *  Come  and  hear,  all 
ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done 
for  my  soul.' 

2.  He  stirreth  up  others  to  do  the  like,  even  in  this 
case  mentioned  in  my  text :  Ps.  Ixvi.  5,  6,  *  Come 
and  see  the  works  of  God  :  he  is  terrible  in  his  doings 
toward  the  children  of  men.  He  turned  the  sea  into 
dry  land  :  they  went  through  the  flood  on  foot ;  there 
did  we  rejoice  in  him.' 

Reason  1.  The  reason  hereof  is  in  sight ;  for  David 
saith,  '  this  honour  is  due  to  his  name.' 

We  have  two  debts  which  we  shall  ever  be  paying, 
and  yet  never  clear  with  our  creditors,  that  is,  of  praise 
to  God,  of  love  to  our  neighbours.  He  that  came  of 
purpose  into  the  world  to  pay  our  debts  hath  not 
wiped  off  this  score,  rather  he  hath  set  us  further  in 
debt. 

1.  To  our  brother.  If  God  so  loved  us  as  to  send 
his  Son  amongst  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another 
so  much  the  more. 

2.  To  himself.  David  saith,  '  The  loving-kindness 
of  the  Lord  is  ever  more  and  more  towards  us,'  there- 
fore, laus  ejus  ent  semper  in  ore  meo,  '  his  praise  shall 
be  ever  in  my  mouth.'  The  coming  of  Christ  amongst 
us  hath  made  it  more  and_more  seen  ;  for  therein  the 
bow  of  God  was  made  quite  naked. 

Reason  2.  We  must  do  God  this  right,  to  honour 
him  in  his  own  works,  because,  if  we  be  silent,  and 
do  not  our  duty  herein,  yet  David  saith,  Ps.  cxlv.  10, 
*  All  thy  works  shall  praise  thee,  0  Lord.' 

Reasoyi  3.  We  see  the  enemies  of  God  do  not  spare 
to  do  all  they  can  to  rob  God  of  his  glory ;  and  as 
286 


one  saith,    Vigilat  hostis,  et  tu   dormis  f  the  enemy 
waketh,  and  dost  thou  sleep  ? 

Some  gave  out  amongst  the  Egyptians  that  this 
passage  over  the  sea  on  dry  land  was  only  an  advan- 
tage taken  by  Moses  of  a  great  ebb  occasioned  by  an 
extraorciinary  wind,  which,  coming  off  the  land  at  the 
head  of  the  bay,  made  all  the  head  of  the  bay  dry  land 
for  many  miles  together  ;  but  the  text  is  against  that, 
for  it  sheweth  how  the  waters  were  a  wall  unto  them 
on  both  hands. 

Again,  the  waters  were  divided  by  an  east  wind,  but 
that  wind  blows  not  from  that  shore  ;  but  rather,  it 
should  have  been  a  northerly  wind.  Others  imputed 
this  to  Moses,  as  done  by  magical  arts,  which,  if  it 
had  been  so,  no  doubt  but  there  were  with  Pharaoh, 
of  his  magicians,  that  could,  in  the  learning  of  the 
Egyptians,  have  wrought  with  Moses  hand  to  hand. 

And  surely  that  is  the  reason  that  there  is  so  often 
mention  of  this  wonder  in  Scripture,  to  stir  up  all 
faithful  people  to  vindicate  the  honour  of  God  against 
the  depravers  thereof. 

Use  2.  This  admonisheth  us  both  to  the  hearing 
and  reading  the  story  of  the  Bible,  that  we  may  un- 
derstand what  the  Lord  hath  done  in  former  ages. 
God  himself  made  Abraham  so  much  of  his  counsel 
for  that,  because  he  knew  that  Abraham  would  teach 
his  children.  Gen.  xviii.  19.  And  for  that  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  passover  was  instituted,  for  that  it  might 
teach  their  children  after  them,  Exod.  xii.  26.  For 
this  were  the  twelve  stones  set  up  in  Gilgal,  Joshua 
iv.  21,  to  teach  the  story  of  the  passage  over  Jordan ; 
and  in  the  New  Testament,  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper  was  instituted  in  remembrance  of  Christ 
till  his  coming.  So  many  as  would  learn  matter 
enough  to  fill  their  mouths  with  the  praise  of  God,  let 
them  open  the  two  Testaments,  and  read  therein  ;  let 
them  hear  and  study  that  holy  story :  there  is  enough 
in  it  to  make  a  man  wise  to  salvation.  For  this  is 
your  wisdom  and  understanding,  to  know  the  Lord, 
and  to  serve  him,  and  to  honour  him ;  for  *  him 
that  honoureth  me,  I  will  honour,'  saith  our  God. 

Use  8.  This  reproveth  those  that  swallow  the 
gracious  favours  of  God  without  any  rehsh  or  taste 
of  them,  and  neither  consider  the  former  mercies  of 
God  nor  his  present  blessings  ;  that  live  like  brute 
beasts,  saying.  This  day  is  like  yesterday,  and  to- 
morrow will  be  like  this  day,  and  more  abundant; 
and  such  sensual  and  carnal  sons  of  nature  there  are, 
that  reap  benefits  where  they  never  sowed  prayera, 


Ver.  9.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


199 


and  gather  mercies  where  they  never  scattered  suppli- 
cations. 

Use  4.  This  chideth  the  Euchites  of  our  time,  that 
are  all  for  prayer,  and  they  never  give  God  rest  from 
petitions,  but,  like  the  nine  lepers,  when  they  are 
healed,  they  never  return  any  thanks. 

I  have  ever  commended  to  you  the  use  of  prayer ; 
it  is  a  special  part  of  God's  worship,  and  God  loves 
both  frequent  and  importunate  petitions ;  but  if  we 
part  praise  from  it,  and  do  not  join  thanksgiving  with 
supplication,  we  have  the  profit,  but  God  hath  not  the 
honour  of  his  own  favours.  All  our  care  must  not  be, 
Who  will  shew  us  any  good  ?  we  must  also  offer  to  him 
the  sacrifices  of  righteousness,  as  well  as  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord ;  for  quid  recipiam  we  must  have 
quod  retrihuam. 

Use  5.  Seeing  God  must  have  the  glory  of  his  own 
great  works,  we  must  take  the  pains  to  search  after  them ; 
not  only  content  ourselves  with  such  as  offer  them- 
selves to  our  consideration,  but  we  must  take  delight 
to  look  them  out.  So  David,  Ps.  cxi.  2-4,  '  The  works 
of  the  Lord  are  great,  sought  out  of  them  that  have 
pleasure  therein.  His  work  is  honourable  and  glorious, 
and  his  righteousness  endureth  for  ever.  He  hath 
made  his  wonderful  works  to  be  remembered.'  Which 
shews  that  our  praising  of  the  name  of  God  is  no  meri- 
torious act  of  free  will,  but  an  officious  service  due  to 
him  ;  and  it  is  a  great  injustice  in  yon  to  deny  it  to. 
him,  for  David  saith,  '  He  is  worthy  to  be  praised.' 

Use  6.  This  serveth  for  caution.  It  is  a  glory  to 
God  when  we  thankfully  remember  with  praise  the 
wonderful  works  that  he  hath  done  ;  but  it  is  no  honour 
to  him  at  all  when  we  report  of  him  more  than  he 
hath  done,  and  put  miracles  upon  him  that  he  never 
did. 

The  church  of  Rome  hath  long  had  a  busy  hand  in 
these  false  ascriptions.  The  golden  legend  of  worm- 
eaten  authority  amongst  them,  and  their  Speculum 
Exemplorum,  set  forth  by  John  Major,  a  Jesuit,  in 
anno  1607 ;  and  Cantipatranus,  a  Dominican  friar's 
full  volume  of  miracles,  set  forth  anno  1605,  tell  fine 
tales,  ridiculous  even  to  children ;  yet  the  implicit 
faith  of  papists  doth  swallow  all  for  canonical,  wherein 
God  is  dishonoured  with  human  inventions,  and  truth 
itself  with  lies.  Their  legends  of  their  Ladies  of 
Loretto  and  Hales  are  of  the  same  coinage ;  and  it  is 
the  policy  of  that  strumpet  of  Rome  to  keep  this  mint 
always  at  work,  to  amaze  the  ignorant  with  strange 
wonders.     But  I  say  unto  them  in  the  words  of  Job, 


chap.  xiii.  7,  '  Will  ye  speak  wickedly  for  God,  and 
talk  deceitfully  for  him  ? ' 

Gregory,  their  own  pope,  upon  these  words,  saith, 
Veritas  fulciri  non  qucerit  auxilio  fahitatis.  He  saith 
that  it  is  the  trick  of  heretics.  It  is,  I  am  sure,  the 
practice  of  papists ;  but  thou,  man  of  God,  fly  these 
things.     Truth  is  not  honoured  but  with  truth. 

Doct.  2.  We  must  search  out  and  confess  the  true 
cause  of  all  the  good  that  God  doth  to  us. 

It  is  Aristotle's  doctrine  in  his  Elenchus*  that  id 
quod  non  est  causa  ut  causam  ponere,  to  make  that  a 
cause  which  is  not,  is  a  capacious  and  sophistical  man- 
ner of  reasoning.  So  the  serpent  over-reached  Eve 
in  paradise ;  for  when  God  had  given  our  parents 
there  a  precise  law,  '  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  the  tree  in 
the  midst  of  the  garden,'  the  true  cause  why  God  put 
that  restraint  upon  them  was  to  try  their  obedience  to 
him  in  a  small  and  easy  precept,  forbidding  them  a 
thing  in  itself  good,  to  shew  his  reservation  of  his  own 
power,  to  awe  them.  So  saith  Saint  Gregory.f  But 
Satan,  tempting  the  woman  to  break  this  law,  and  to 
cast  off  this  light  burden  and  easy  yoke  of  God, 
suggested  another  cause  :  Gen.  iii.  5,  '  God  doth  know 
that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and 
evil ; '  as  if  God  had  dealt  too  sparingly  with  man  in 
the  communication  of  his  own  similitude  to  him,  and 
had  set  him  that  bar  to  keep  him  from  attaining  the 
perfection  thereof. 

So  Leah  deceived  herself,  for  when  God  gave  her 
Issachar,  her  first  son,  she  said.  Gen.  xxx.  18,  '  God 
hath  given  me  my  hire,  because  I  have  given  my 
maiden  to  my  husband.'  Wherein  she  deceived  her- 
self; for  by  adding  one  wife  more  to  the  number  of 
Jacob's  wives,  she  did  violate  the  state  of  matrimony, 
which  in  the  institution  was  in  these  words,  '  I  will 
make  him  a  help  meet  for  him,'  not  helps ;  and  so 
Adam  understood  it,  for  he  said.  Gen.  ii.  21,  *  A  man 
shall  forsake  father  and  mother,  and  cleave  to  his  wife ' 
(not  wives),  *  and  they  shall  be  one  flesh.'  "VMiich, 
lest  the  friends  of  polygamy  might  understand  of  many 
wives,  Christ,  citing  this  place,  addeth  by  way  of 
interpretation,  •  And  they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh,' 
Mat.  X.  8.  So  Saint  Paul  understood  it,  '  Two  shall 
be  one  flesh.'  So  the  prophet  Malachi  understood  it, 
for,  charging  his  people  with  this  sin  of  breach  of 
wedlock,  he  speaketh  as  to  one  man :  Mai.  ii,  14, 
'  Thou  hast  dealt  treacherously  against  the  wife 
*   Elenc.  i.  4.  f  ^or.  sixv.  10. 

287 


200 


MAKBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


of  thy  youth,  yet  is  she  thy  companion,  and  the 
wife  of  thy  covenant.  And  did  he  not  make  one  ? 
yet  had  he  the  excellency  of  spirit ;  and  wherefore 
one  ?     That  he  might  seek  a  godly  seed.' 

So  that  this  giving  of  her  maid  to  her  husband  was 
no  good  service  done  to  God,  that  she  should  expect 
wages  ;  it  was  rather  a  trespass  of  wedlock.  Howso- 
ever, it  pleased  God  to  dispense  with  it  in  the  fathers  of 
former  ages ;  but  our  rule  is,  Quomodofidt  in  principio  ? 
How  was  it  at  the  beginning  ?  for  we  know  that  he 
who  had  abundance  of  spirit  could  have  created  many 
wives  for  Adam  if  he  had  thought  it  fit ;  and  then,  for 
the  increase  of  the  seed  of  man,  and  the  speedy 
peopling  of  the  world,  there  was  more  need  of  poly- 
gamy than  was  ever  since. 

I  urge  the  fallacy  here,  Non  causa  pro  causa. 
So  Micah,  when  he  had  made  him  gods,  and  gotten 
a  priest  into  his  house,  flattered  himself.  Judges  xvii. 
13,  '  Now  I  know  that  the  Lord  will  do  me  'good, 
seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my  priest.'  ThisVas  ido- 
latry, one  of  the  greatest  provocations  of  God  to  anger 
that  could  be,  yet  he  would  flatter  himself  that  this 
would  turn  a  cause  of  his  well-doing. 

These  three  examples  do  sufficiently  open  our  sense 
to  perceive  the  cunning  of  this  fallacious  suggestion  in 
ourselves. 

The  doctrine  of  merit  which  the  church  of  Rome 
teacheth  is  a  natural  doctrine  ;  as  God  said  to  Cain, 
'  If  thou  do  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted  ?'  It  is 
true  that  God  accepteth  even  weak  services  from  us, 
but  as  we  say,  it  is  more  of  his  courtesy  than  our  de- 
serving. If  we  call  it  wages  that  he  giveth  us  in 
reward,  we  overween  our  own  works.  And  this  is  a 
special  sin  wherewith  God  doth  punish  the  sins  of  the 
ungodly  in  the  church  of  Rome,  the  seat  of  antichrist, 
as  the  apostle  plainly  describeth  it,  2  Thes.  ii.  11, 
'  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusions,  that  they 
should  believe  a  lie.'  They  beUeve  that  to  be  the 
cause  of  their  salvation  that  is  not. 

Reason.  The  reason  of  this  doctrine,  why  we  must 
fasten  upon  the  true  cause  of  God's  favour  to  us,  is, 
'because  faith,  not  rightly  grounded,  is  not  faith,  bat 
presumption. 

True  faith  can  find  no  rest  but  in  the  assurance  of 
God's  goodness  to  us.  God  doth  many  favours  to  the 
wicked  here  in  this  life,  which  he  doth  not  for  any 
love  that  he  beareth  to  them,  but  for  the  use  that  he 
maketh  of  them  to  whip  and  scourge  others  by  them ; 
as,  for  example,  God  to  Ezekiel,  chap.  xxix.  18-20, 
288 


*  Son  of  man,  Nebuchadrezzar  king  of  Babel  caused 
his  army  to  serve  a  great  service  against  Tyrus :  every 
head  was  made  bald,  and  every  shoulder  was  peeled  ; 
yet  had  he  no  wages,  nor  his  army,  for  Tyrus,  for  the 
services  that  he  had  served  against  it :  therefore  thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  I  will  give  the  land  of 
Egypt  unto  Nebuchadrezzar  king  of  Babylon  ;  and  he 
shall  take  her  multitude,  and  take  her  spoil,  and  take 
her  prey  ;  and  it  shall  be  the  wages  for  his  army. 
Because  they  wrought  for  me,  saith  the  Lord  God.' 

Here  is  the  king  of  Babylon  doubly  rewarded,  with 
success  and  victory  against  Tyrus,  with  the  possession 
and  spoil  of  Egypt,  not  for  any  favour  that  God  did 
bear  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  but  to  punish  the  iniquity 
of  Tyrus  and  of  Egypt.  Let  not  Nebuchadrezzar 
boast  of  the  favour  of  the  Lord,  that  he  set  him  a-work 
and  paid  him  his  wages  ;  the  sins  of  these  ungodly 
people,  not  the  goodness  of  God  to  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon, did  all  this. 

We  see  daily  that  the  wicked  do  compass  about  the 
righteous  ;  the  poor  church  of  God  bleedeth  in  many 
places  of  Christendom  ;  the  enemy  proscribeth,  im- 
prisoneth,  beheadeth,  hangeth,  cutteth  out  the  tongues, 
smiteth  off"  the  hands  of  God's  faithful  servants,  and 
deviseth  new  tortures,  to  make  death  more  terrible  and 
more  painful.  This  swelleth  the  enemies  of  God  with 
pride,  and  they  impute  all  this  success  against  the 
church  of  God  to  the  love  of  God  toward  them  ;  and 
the  justice  of  their  cause  is  maintained  by  the  Jesuits' 
abetments  and  acclamations. 

But  thus  did  Babylon  prevail  against  God's  own 
Israel  for  a  time  ;  the  distressed  part  of  the  church, 
which  groaneth  under  these  burdens,  doth  not  hang 
the  head  for  this.  They  know  that  their  sins  have 
deserved  these  rods  ;  they  have  had  the  light,  and  have 
not  walked  worthy  of  that  light,  therefore  is  this  evil 
come  upon  them  ;  yet  let  them  take  courage,  and  say, 
Ps.  lii.,  '  Why  boastest  thou  thyself  in  mischief,  thou 
mighty  man  ?  the  goodness  of  God  endureth  con- 
tinually.' There  is  our  Selah,  the  rest  of  our  music; 
this  is  the  joy  of  the  church's  harvest. 

And  great  is  the  profit  of  this  point. 

Use  1.  When  we  have  found  the  true  cause  of  God's 
favours  to  be  in  himself,  and  not  in  us,  we  may  assure 
ourselves  that  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever ;  for  his 
gifts  and  caUing  are  without  repentance. 

2.  A  greater  comfort  than  this  is,  that  godliness 
hath  not  only  the  promise  of  this  life,  but  of  the^Jife 
to  come  also. 


Veb.  9.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


201 


3.  We  may  rise  in  comfort  a  degree  higher,  to 
assure  ourselves  that  this  favour  of  God  will  give  us 
our  fruit  unto  holiness,  Rom.  vi.  22  ;  for  these  go 
together,  God's  love  to  us,  and  our  comfort  and  hope 
in  him,  for  this  fimit,  as  the  apostle  joineth  them  : 
2  Thes.  ii.  16,  17,  '  Now  oor  Lord  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self, and  God,  even  our  Father,  which  hath  loved  us, 
and  given  us  everlasting  consolation,  and  good  hope 
through  grace,  comfort  your  hearts,  and  stablish  you 
in  every  good  word  and  work.' 

This  blessing  of  the  apostle  doth  shew,  that  when 
the  love  of  God  is  settled,  there  foUoweth  grace  and 
expressure  of  his  favour,  that  bringeth  forth  inward 
consolation  of  the  spirit  present,  good  hope  for  the 
time  to  come,  an  establishing  of  the  heart  in  hoUness. 
This  I  name  as  the  highest  step  of  our  exaltation, 
because  this  repairs  in  us  the  image  of  God,  which  is 
his  holiness,  and  the  true  children  of  God  do  value 
this  above  their  eternal  life. 

For  let  us  see  wherein  the  weight  of  the  blessing 
and  cursing  of  sheep  and  goats  doth  Ue.  It  is  not 
the  gift  of  eternal  life  that  is  our  happiness  in 
heaven ;  but  as  David  saith,  '  in  his  favour  is  life.' 
K  a  damned  soul  should  be  admitted  to  the  fruition 
of  all  the  pleasures  of  eternal  Ufe,  without  the  favour 
of  God,  heaven  would  be  hell  to  him.  It  is  not  the 
dark  and  horrid  house  of  woe  that  maketh  a  soul 
miserable  in  hell,  but  God's  displeasure,  ite  maledicti. 
If  an  elect  soul  could  be  cast  thither,  and  retain  the 
favour  of  God,  heU  would  be  an  heaven  to  him,  and 
his  joy  could  not  all  the  devils  of  hell  take  from  him, 
his  night  would  be  turned  into  day. 

The  angels  sinned  in  heaven,  and  in  the  place  of 
joy  lost  God's  favour. 

The  soul  of  the  Son  of  God  was  in  hell,  and  hell 
was  an  heaven  to  it,  because  God  was  with  him  in 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and  left  not  his 
soul  in  hell ;  he  took  him  from  the  nethermost  hell. 

Doct.  3.  The  truth  of  God  is  a  good  ground. 

For  faith  gathered  from  God's  oath  to  the  tribes, 
even  his  word-  He  addeth  Selah,  to  shew  that  we  may 
safely  rest  there. 

The  reason  is,  because  the  word  of  God  is  a  sure 
word,  and  those  things  wherein  men  fail  are  not  in- 
cident to  him. 

1.  Whereas  men  do  promise  or  swear  rashly,  and 
without  consideration,  as  David  did,  when  he  swore 
that  he  would  not  have  one  of  the  house  of  Nabal  to 
make  water  against  a  wall,  God  cannot  fail  that  way, 


because  he  doth  all  things  with  stable  truth,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  counsel  of  his  will. 

2.  Men  do  sometimes  vow  and  swear  things  utterly 
unlawful  and  most  wicked,  as  Herod  did  to  Herodias's 
daughter,  to  give  her  whatsoever  she  demanded  of 
him,  which  included  the  Ufe  of  John  Baptist. 

So  there  were  many  that  swore  they  would  neither 
eat  nor  drink  tUl  they  had  killed  Paul.  Our  God 
cannot  fail  so  far,  he  loveth  righteousness,  neither 
shall  any  evil  dwell  with  him. 

3.  Whereas  many  promise  and  swear  what  they 
mean  not  to  perform,  as  Jacob's  sons  in  the  covenant 
that  they  made  of  confederacy  Avith  Hamor  the  son  of 
Shechem,  the  apostle  saith,  •  Our  God  cannot  lie.' 

4.  Whereas  many,  amongst  men,  do  swear  and  pro- 
mise that  which  they  are  never  able  to  perform, 
therein  like  the  devil,  who  said  to  Christ,  Omnia  httc 
tibi  dabo,  all  these  will  I  give  thee,  Goi  herein  cannot 
fail,  for  he  is  omnipotent,  and  '  he  doth  whatsoever 
he  will  in  heaven  and  earth,'  et  in  abyssis. 

So  then,  if  the  word  of  God  be  gone  out  of  his 
moutb,  we  may  build  faith  upon  it,  for  heaven  and 
earth  may  and  shall  pass  away,  so  shall  not  one  jot 
of  the  word  of  God. 

5.  Times  may  change  with  men,  and  he  that  was 
rich  and  able  to  make  good  his  word,  may  suddenly 
be  poor,  and  break,  and  fail;  but  God  is  without 
variableness  or  shadow  of  alteration,  all  times  are  in 
his  hand  and  power. 

Use  1.  This  serveth  for  confirmation  of  faith ;  for 
such  use  the  apostle  doth  make  of  it,  who,  speaking  of 
the  decree  and  oath  of  God,  saith,  Heb.  vi.  18,  '  That 
by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible 
for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation, 
who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope 
set  before  us.'  By  this  faith  the  just  Uveth  in  Babylon, 
and  in  the  weakness  of  their  temporal  estate  they  have 
leynjsa^  rrasax/.r^'riv,  and  thus  they  lay  hand  upon  the 
hope  set  before  them  in  the  word. 

Jonah  saith,  *  They  that  follow  lying  vanities  do 
forsake  their  own  mercy.'  Vana  salus  hominig,  'vain 
is  the  help  of  man.'  They  that  go  down  to  Egypt 
for  help  have  their  woe  threatened.  An  horse  is  but 
a  vain  thing  to  help  a  man.  Princes  are  the  sons  of 
men,  there  is  no  help  in  them.  The  word  of  God 
faileth  none. 

At  that  word,  Abraham  will  leave  his  own  country 
and  go  he  cares  not,  he  inquires  not,  whither.  At 
that  word  Abraham  will  go  three  days'  journey  to  kill 

289 
T 


202 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


Isaac  with  his  own  hands,  and  will  never  dispute  how 
the  promise  of  God  shall  be  performed,  that  *  in  Isaac 
his  seed  should  be  blessed.' 

At  that  word  Peter  will  let  fall  his  net,  against  all 
rules  of  fishing,  and  will  forsake  the  ship  to  come  to 
Christ  upon  the  sea,  by  the  warrant  of  that  word. 

The  promises  of  God  to  his  church,  and  his 
threatenings  of  sin  recorded  in  the  living  book  of  his 
word,  are  not  antiquate  ;  no  age  shall  ever  superannuate 
them,  or  put  them  out  of  full  force  and  virtue. 

What  if  good  persons  and  good  causes  do  suffer  op- 
pression ?     The  poet  is  a  divine  in  that  case, 

Informes  hiemes  reducit 
Jupiter ;  idem 
Summovet.    Non  si  male  nunc,  at  olim 
Sic  erit. 

After  foul  weather  comes  fair ;  though  it  be  ill  with 
us  now,  it  will  not  be  always. 

What  if  enemies  of  religion  and  moths  of  common- 
wealth do  flourish  and  prosper,  and  have  all  things  at 
will,  let  it  not  trouble  David  and  Job ;  both  of  them 
saw  as  fair  a  sunshine  shut  up  in  a  dark  cloud,  and 
a  world  of  foul  weather  following. 

Use  2.  This  tenderness  in  God  of  his  word  and 
oath,  doth  serve  for  example  to  teach  us  to  make 
conscience  of  our  promises  and  oaths ;  and  we  may 
urge  the  argument  as  the  apostle  doth,  'If  God  so 
loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.'  So, 
if  God  be  careful  to  keep  his  promise  and  oath  with 
us,  we  ought  also  to  do  the  like  with  our  brethren. 

Here  arise  two  queries  : 

1.  Whether  it  be  lawful  to  swear  at  all  ? 

2.  Whether  all  oaths  must  be  kept  ? 

1.  An  liceat  jurare,  is  it  lawful  to  swear  ? 

An  oath  is  a  calling  of  God  to  witness  in  such 
things  as  cannot  otherwise  be  assured,  and  it  is  of  two 
sorts. 

1.  Assertory,  when  we  do  call  God  to  witness 
against  our  souls,  if  we  aflfirm  not  the  truth.  In  this 
case  the  awe  of  God's  majesty  is  thought  to  be  such 
a  rule  of  the  conscience,  that  no  man  will  dare  to 
violate  the  religion  of  an  oath. 

2.  Promissory  ;  when  we  do  engage  the  honour  of 
God  for  the  truth  of  our  purpose,  to  perform  what  we 
promise,  and  we  cast  ourselves  upon  his  just  judg- 
ment if  we  be  either  deceitful  in  our  promise  or  un- 
faithful in  our  performance. 

This  may  answer  the  first  query,  for  this  doth  de- 
clare that  an  oath  doth  serve, 
290 


1.  For  the  glory  of  God  ; 

2.  For  the  good  of  our  brethren. 

1.  The  gloiy  of  God ;  for  it  sheweth  him, 

(1.)  To  be  present  amongst  us  and  privy  to  our 
ways ; 

(2.)  To  be  a  God  of  truth ; 

(3.)  To  be  a  God  of  justice,  to  punish  unfaithfulness. 

2.  It  sheweth  that  we  by  sin  have  lost  our  credit, 
and  therefore  God  doth  engage  himself  for  such  as 
swear  aright. 

2  It  serveth  for  the  good  of  our  brethren,  for  it  is 
the  end  of  all  strife,  Heb.  v.  19. 

I  will  not  enter  into  the  hsts  with  the  Anabaptists, 
to  confute  their  weak  arguments  against  the  lawful- 
ness of  an  oath ;  you  hear  it  warranted  by  reason,  and 
examples  grow  thick  in  the  book  of  God  to  justify  it. 

2.  Query,  Whether  every  oath  be  to  be  kept  ? 

To  that  we  answer  in  a  word :  Every  lawful  oath  is 
to  be  kept,  so  is  every  lawful  promise :  Num.  xxx.  8, 
*  If  a  man  vow  a  vow  unto  the  Lord,  or  swear  an  oath 
to  bind  his  soul  with  a  bond,  he  shall  not  profane  his 
word  ;  he  shall  do  according  to  all  that  proceedeth  out 
of  his  mouth.'  Every  oath  and  every  promise  en- 
gageth  our  faith ;  that  is  our  fidelity,  and  so  it  is  a 
bond  upon  our  souls ;  and  though  it  be  to  our  hin- 
drance, we  must  not  break.  Remember  how  the  breach 
of  the  oath  of  the  Lord,  made  by  Joshua  and  the  el- 
ders of  the  Gibeonites,  smarted  in  the  house  of  Saul. 
Zedekiah  had  engaged  himself  by  oath  to  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, an  heathen  king,  and  brake,  and  rebelled 
against  him.  Indeed,  it  was  before  the  doctrine  of 
Rome  was  a-foot :  fides  non  est  servanda  cum  hareticis, 
no  faith  to  be  kept  with  heretics.  But  hear  the  prophet : 
Ezek.  xvii.  1 5,  *  Shall  he  escape  that  doth  such  things  ? 
or  shall  he  break  the  covenant  and  be  delivered  ?'  And 
after,  saith  God,  ver.  19,  '  As  I  hve,  surely  mine  oath 
that  he  hath  despised,  and  my  covenant  that  he  hath 
broken,  even  it  will  I  recompense  upon  his  own  head.' 
For  he  said,  ver.  18,  *  He  despised  the  oath  by  break- 
ing the  covenant,  when,  lo,  he  had  given  his  hand.' 
A  lawful  promise  and  oath  hath  three  notes  to  justify 
it,  Jer.  iv.  2,  truth,  righteousness,  judgment. 

1.  In  truth,  the  heart  joining  with  the  author. 

2.  In  righteousness,  seeking  Deo  et  proximo  senire, 
serve  God  and  our  neighbour. 

3.  In  judgment :  it  is  deUberation  and  advice. 
Doct.  4.  Goddeclareth  his  power  sometimes  openly 

to  the  comfort  of  his  church,  and  the  terror  of  the 
enemies  thereof,  gathered  from  these  words,  *  Thy  bow 


1 


Ver.  10.] 


31ARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


203 


was  quite  naked ;'  for,  as  before,  there  was  absconsio 
roboris,  the  hiding  of  his  strength,  when  God  revealed 
himself  to  his  church  only  upon  mount  Sinai,  so  there 
was  now  revelatio  robons,  a  revealing  of  his  strength, 
when  he  had  made  his  bow  quite  naked. 

Reason  1.  For  the  settling  of  his  church  in  obedience 
to  him.  So  saith  the  psalmist,  after  commemoration 
of  the  wonder,  Ps.  cv.  45,  all  works  of  God  done  for 
Israel,  '  That  they  might  keep  his  statutes  and  ob- 
serve his  laws.' 

Reason  2.  For  the  glory  of  his  name,  that  he  might 
fill  the  mouths  of  the  faithful  with  his  praise ;  and 
this  effect  it  wrought  with  Israel  a  while,  for  when  God 
had  done  great  things  for  them,  Ps.  cvi.  12,  '  then 
they  sang  his  praise.' 

Reason  3.  For  the  credit  of  his  word,  that  they 
might  settle  their  faith  in  his  promises.  So  it  is  there 
said,  '  Then  they  belived  his  word.' 

Reason  4.  To  convince  the  ingratitude  of  men,  if 
they,  notwithstanding  the  manifestation  of  his  power 
to  them,  do  start  aside,  and  rebel  against  him.  So 
doth  the  psalmist  tax  them  :  where,  repeating  the  ma- 
nifest and  naked  bow  of  God  revealed  to  them,  it  is 
the  burden  of  his  song :  Ps.  Ixxviii.  17,  '  Yet  they 
sinned  more  against  God  by  provoking  the  Most 
High  in  the  wilderness.'  He  repeateth  more  of  his 
great  works,  and  addeth,  ver.  32,  '  For  all  this  they 
sinned  still,  and  believed  not,  for  all  his  wondrous 
works.'  He  repeateth  more,  and  saith,  ver.  56,  '  Yet 
they  tempted  and  provoked  the  most  high  God,  and 
kept  not  his  testimony,'  &c. 

Reason  5.  To  instruct  posterity  that  should  succeed 
them  :  Ps.  Ixxviii.  6,  7,  '  That  the  generation  to  come 
might  know  them,  even  the  children  that  should  be 
bom,  who  should  arise  and  declare  them  to  their  chil- 
dren ;  that  they  might  set  their  hope  in  God,  and 
not  forget  the  works  of  God,  but  keep  his  command- 
ments.' This  is  the  way,  to  keep  the  bow  of  God 
still  naked,  that  all  the  ends  of  the  world  may  see  the 
salvation  of  our  God. 

God  layeth  his  bow  quite  naked  ,in  the  sight  of  the 
world,  that  the  Egyptians  may  see  that  God  fighteth 
for  Israel  against  them,  and  may  fly  from  them  ;  that 
the  world  may  see  that  all  their  consultations  against 
the  church  shall  fail  of  success,  and  it  will  turn  to 
bitterness  in  the  latter  end. 

Use.  You  may  easily  discern  how  all  this  is  directed 
to  our  instruction. 

1.  To  awake  us  to  a  consideration  of  the  revealed 


power  of  God ;  for  if  God  shew  it,  it  is  that  we  may 
see  it.  It  was  the  cause  of  Israel's  so  many  rebellions. 
For,  whereas  God  did  so  great  things  for  them, 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  7,  '  that  they  might  not  forget  his  works,' 
*  they  forgat  his  works,  and  wonders  that  he  hath 
shewed  them ;'  and  that  made  them  children  of  dis- 
obedience. 

2.  To  direct  to  the  right  use  of  this  mercy  of  God, 
which  is,  as  you  have  heard, 

(1.)  In  respect  of  God,  to  give  him  due  praise, 
that  he  may  have  the  honour  due  to  his  name. 

(2.)  In  respect  of  ourselves,  to  confirm  our  hope 
and  faith^in  his  word,  and  in  the  arm  of  his  strength, 
believing  that  bow,  and  the  whole  quiver  of  arrows 
belonging  to  it,  is  on  our  side,  and  we  need  not  fear 
what  man  or  devil  can  do  against  us. 

(3.)  In  respect  of  this  life,  that  we  pass  the  time 
of  our  dwelling  here  in  fear,  living  in  the  obedience 
and  service  of  this  Almighty  Maker  and  preserver  of 
men,  by  keeping  his  statutes,  &c. 

(4.)  In  respect  of  posterity,  that  we  leave  them  our 
good  example,  and  the  light  of  our  knowledge  to 
instruct  them  in  the  wonderful  works  of  God,  that 
generation  may  praise  him  to  generation,  and  declare 
his  power. 

(5.)  In  respect  of  our  enemies,  that  they  may  see 
and  know  whom  we  have  trusted,  and  may  know  that 
our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  hath  made 
heaven  and  earth  ;  so  that  we  shall  not  need  to  fear 
their  bow,  nor  their  arrows  upon  the  string  ready  to 
go  off  against  us ;  there  is  a  bow  on  our  side,  and  an 
arm  to  wield  it. 


Ver.  10.  The  mountains  sate  thee,  and  they  trembled ; 
the  overjioicing  of  the  water  passed  by :  the  deep  uttered 
his  voice,  and  lift  up  his  hands  on  high. 

These  words  have  reference  to  the  former  wonders 
of  God's  works,  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  poetically 
and  rhetorically  doth  give  Ufe  to  things  inanimate,  to 
express  their  yielding  and  giving  way  to  God's  extra- 
ordinary operations ;  some  understanding  that,  for 
such  impression  did  the  power  of  God  make  in  the 
everlasting  mountains,  as  he  calleth  them  before, 
ver.  6,  and  in  the  perpetual  hiUs,  that  they  give  way 
to  his  people  as  if  they  had  seen  God  himself,  and 
that  the  fear  of  God  had  been  upon  them  to  make 
them  tremble. 

The  like  poetical  strain  we  have  in  the  psalmist : 

291 


204. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


Ps.  cxiv.  6,  'What  ailed  ye,  mountains,  that  ye  skipped 
like  rams  ;  and  ye  little  hills,  like  young  sheep  ?' 
And  the  words  of  David  do  seem  to  guide  my  judg- 
ment, to  expound  this  place,  not  of  the  mountains  upon 
the  dry  land,  but  with  reference  to  the  miracle  of  the 
passage  of  the  children  of  Israel  over  Jordan,  in  which 
God  by  his  power  did  make  the  waters  of  the  river 
rise  up  like  mountains  to  stop  their  way,  and  yet  not 
to  suffer  them  to  drown  the  neighbouring  continent ; 
and  this  was  effected  with  an  extraordinary  motion  of 
the  waters,  leaping  and  skipping  like  sheep.  There- 
fore, here  is  added,  the  overflowing  of  the  waters 
passed  by ;  that  is,  it  did  not  overflow  the  way  of  the 
Israelites,  but  bestowed  itself  in  the  raising  up  of  the 
mountains  of  water.  '  The  deep  uttered  his  voice  ;'  he 
meaneth  the  noise  of  the  waters,  running  and  swelling 
in  heaps  :  *  And  lift  up  his  hands  on  high  ;'  for  this 
rising  of  the  waters  into  such  huge  hills,  did  give  tes- 
timony of  their  yielding  to  the  almighty  power  of  God 
in  his  working,  though  contrary  to  their  nature. 

This  exposition  of  these  words  I  embrace,  as  most 
consonant  to  the  web  of  the  Scripture ;  yet  I  will  not 
conceal  from  yon,  that  some  refer  this  trembling  of 
the  mountains,  and  this  noise  of  the  waters,  figura- 
tively, to  the  trembling  of  the  kings  in  Canaan,  and 
the  noise  of  the  people,  afraid,  and  melting  in  their 
hearts  at  the  strange  passage  of  Israel  through  the 
Red  Sea  first,  and  now  at  last  through  Jordan.  Whom 
I  dare  not  follow,  holding  it  dangerous  to  admit  more 
figures  than  need,  when  some  more  literal  sense  may 
be  proper. 

Others  do  refer  tl  ]jg  to  +'-9  trembling  of  mount 
Sinai,  when  God  app.  jg  r"  ^e  people  in  the  way  ; 
of  which  Moses  s  .g^u^jj^  f.  xix.  18,  'And  mount 
Sinai  was  altoget'^^j^gp^^  v)ke,  because  the  Lord 
descended  upon  it  .  ''^  and  the  smoke  thereof 
ascended  as  the  smoke  v/a  furnace,  and  the  whole 
mount  quaked  greatly.'  But  this  connection  of  the 
trembling  yi  the  mountains  with  the  noise  of  the 
waters,  do  ,li  make  it  probable  to  me  that  it  is  one  and 
the  samo  miracle, 

Magister  Historise  telleth  of  a  mountain  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  near  to  the  river  of  Arnon,  which  suffered 
a  violtit  earthquake  at  the  time  of  the  entering  of 
Israel  in':o  Canaan;  but  that  is  an  apocryphal  relation, 
and  the  silence  of  the  story  doth  make  it  questionable 
whether  any  such  thing  were  done. 

The  figurative  and  poetical  form  of  speech  here  used 
is  in  sight. 
?92 


1.  The  heaps  of  waters  swelling  to  a  very  great 
height  are  called  mountains. 

2.  Here  is  attributed  to  them  human  sense,  motions, 
and  affections,  as  seeing,  trembling,  uttering  of  a  voice, 
and  lifting  up  of  hands. 

These  things  are  familiar  and  frequent  all  the  Scrip- 
ture through,  especially  in  the  poetical  part  thereof, 
as  I  have  shewed. 

Doct.  The  senseless  and  lifeless  creatures  are  sub- 
ject to  the  will  of  God,  and  to  serve  him. 

For  that  which  the  heathen  do  call  nature  in  the 
creatures,  is  in  religion  the  constant  order  which  God 
hath  established  in  the  universal  machine  and  frame 
of  the  world,  and  in  every  particular  member  and  part 
thereof,  serving  God's  general  providence.  That  which 
we  call  miraculous  and  extraordinary,  is  the  particular 
will  of  God  upon  occasion,  declared  out  of  his  singular 
and  special  providence. 

In  both  these,  all  creatures  whatsoever  do  so  serve 
him,  as  if  they  knew  what  they  did.  The  centurion 
did  not  keep  his  servants  in  better  awe,  and  had  them 
not  so  ready  at  his  command,  as  God  hath  his  crea- 
tures ;  their  nature  is  subject  to  rule,  and  that  so  as 
fire  shall  burn  and  not  consume,  as  in  the  bush ; 
waters  shall  stand  in  heaps,  as  in  the  passage  through 
the  Red  Sea,  and  here  in  my  text,  in  the  river  of 
Jordan. 

Water  shall  not  put  out  fire  ;  the  hail,  as  watery 
substance,  shall  mingle  with  fire  in  the  same  shower  ; 
and  Elijah  shall  call  for  fire  that  shall  lick  up  the 
water,  and  dry  the  ditches  filled  to  the  brim. 

Reason.  The  reason  hereof  is,  because  there  is  no- 
thing in  the  world  that  hath  any  being,  but  it  had 
beginning  from  him  who  only  is  of  himself,  and  there- 
fore called  Jehovah,  and  he  never  gave  being  to  any- 
thing but  for  use  ;  he  hath  made  nothing  idle  and 
unprofitable,  for  in  wisdom  he  made  all  things,  and 
that  use  is  directed  by  the  Creator.  And  therefore,  as 
it  is  said  of  him,  that  he  had  made  the  heaven  and  the 
earth,  by  Moses,  so  Melchisedec  calleth  him  'the  high 
possessor  of  heaven  and  earth,'  as  the  prophet  David 
saith.  Fecit  quicquid  voluit  in  ccclo  et  in  terra,  et  in 
omnibus  ahyssis. 

The  right  of  creation,  without  which  nothing  had 
any  being ;  the  right  of  protection,  which  keepeth  all 
things  in  being,  doth  put  all  things  in  subjection  under 
his  feet.  His  will  is  their  nature,  and  it  is  all  one  to 
the  inanimate  creature  to  serve  his  true  will  in  an 
ordinary  and  in  a  miraculous  way,  for  his  will  is  the 


Yer.  10  ] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


205 


soul  that  animateth  them,  and  maketh  them  active ; 
and  he  could  have  as  easily  let  the  sea  keep  his  course, 
and  let  the  river  of  Jordan  run  on,  and  have  brought 
his  people  over  upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  as  Christ 
and  Peter  walked,  as  he  made  them  a  passage  through. 
This  ready  obseqiience  of  the  inanimate  creature 
to  the  will  of  God,  doth  upbraid  man,  whom  God 
made  for  himself,  and  his  special  honour,  with  much 
u  a  worthiness ;  for  things  without  Ufe  owe  less  to  God 
for  creation  than  things  animate,  much  less  than  man, 
to  whom  God  gave  a  living  soul,  made  in  the  image 
of  God ;  and  having  but  one  law  of  restraint  put  upon 
him,  broke  it,  and  brought  a  pollution  of  himself, 
which,  like  the  leprosy  of  Gehazi,  runneth  in  all  his 
posterity. 

It  is  our  shame  that  all  things  else  do  serve  him ; 
only  men,  and  devils,  the  corrupters  of  men,  stand  oat 
and  rebel.  And  this  maketh  God  cry,  Isa.  i,  2, 
'  Hear,  0  heavens ;  and  hearken,  0  earth :  I  have 
nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  re- 
belled against  me.'  Why  doth  God  make  his  com- 
plaint to  the  heavens,  and  to  the  earth,  or  why  doth 
be  call  them  to  witness  against  Israel,  his  people,  but 
to  signify  that  creatures  without  Ufe  shall  condemn 
the  disobedience  of  men,  even  of  Israel,  the  people 
that  God  hath  chosen  to  himself? 

And  truly,  when  we  do  look  out  of  ourselves  upon 
these  things,  as  David  saith :  Ps.  viii.  8,  '  TMien  we 
consider  the  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers,  the  sun 
and  the  moon,  which,  &c :  what  is  man,  that  thou 
art  so  mindful  of  him  "?' 

There  be  two  things  that  may  move  : 

1.  What  is  man,  that  such  excellent  creatures 
should  be  made  for  him  ? 

2.  What  is  man,  that,  beholding  the  heavens  which 
do  serve  him,  and  living  upon  the  earth  that  is  obedient 
to  him,  and  doth  his  will,  that  God  should  be  mindful 
of  man,  who,  of  all  the  works  of  his  hands  that  enjoy 
his  favours,  doth  serve  him  worst  of  all  ? 

Do  not  we  thank  God  for  it,  and  take  it  for  a  hi^rh 
favour,  that  he  hath  made  us  men,  and  did  not  m^e 
us  stones  or  plants,  worms  or  flies,  serpents  or  toads, 
or  any  other  kind  of  hateful  or  hurtful  creature  ? 
But  yet,  if  we  live  not  to  serve  him,  and  to  do  his 
will,  our  condition  had  been  much  more  happy  to 
have  been  the  worst  of  these  than  to  have  been  made 
men  and  women. 

I  will  not  go  from  the  example  in  my  text  to  teach 
you  what  we  are,  for  by  original  generation  we  run 


like  Jordan  in  a  full  and  swift  current,  into  the  great 
and  wide  sea  of  the  world,  and  there  we  lose  ourselves 
in  those  salt  waters.  Sometimes,  as  Jordan  in  har- 
vest times,  that  is,  in  times  of  our  plenty  and  fulness, 
and  when  we  have  ease,  and  whatsoever  our  heart 
desireth,  we  do  overflow  our  banks,  and  exceed  all 
measure.  Bat  when  the  priests  of  the  Lord  do  bring 
the  ark  of  God  into  us ;  that  is,  when  we  come  to  have 
a  sense  and  a  feeling  of  religion,  and  the  fear  of  God; 
then  do  we  recoil  and  strive  against  nature,  and  over- 
come nature,  and  we  learn  to  do  the  good  that  we 
would  not  do.  For  truly  religion  doth  carry  us 
against  wind  and  tide  ;  religion  leads  us  all  up  hill, 
and  he  that  wiU  follow  Christ  must  deny  himself.  So 
St  Paul  doth  :  Vero*  ego,  et  non  amptius  ego,  sed  vivit 
in  me  Christus,  '  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  in  me.' 
Observe  the  creatare  here,  and  you  shall  see  that 
whatsoever  is  ingredient  in  perfect  obedience,  is 
ascribed  to  this  river  of  Jordan  ;  for, 

1.  It  was  congrua,  for  it  was  to  God;  they  were  his 
priests,  and  they  did  carry  his  ark  upon  their  shoul- 
ders, and  they  had  his  warrant  for  it. 

2.  It  was  prompta,  ready.  No  sooner  did  the  soles 
of  the  feet  of  the  priests  touch  the  waters,  but  they 
fled  back ;  no  sooner  were  they  all  over,  and  the 
stones  carried  out  of  the  river  to  shore,  but  they  re- 
turned again  to  their  course. 

Such  let  our  obedience  be  ;  and  this  is  acceptable 
in  the  sight  of  God.  This  lecture  is  read  to  us  in 
heaven,  in  earth,  in  the  sea.  In  heaven,  we  have  the 
example  of  angels,  who  are  called  angeli  facientes 
voluntatem  ejus.  In  earth,  we  have  the  examples  of  all 
creatures,  who  in  their  several  kinds  do  his  will,  ac- 
cording to  the  general  law  of  creation,  and  the  par- 
ticular law  of  special  dispensation.  In  the  sea,  the 
winds  and  sea  obey  him. 

Use  2.  This  serve th  to  teach  us  to  pass  the  time  of 
our  dwelling  here  in  fear,  because  we  see  the  omni- 
potent hand  of  God  in  the  government  of  the  world, 
that  we  may  say,  Jer.  xxxii.  17,  *Ah,  Lord  God,  thou 
hast  made  the  heaven  and  the  earth  by  thy  great 
power  and  stretched-out  arm,  and  there  is  nothing 
too  hard  for  thee  ;'  and  he  remembereth  the  wonders 
of  this  dehverance  out  of  Egypt,  and  saith,  ver.  20, 
'  Thou  hast  made  thee  a  name.'  This  filleth  all  that 
think  of  it  with  a  reverent  fear  of  God's  name  ;  it  ex- 
alteth  him  in  the  congregation  of  the  just,  and  maketh 


*    Qu.  '  tjio ' .?— Ed. 


293 


206 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


him  say,  Domine,  quis  similis  tibi  ?  '  Lord,  who  is  hke 
thee  ?' 

Use  3.  This  serveth  to  convince  the  enemies  of 
God,  who  make  nature  sit  in  the  place  of  God,  and  do 
give  the  rule  of  all  things  to  nature ;  for  what  have 
they  to  say  for  themselves  in  these  great  examples  ? 
Could  nature  cut  a  passage  of  dry  land  through  the 
Eed  Sea  ?  Could  nature  draw  waters  out  of  an  hard 
rock,  and  teach  it  to  follow  Israel  wheresoever  they  went ; 
to  rest  when  they  rested,  to  run  when  they  removed  ? 
Could  nature  keep  their  clothes  on  their  backs,  their 
shoes  on  their  feet  from  wearing,  for  forty  years  ?  Did 
nature  rain  manna,  and  bring  in  the  quails,  and  feed 
the  people  till  they  came  to  the  corn  of  Canaan  ?  Did 
nature  make  these  mountains,  and  high  piles  of  waters, 
in  the  river  of  Jordan  ?  Is  not  the  extraordinary 
hand  of  God  in  all  these  ? 

Use  4.  This  also  serveth  for  increase  of  our  faith  ; 
for  we  have  good  cause  to  cast  our  care,  and  fasten 
our  trust  upon  him,  who  not  only  worketh  by  means, 
but  without  them,  yea,  and  against  them.  The  hard- 
est lesson  in  religion  is,  to  trust  God  when  we  see  no 
means  of  help;  as  Abraham  did  when  he  was  com- 
manded to  kill  the  son  of  the  promise.  The  very  cap- 
tivity of  the  church  hath  had  that  comfort  in  the 
greatest  terror  thereof;  so  the  psalmist  saith, 

1.  That  God  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  wrong, 
but  reproved  even  kings  for  their  sakes. 

2.  That  he  made  them  that  led  them  away  captive 
to  pity  them,  and  to  minister  to  their  necessities  : 
they  became  rather  nurses  than  their  jailors.  Upon 
comfort  of  which  confidence.  Job  protested,  chap, 
xiii.  15,  that,  *  Though  he  kill  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in 
him.' 

Use  5.  This  assureth  to  us  all  the  promises  of  God, 
which  the  apostle  distributeth  into  these  two  sorts  : 

The  promises  of  this  life. 

And  of  the  life  that  is  to  come. 

And  this  made  Abraham,  when  God  promised  him 
seed,  Rom.  iv.  19,  20,  &c.,  *  not  to  consider  his  own 
body  was  now  dead,  nor  the  deadness  of  Sarah's  womb : 
he  staggered  not  at  the  promise  through  unbelief ;  but 
was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God  ;  and  being 
fully  persuaded,  that  what  he  had  promised,  he  was 
able  also  to  perform.  And  therefore  it  was  imputed 
unto  him  for  righteousness.'  And  he  addeth,  '  Now, 
it  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  im- 
puted to  him ;  but  for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be 
imputed,  if  we  believe.' 
291 


We  see  some  parts  of  the  Christian  church  now  in 
great  extremity,  and  no  way  in  sight  open  for  their 
escape  out  of  great  misery  :  the  Bohemian  protestants 
put  to  cruel  deaths  ;  the  French  protestants  have  the 
sword  drawn  against  them,  and  the  arrows  upon  the 
string  to  shoot  at  them  ;  the  Palatinate  under  pro- 
scription, the  prince  thereof  in  exile.  '  Our  help  is 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord.'  All  these  will  faint,  except 
they  believe  verily  to  see  the  goodness  of  God  in  the 
land  of  the  living.  Sweet  and  full  of  comfort  is  the 
example  of  God's  people,  to  whom  it  was  promised, 
even  when  they  were  in  captivity  in  Babylon,  they 
had  hung  up  their  harps  upon  the  willows,  and  sat 
weeping  by  the  rivers  of  waters  :  Zech.  viii.  3,  *  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  I  am  returned  unto  Zion,  and  will 
dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem  :  and  Jerusalem  shall 
be  called,  A  city  of  truth  ;  and  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  The  holy  mountain.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  There  shall  yet  old  men  and  old  women 
dwell  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  every  man  with 
his  staff  in  his  hand  for  very  age.  And  the  streets  of 
the  city  shall  be  full  of  boys  and  girls  playing  in  the 
streets  of  it.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  If  it  be 
marvellous  in  the  eyes  of  the  remnant  of  this  people 
in  these  days,  should  it  also  be  marvellous  in  mine 
eyes  ?  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  I  will  save  my  people  a 
from  the  east,  and  from  the  west  country.'  * 

This  is  the  help  in  trouble,  ready  to  be  found ;  let 
us  awake  this  help  with  the  loud  voice  of  our  impor- 
tunate supplications,  saying,  *  0  Lord,  help  now  ;  0 
Lord,  now  give  prosperity.'  Let  us  give  him  no  rest 
till  he  hath  bowed  the  heavens,  and  is  come  down  to 
visit  the  distresses  of  his  faithful  servants. 

Our  Saviour  comforteth  us  well,  saying,  '  My 
Father  worketh  as  yet,  and  I  work  ;'  and  if  our  labour, 
which  is  opus  in  Domino,  a  work  in  the  Lord,  be  not 
in  vain,  his  labour,  which  is  opus  Domini,  a  work  of 
the  Lord,  will  prosper  in  his  hand. 

He  is  as  strong  in  the  river  of  Rhine  as  he  was  in 
Jordan  ;  and  his  church  is  as  dear  to  him  now  as  ever 
it  was ;  and  he  is  as  diligent  in  making  inquisition 
for  blood,  and  as  attentive  to  the  complaints  of  the 
oppressed,  as  he  was. 


Ver.  11—14.  The  sun  and  moon  stood  still  in  their 
habitation:  at  the  I  ic/ht  of  thine  arrows  they  went,  at 
the  shining  of  thy  glittering  spears.  Thou  didst  march 
through    the    land  in  indignation,  thou  didst  thrash 


7er.  11-11] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


207 


the  heathen  in  anger.  Thou  wentest  forth  for  the  sal- 
vation of  thy  people,  even  for  salvation  with  thine 
anointed  ;  thou  woundest  the  head  otit  of  the  house  of 
the  wicked,  by  discovering  the  foundation  to  the  neck. 
Selah.  Thou  doest  strike  through  with  his  staves  the 
head  of  his  villages;  they  that  came  out  as  a  whirl- 
wind to  scatter  me  :  their  rejoicing  tvas  as  to  devour 
the  poor  secretly. 

1  read  all  this  together,  because  I  conceive  it  hath 
reference  to  one  story,  and  that  is  recorded  in  the  book 
of  Joshua,  chap.  s. 

For  after  Israel  came  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
had  destroyed  Jericho,  and  the  city  of  Ai,  the 
Gibeonites,  terrified  with  this  news,  craftily  pretending 
themselves  to  be  a  people  dwelling  in  a  far  country, 
and  for  the  name  of  God's  sake,  whose  wonderful 
works  they  had  heard  of,  they  desired  to  make  a 
league  with  Joshua.  Joshua  and  the  elders  were  de- 
ceived, and  confirmed  a  league'  with  them  by  oath. 
But  after  the  fraud  was  detected,  Israel  made  the 
Gibeonites  serve  them  ;  but  they  were  under  the  pro- 
tection of  Israel.  This  league  of  Gibeon  with  Joshua 
did  much  trouble  the  neigbouring  kings,  for  they 
feared  Gibeon,  being  a  strong  city;  therefore  five 
kings  do  make  war  against  Gibeon,  to  smite  it.  The 
Gibeonites  send  to  Joshua  for  succours  ;  Joshua,  ac- 
cording to  his  oath  of  confederacy  with  them,  came 
from  Gilgal,  he,  and  all  the  people  of  war  with  him, 
and  all  the  mighty  men  of  valour  ;  he  gave  the  assault 
to  the  five  kings  and  their  army ;  he  discomfi.ted  them, 
and  made  them  fly  :  ver.  11-14,  *  Then  the  Lord 
rained  stones  from  heaven  upon  them  :  there  were 
more  that  died  with  the  hail-stones  than  they  whom 
the  children  of  Israel  slew  with  the  sword.  Then 
spake  Joshua  to  the  Lord,  in  the  day  when  the  Lord 
delivered  up  the  Amorites  before  the  children  of  Is- 
rael, Sun,  stand  thou  still  upon  Gibeon ;  and  thou, 
Moon,  in  the  valley  of  Ajalon.  And  the  sun  stood 
still,  and  the  moon  stayed  until  the  people  had  avenged 
themselves  upon  their  enemies.  Is  not  this  written 
in  the  book  of  Jasher  ?  So  the  sun  stood  stUl  in  the 
midst  of  heaven,  and  hasted  not  to  go  down  about  a 
whole  day.  And  there  was  no  day  like  that,  before  it, 
nor  after  it,  that  the  Lord  hearkened  unto  the  voice 
of  a  man  :  for  the  Lord  fought  for  Israel.' 

This  is  the  wonder  that  Habakkuk  our  prophet  doth 
here  commemorate,  a  miracle  yet  fresh  in  the  memoiy 
of  the  church  ;  yet  by  computation  of  times,  from  the 
time  of  Joshua,  when  this  was  done,  to  this  time  of 


Habakkuk,  when  this  is  remembered,  were  past  more 
than  seven  hundred  years. 

Habakkuk  doth  well  to  remember  this,  for  of  all 
miracles  that  God  wrought  for  Israel,  this  was  the 
greatest :  here  heaven  fought  against  earth ;  the  sun 
and  moon  stood  still  to  give  light  to  the  battle,  and 
the  faithful  witnesses  of  heaven,  so  the  sun  is  called, 
stayed  his  course  to  bear  witness  how  God  fought  for 
Israel. 

We  may  truly  say  to  Israel,  Tibi  militat  cether.  Ob- 
serve the  words  of  the  prophet,  how  well  they  follow 
the  history  in  Joshua.  Habakkuk  saith,  '  The  sun 
and  moon  stood  still  in  their  habitation  ;'  they  stood 
in  their  several  sphere  wherein  they  move,  for  these 
be  their  habitations.  And  note  that  they  both  stood 
still,  sun  and  moon ;  for  the  moon,  borrowing  all  her 
light  of  the  sun,  had  she  kept  her  course  while  the 
sun  had  stood  stiU  the  length  of  a  day,  there  had  been 
great  irregularity  of  motion  in  these  celestial  bodies, 
from  the  constant  order  set  them  by  their  Maker  in 
their  creation. 

Observe  also  that  he  doth  not  say  the  earth  stood 
still,  but  the  sun.  It  had  been,  as  some  said,  the 
earth  and  the  moon  stood  still  as  the  sun  and  the 
moon ;  and  our  understanding  would  have  as  soon 
apprehended,  if  that  new  astronomy  had  been  then 
revealed,  which  some  of  our  empirics  and  journeymen 
in  that  excellent  science  of  astronomy  have  of  late 
revived  in  their  almanacs,  teUing  the  world  that  they 
have  long  been  in  a  wrong  belief,  that  the  sun  moveth, 
and  the  earth  is  fixed ;  for  they  believe  that  the  sun  is 
fixed,  and  the  earth  is  moved.  And  to  evade  the  clear 
evidence  of  this  text,  which  tells  it  for  a  wonder  that 
the  sun  stood  still,  they  say  this  is  spoken  to  our  capa- 
city ;  because  to  our  sight  it  so  seemeth  that  the  sun 
moveth  and  the  earth  is  fixed,  but  indeed  it  is  other- 
wise. Our  capacity,  I  think,  hath  much  wrong  done 
in  this ;  for  if  the  word  of  God  hath  told  us  that  God 
had  created  the  sun  to  stand  still  and  the  earth  to 
move,  it  is  more  likely  that  we  should  have  taken  his 
word  for  it,  and  have  believed  it  as  it  is,  as  well  as 
now  we  believe  it,  as  it  appears. 

"We  are  neither  incapable  nor  incredulous,  but  that 
many  against  the  letter  of  Scripture  have  written,  and 
made  more  believe,  that  the  sun  stands  still  from  the 
creation.  The  common  defence  of  this  opinion, 
grounded  upon  God's  application  of  himself  to  human 
capacity,  doth  make  figures  in  story  where  is  no  need, 
and  maketh  David  a  man  of  smaU  judgment  in  the 

295 


208 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


knowledge  of  the  sun,  who  saith  that  *  God  hath  set  a 
tabernacle  for  the  sun  in  the  heavens '  (called  here  an 
habitation),  'which  is  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  his 
chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man  to  run^his  race. 
His  going  forth  is  from  the  end  of  the  heaven,  and  his 
circuit  unto  the  ends  of  it.'  Doth  not  this  prophet 
speak  of  the  glory  of  God,  declared  in  the  motion,  not 
the  station,  of  the  sun  ?  or  is  the  glory  of  God  shewed 
in  our  opinion  of  the  sun's  motion,  not  in  the  truth 
thereof  ? 

Greater  secrets  than  this  are  revealed  in  holy  Scrip- 
ture, which  are  against  the  vouchy  of  the  outward  sense 
or  the  rational  discourse  of  man,  and  no  doubt  but  if 
the  sun  had  stood  still,  and  the  earth  that  we  live  upon 
had  moved,  when  this  miracle  was  by  the  Spirit  of  truth 
recorded,  it  had  been  so  set  down  to  us,  as  foUoweth: 

At  the  light  of  thine  arrows  they  ivent,  at  the  shining 
of  thy  glittering  spear.  The  meaning  I  conceive  to  be 
this,  that  the  sun  and  moon  did  not  now  keep  their 
ordinary  motion  appointed  in  their  creation,  but  by  a 
miraculous  dispensation  they  attended  the  arrows  of 
God,  and  his  spears  ;  for  God  declared  himself  in  this 
war  to  be  the  God  of  Israel.  By  shining  arrows  and 
glittering  spears,  he  meaneth  not  only  the  arms  of 
Israel  his  people,  but  the  apparent  demonstration  of 
his  own  miraculous  and  extraordinary  power  declared 
in  this  war.  For  you  heard  in  the  story  that  God 
*  cast  down  great  stones  from  heaven  upon  them,  which 
slew  more  than  Israel's  sword  did.' 

These  were  arrows  of  God ;  and  his  spears  with  which 
he  fought  for  Israel,  they  are  called  bright  and  glister- 
ing, both, 

1.  Because  the  sun  shining  upon  these  great  hail- 
stones reflected  a  dazzling  light  from  them,  as  experi- 
ence telleth  us,  both  in  snow,  ice,  hailstones,  and  all 
watery  bodies  ; 

2.  And  because  in  this  judgment  there  was  so  mani- 
fest appearance  of  the  immediate  hand  of  God  in  this 
war. 

Thus  Mr  Calvin  doth  understand  these  words,  and 
saith,  Sol  rctentiis  est,  ut  claret  locum  sagittis  et  hastce 
Dei.  Only  he  seemeth  to  be  somewhat  too  strict  when 
he  saith,  Per  sagittas  et  hastam  nihil  aliiid  intelligit, 
quam  arma  populi  Dei.  Yes,  sure  he  meaneth  his 
own  weapons  too,  with  which  he  fought  from  heaven, 
and  those  rather  as  the  more  shining  and  glittering. 
Montanus  also  upon  these  words  saith,  Solem  et  lunam 
cursus  suos  ad  commoditatem  exercitus  sacri  ternperasse. 
Junius  also  and  Beza  do  conceive  that  these  hailstones 
296 


fell  not  without  thunder  and  lightning,  which  are  the 
terrors  of  heaven  and  the  voice  of  God.     It  foUoweth, 

Thou  didst  march  through  the  land  in  indignation, 
thou  didst  thresh  the  heathen  in  anger.  This,  as  I 
conceive,  hath  reference  to  the  following  victories,  by 
which  all  the  land  of  Canaan  was  subdued  to  Israel ; 
for  the  church  here  confesseth,  that  as  God  by  deed  of 
gift  had  long  before  assured  this  promised  land  of  the 
heathen  to  his  Israel,  so  he  gave  them  a  full  possession 
thereof  by  marching  through  the  land,  and  by  thresh- 
ing the  inhabitants  thereof. 

Thus  the  church  confesseth,  Ps.  xliv.  2,  '  "We  have 
heard  with  our  ears,  0  God,  our  fathers  have  told  us, 
what  work  thou  didst  in  their  days,  in  the  time  of  old. 
How  thou  didst  drive  out  the  heathen  with  thy  hand, 
and  plantedst  them  in ;  how  thou  didst  afflict  the  people, 
and  cast  them  out :  for  they  gat  not  the  land  in  pos- 
session by  their  own  sword,  neither  did  their  own  arm 
save  them,  but  thy  right  hand  and  thine  arm,  and  the 
light  of  thy  countenance,  because  thou  hadst  a  favour 
unto  them.'  This  phrase  of  marching  through  the  land 
doth  express  God  in  arms  for  Israel.  But  the  other 
phrase  of  threshing  the  heathen  doth  imply  victory, 
and  full  power  over  them,  even  to  the  stripping  them 
out  of  all. 

Thou  xcentest  forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  people, 
even  for  salvation  with  thine  anointed.  The  cause  why 
God  put  himself  into  this  quarrel  was  the  preservation 
of  his  people,  where  Israel  is  twice  called  the  people 
of  God,  which  must  be  understood  of  the  adoption  of 
grace  ;  for  by  right  of  creation,  all  people  of  the  world 
are  God's  people.  This  was  Israel's  glory,  and  it  was 
also  their  safety,  that  they  were  God's  people  ;  and 
how  they  came  to  be  so,  Moses  will  tell :  Deut.  vii. 
7,  8,  *  The  Lord  did  not  set  his  love  upon  you,  nor 
choose  you,  because  ye  were  more  in  number  than  any 
people  (for  ye  were  the  fewest  of  all  people) ;  but  be- 
cause the  Lord  loved  you,  and  because  he  would  keep 
the  oath  that  he  had  sworn  unto  your  fathers  ;'  that 
is,  he  loved  you  because  he  loved  you.  But  he  addeth, 
'  Thou  wentest  forth  with  thine  anointed  ;'  which  Mr 
Beza  doth  understand  of  David,  and  so  maketh  a  long 
stride,  from  the  conquest  of  Canaan  to  the  reign  of 
David,  and  from  these  victories  to  David's  victories, 
many,  many  years  after.  And  Tremellius  and  Junius 
do  so  apply  the  text.  Mr  Calvin  led  thom  all  into 
this  exposition. 

Others  conceive  that  the  former  commemoration  is 
continued,  and   they   that  are   before    called  God's 


Ver.  11-14.] 


MARBHRY  OK  HABAKKUK. 


209 


people  are  here  called  God's  anointed  ;  for  whereso- 
ever there  is  election,  there  is  unction ;  and  we  may 
say  of  Israel,  that  God  anointed  them  with  the  oil  of 
gladness  above  all  their  fellow  nations ;  for  David 
saith,  Non  fecit  talker.  1  am  sure  the  Seventy  read 
and  understand  the  text  thus  ;  for  they  read  that  God 
went  forth  ffiffa/  roD;  X^nrroZg  ayroD.  The  Latin  reading 
is  Cum  Christo  tuo ;  and  the  original  Hebrew  is  IH*;^ 
his  Messiah,  which  moveth  me  to  refer  this  to  Christ, 
who  was  the  bond  of  that  love  which  knit  God  so  to 
Israel,  for  whose  sake  God  was  so  favourable  to 
Israel. 

Master  Calvin  doth  confess  that  this  hath  reference 
to  Christ,  and  ineludeth  all  the  favours  of  God  declared 
to  Israel  from  their  coming  out  of  Egypt  to  the  last 
mercy  shewed  to  them,  to  have  come  to  them  nou  nisi 
interposito  mediafore,  not  without  a  mediator.  But  he 
addeth  that  the  promise  of  Christ  did  more  clearly  ap- 
pear, and  was  more  manifestly  I'evealed,  in  the  reign 
of  David  than  before,  which  might  give  comfort  to  the 
church  in  distress.  That  makes  Master  Calvin  go  so 
low  as  David's  reign,  to  apply  these  words. 

But  the  next  words  shew  that  the  former  history  of 
the  wars  of  Israel,  to  settle  their  possession  in  Canaan, 
and  not  yet  at  an  end.  So  then,  I  understand  that 
God  went  forth  with  his  Anointed,  that  is,  with  Jesus 
Christ,  to  save  his  people ;  and  there  is  the  life  blood 
of  all  the  comfort  in  this  whole  psalm  of  the  church  ; 
and  by  this  faith,  by  faith  in  this  Messiah,  the  just 
shall  Uve.     It  folio  we  th, 

T/um  woundest  the  head  out  of  the  house  of  the  xcicked. 

By  the  house  of  the  wicked,  the  land  of  Canaan  is 
here  meant ;  and  by  the  head  that  God  wounded, 
either  the  wisdom  and  poUcy,  or  the  sovereignty  and 
power  of  the  land  is  meant :  for  none  of  the  kings  of 
the  land  could  stand  before  Israel,  so  that  the  very 
head  of  the  house  was  wounded. 

By  discovering  the  foundation  to  the  neck.  This  was 
the  manner  of  God's  working  against  the  head  of  the 
house  of  the  wicked,  by  making  the  foundation  naked ; 
that  is,  digging  up  the  very  roots  thereof,  by  an  utter 
extirpation  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  land. 

It  was  Edom's  cry  against  Jerusalem,  Ps.  cxxxvii. 
7,  *  Raze  it,  raze  it;'  the  margin,  '  make  bare  even 
the  foundation  thereof;'  as  before  you  heard  out  of 
Psalm  xliv.,  '  Thou  hast  cast  out  the  nations,  and 
placed  them  in.'     It  foUoweth, 

Thou  didst  strike  through  with  his  staves  the  head  of 
the  villages;  that  is,  thou  didst  overthrow  the  inhabi- 


tants of  the  land  with  their  own  staves, 
saith, 

Sols  et  ipsa  Roma  viribns  mit. 


As  the  poet 


He  declareth  here  the  extent  of  the  victory,  not  only 
to  their  walled  towns  and  defenced  cities,  but  even  to 
the  villages  and  hamlets  of  the  land  ;  so  that  no  part 
or  corner  of  the  land  escaped  the  hand  of  God,  or  the 
possession  of  Israel ;  but  God,  who  promised  them 
that  land,  gave  it  them,  and  gave  it  all  into  their 
hands. 

This,  as  it  hath  a  general  extent  to  the  whole  story 
of  Israel's  conquests,  so  it  may  have  a  more  particular 
reference  to  the  story  of  that  war  made  in  the  behalf 
of  the  Gibeonites,  where  the  five  kings  that  made  war 
against  Gibeon  hid  themselves  for  safety  in  a  cave  at 
Makkedah  ;  and  that  cave,  chosen  for  safety,  proved  a 
prison  for  their  forthcoming,  and  Joshua  sent  men  to 
roU  great  stones  to  stop  the  mouth  of  the  cave  till  he 
had  finished  the  war,  and  then  he  brought  them  forth 
and  slew  them,  and  buried  them  in  that  cave,  Joshua 
X.  16.  Thus  the  head  of  the  villages  were  beaten  with 
their  own  staves,  and  that  cave  which  the  kings  chose 
for  their  safety  was  first  male  the  trap  to  catch  them, 
then  the  prison  to  hold  them  fast,  and  at  last  the 
sepulchre  to  bury  them. 

Yet  more  particular  reference  may  it  have  to  the 
conquest  of  the  Midianites,  Judges  vii.  ;  for  in  that 
battle  the  Lord  declared  his  strength  for  Israel  mar- 
vellously, for  he  said  to  Gideon  their  captain,  '  The 
people  that  are  with  thee  are  too  many  for  me  to  give 
the  ilidianites  into  their  hands,  lest  Israel  vaunt  them- 
selves and  say,  Mine  own  hand  hath  saved  me.'     In 
conclusion,  God  would  have  no  more  to  go  up  against 
Midian  but  three  hundred  men.     Now,  the  army  of 
the  Midianites  was  great,  as  appeareth  in  the  former 
chapter,  ver.  33,  '  Then  all  the  Midianites,  and  the 
Amalekites,  and  the  children  of  the  east  together.' 
Yet  God  would  have  no  more  to  go  against  Midian 
but  three  hundred  men  against  this  great  army,  of 
whom  he  saith  before.  Judges  vi.  o,  that  '  they  came 
as  grasshoppers  for  multitude,  for  both  they  and  their 
camels  were  without  number.'     And  they  had  much 
vexed  and  impoverished  Israel,  as  the  story  saith. 
But  Israel  had  the  victory  by  those  three  hundred 
men,  who,  being  divided  into  three  companies,  in  the 
begitining  of  the  middle  watch  of  the  night,  when  the 
sign  was  given  by  Gideon,  every  man  brake  a  pitcher 
of  earth  that  was  in  his  hand,  and  held  their  lamps  in 

297 


210 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


their  left  hands,  and  their  trumpets  in  their  right 
hands  to  sound  withal,  and  cried,  '  The  sword  of  the 
Lord  and  of  Gideon ;  and  they  stood  every  man  in 
his  place.  And  the  Lord  set  every  man's  sword  against 
his  fellow  throughout  all  the  host.'  Here  it  is  plain 
how  God  beat  them  with  their  own  staves,  and  slew 
them  with  their  own  swords.  And  of  them  we  may 
well  understand  that  which  foUoweth,  '  They  that 
came  out  as  a  whirlwind  to  scatter  me,  their  rejoicing 
was  to  devour  the  poor  secretly  ;'  for  the  Midianites, 
by  many  direptions,  had  made  them  poor,  and  by 
spoiling  the  increase  of  the  earth  almost  starved  them, 
and  now  they  came  as  a  whirlwind  in  an  army  to  de- 
stroy them. 

Their  secret  coming  to  devour  the  poor,  it  is  well 
expressed  in  the  story  :  Judges  vi.  3,  4,  *  And  so  it 
was,  when  Israel  had  sown,  that  the  Midianites  came 
up,  and  the  Amalekites,  and  the  children  of  the  east, 
even  they  came  up  against  them  ;  and  they  encamped 
against  them,  and  destroyed  the  increase  of  the  earth, 
till  thou  come  unto  Gaza  ;  and  left  no  sustenance, 
neither  sheep,  nor  ox,  nor  ass.'  Here  they  assaulted 
them  secretly  by  sudden  incursions  upon  them,  and 
they  came  out  as  a  whirlwind  by  sudden  violence,  and 
they  made  them  poor. 

The  words  thus  expounded,  we  may  in  this  part  of 
the  section  consider : 

1.  The  miracle  of  the  station  of  the  sun  and  moon. 

2.  The  victory  that  followed. 

3.  The  conquest  of  Midian. 

(1.)  Of  the  miracle  of  the  station  of  the  sun  and 
moon. 

Doct.  1.  This  example  of  the  station  of  the  sun  and 
moon,  as  attending  upon  the  wars  of  the  Lord,  doth 
further  confirm  the  former  doctrine  delivered  out  of 
the  verse  going  before,  that  the  inanimate  creatures 
do  serve  the  Lord,  and  the  will  of  God  is  their  only 
nature,  whether  he  guide  them  by  his  ordinary  pro- 
vidence, or  by  his  special  dispensation  of  extraordinary 
power. 

It  teacheth  that  God  is  above  all  second  causes,  so 
that  his  revealed  determination  of  means  for  his  opera- 
tions do  not  bind  him,  but  his  non  obstante  often  inter- 
curreth  by  virtue  of  his  prerogative. 

Reason  1.  To  express  him  absolute  Lord  of  all, 
ruling  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power,  that  he 
may  be  both  trusted  and  feared  above  all. 

Reason  2.  To  divert  us  from  the  overweening  of 
our  fellow-creatures  ;  for  many  nations,  having  ob- 
298 


served  the  good  that  the  sun  doth  on  earth,  have 
worshipped  the  sun,  and  some  lunatics  have  as  wisely 
worshipped  the  moon ;  others  have  adored  some  spe- 
cial stars  as'the  ascendants  in  their  nativities.  The 
Egyptians,  in  respect,  as  is  thought,  of  the  great 
profit  that  came  of  kine,  did  worship  a  living  bullock 
or  calf,  and  of  them  the  Israelites  learned  that  idola- 
try. Herodotus  tells*"  how  Cambyses,  coming  with 
his  conquering  forces  into  Egypt,  saw  the  Egyptians 
worshipping  their  calf;  he  drew  his  sword,  and  cut 
him  on  the  thigh,  that  he  bled  exceedingly,  and 
shortly  after  died.  Cambyses,  seeing  this,  cried  out 
in  scorn  of  the  Egyptians,  0  capita  nequam  hnjusmodl 
dii  ecoistunt,  came  el  sanguine  pra>,diti,  et  ferrum  sen- 
tientes  ?  dignus  nimiruni  JEgyptiis  hie  deus  ! 

Thus  came  into  the  church  the  worship  of  angels, 
and  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  and  saints,  and  it  is  be- 
cause they  were  benefactors  to  the  church.  And 
after  for  their  sakes  their  images  were  worshipped,  as 
at  this  day  in  the  church  of  Rome. 

To  divert  us  from  this  superstition  and  idolatry, 
and  to  teach  us  to  know  our  fellow-creatures,  God 
doth  alter  sometimes  the  established  order  of  his  go- 
vernment, and  saith,  as  Christ  to  his  disciples,  '  Are 
these  the  things  you  look  upon  ?' 

Surely  the  sun,  of  all  things,  is  that  God  hath  made 
for  the  use  and  service  of  God,t  as  the  most  glorious, 
the  most  comfortable,  in  respect  of  light,  which  it 
giveth  us  from  its  own  body,  and  which  it  bendethj 
to  the  moon  and  stars,  and  in  respect  of  its  influ- 
ence, so  that,  as  Ambrose  calleth  it,  ornamentum  ca;li, 
the  ornament  of  heaven,  and  ociilum  mundi,  the  eye 
of  the  world,  others  have  called  it  animam  mundi,  the 
soul  of  the  world,  as  the  quickener  of  all  living  things. 
Three  most  memorable  evidences  of  God's  power  in 
the  sun  are  past :  this  of  the  standing  of  it  for  the 
space  of  a  whole  day,  the  going  back  of  the  shadow 
upon  the  dial  of  Ahaz  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah  ten 
degrees,  2  Kings  xx.  11,  and  the  miraculous  eclipse 
at  the  death  of  Christ.  And  Christ,  foretelling  the 
end  of  the  world,  saith,  Mat.  xxiv.  29,  that  '  the  sun 
shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her 
light.' 

St  Augastine§  proves  the  divinity  from  these  things 
which  we  call  portentous,  and  he  blameth  the  ma- 
thematicians for  afiirming  those  extraordinary  efiects 
in  natural  bodies,  celestial  or  terrestrial,  to  be  contra 

*    Thai.  Ixxvi.  t  Qu-  '  lendeth  '  ?— Ed. 

t   Qu.  '  man  '  ?— Ed.  §  De  Civit.  ii.  8. 


Ver.  11-14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


211 


naturam,  against  nature,  quomodo  est  enim  contra  na- 
turam,  quod  Dei  Jit  voluntate,  cum  voluntas  tanti  Crea- 
toris,  creatura  natura  sit?  Portentum  enim  Jit  non 
contra  naturam,  sed  contra  quam  nota  est  natura. 

Reason  3.  This  station  of  the  sun  and  moon  at 
this  time  doth  serve  to  justify  the  lawfulness  of  a 
just  war,  for  they  attended  the  arrows  and  the  spear 
of  God.     This  was  a  just  war,  for,  | 

1.  It  had  a  warrant  from  God,  to  possess  God's   ; 
Israel  of  their  own  land  which  God  had  given  them. 
This  is  the  warrant  of  policy. 

2.  It  was  against  idolaters,  whom  they  were  sent 
to  destroy,  the  warrant  of  religion. 

3.  It  was  in  the  behalf  of  the  Gibeonites,  their  con- 
federates by  oath  ;  lex  gentium,  the  law  of  nations. 

It  is  a  sin  to  sit  and  look  on  when  either  our  com- 
monwealth, or  God's  religion,  or  the  oath  of  confe- 
deracy, suffereth. 

This  war  was  here  managed  openly,  and  in  the 
sight  of  the  sun ;  and  God  declared  himself  both  of 
the  council  of  war  and  an  auxiliary  friend  to  his 
Israel  in  the  same,  for  none  but  he  could  have  stayed 
the  course  of  the  sun  and  moon. 

Use.  Now  these  extraordinary  operations  of  God, 
as  St  Austin  saith,  are  called  monstra  ut  a  mon- 
strando ;  so  they  are  called  portenta  a  portendo,  et  pro- 
digia  d,  porro  dicendo.  Therefore  let  us  see  what  they 
shew  and  what  they  teach  us. 

1.  They  teach  us  the  great  commandment  of  the 
law,  to  love  God  and  to  keep  his  commandments. 
This  power  in  doing  so  great  things,  and  this  mercy 
in  doing  the  same  for  Israel,  doth  well  deserve  that 
service  from  his  church,  observe  it  in  a  touch,  remem- 
ber it  in  the  front  of  the  law,  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God 
which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,'  for  that 
leadeth  us  into  the  full  story  of  Israel's  peregrination, 
and  is  there  used  to  move  obedience. 

And  we  cannot  make  a  better  use  of  our  frequent 
commemoration  of  the  manifold  mercies  of  God  to  us, 
than  to  stir  up  ourselves  to  serve  him.  So  Christ's 
greater  deliverance  is  urged  by  Zacharias,  tU  literati 
serviamus. 

2.  It  serveth  to  direct  us  in  the  estimation  of  the 
creatures  of  God,  for  the  honour  that  we  can  do  them 
lawfully  is  but  to  glorify  God  for  the  good  we  receive 
by  them ;  honour  is  only  due  to  him  that  employeth 
them. 

Take  heed  of  idols,  take  heed  of  superstition,  let 
not  another  gospel  bewitch  any  of  us.    When  the  sun 


communicateth  his  light  to  all  the  world,  every  comer 
and  part  of  the  world  is  not  illuminate  alike.  There  be 
some  precious  stones  that  reflect  the  light  of  the  sun 
more  than  others  do ;  we  value  these  above  other,  yet 
we  know  that  the  light  is  all  borrowed  of  the  sun. 

And  though,  in  our  fellow- creatures,  the  gifts  and 
graces  of  God  be  in  difiering  measures  given,  for  which 
we  value  them  above  an  ordinary  price,  yet  we  reserve 
to  our  God  the  honour  of  the  gift  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift,  who  is  the  Father  of  lights ;  and  we  do 
him  wrong  if  we  draw  any  of  our  fellow-creatures  into 
the  communion  of  his  glory. 

3.  Let  me  add  this  for  caution,  let  notour  thoughts 
be  so  ravished  with  the  contemplation  of  God's  extra- 
ordinary power,  sometimes  expressed  in  the  service  of 
his  creatures,  as  that  we  do  neglect  his  ordinary  pro- 
vidence, which,  in  true  judgment,  is  more  admirable. 
It  is  St  Austin's  note,  Qua  sunt  rara,  sunt  mira.  But 
he  saith,  it  is  more  admirable  to  behold  so  many  faces 
so  unlike  in  form,  feature,  and  proportion,  yet  we  do 
more  wonder  to  see  two  faces  alike.  It  is  not  so  ad- 
mirable, in  true  judgment,  to  see  the  sun  stand  still  in 
heaven,  as  a  glorious  candle  set  upon  a  candlestick,  as 
to  see  it  move  and  set,  and  rise  in  so  constant  manner 
as  it  doth.  Therefore,  let  the  common  providence  of 
God  lose  nothing  by  his  extraordinary  hghtnings  of 
power,  and  flashes  of  prerogative. 

4.  This  serveth  also  to  encourage  us  in  the  cause  of 
religion,  or  in  the  just  defence  of  the  oppressed,  to 
awake  our  courage  and  to  take  pains. 

It  belongeth  not  to  us,  who  are  God's  ministers,  to 
inquire  what  cause  of  wars  we  have  at  this  present, 
what  means  must  be  used  to  commence  and  maintain 
them.  This  belongeth  to  us,  to  animate  all  that  are 
called  to  just  wars,  to  take  courage  from  this  example. 
If  the  sun  stood  still  whilst  Joshua  did  fight  for  the 
Gibeonites,  because  God's  oath  had  bound  Israel  to 
them  in  confederacy,  I  cannot  doubt  but  the  Sun  of 
righteousness,  the  Captain  of  God's  guards,  the  Lord 
of  his  hosts,  win  cover  their  heads  in  the  day  of  battle, 
that  fight  for  the  oppressed  church  of  God,  their 
brethren,  the  professors  of  the  same  faith,  the  worship- 
pers of  the  same  God. 

Whereas  this  miracle  of  the  station  of  the  sun  and 
moon  was  done  at  the  instance  of  Joshua,  we  are 
taught  to  behold  the  truth  of  God's  promises  made  to 
his  servants.  He  had  promised  Joshua  to  magnify 
him  in  the  sight  of  his  people.  Josh.  i.  17,  and  the 
blessing  of  the  people  on  Joshua  was  only,  •  The  Lord 

299 


212 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


be  with  thee,  as  he  was  with  Moses.*  So  he  was  in 
the  division  of  the  waters  of  Jordan,  so  was  he  in  the 
conquest  of  Jericho  and  Ai ;  and  never  was  there  such 
a  thing  seen,  that  the  Lord  heard  the  voice  of  a  man, 
to  make  the  day  two  days  long. 

1.  This  was  done  to  prevent  idolatry,  that  the  people 
might  not  erect  any  memory  to  Moses,  to  honour  him 
with  divine  honour,  which  also  God  feared;  and  there- 
fore he  buried  Moses  himself,  and  would  let  no  man 
know  where  he  was  buried,  to  prevent  idolatry.  The 
devil,  no  doubt,  knew  the  place ;  that  was  the  quarrel 
between  Michael  and  the  devil,  about  the  body  of 
Moses,  for  the  devil  would  fain  have^discovered  where 
it  was,  to  have  misled  the  people  to  idolatry,  but 
Michael  resisted  him.  Now  when  the  people  see  that 
he  which  was  great  in  Moses  is  as  great  in  Joshua, 
and  they  have  experience  that  Joshua  hath  of  the 
same  spirit  that  Moses  had,  this  doth  direct  their 
judgments  not  to  look  upon  the  instruments  by  whom 
wonders  are  done,  but  on  God,  who  doth  them,  and 
can  do  them  as  well  by  Joshua  as  by  Moses. 

2.  This  was  done  to  assure  the  former  promises  of 
the  quiet  and  full  possession  of  the  land,  against  the 
fear  which  the  spies  suggested ;  for  if  God  declare  by 
these  signs  that  he  fighteth  for  Israel,  as  it  is  said 
upon  this  sign,  Josh.  x.  14,  Israel  need  not  fear  the 
power  of  their  enemies,  they  may  go  forth  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord,  his  word  is  their  warrant,  his 
truth  their  assurance. 

Use.  When  we  behold  the  same  power  of  God  in 
the  change  of  ministers  of  his  will,  we  leam  to  know, 
whatsoever  alteration  the  vicissitude  of  time  maketh 
on  earth,  yet,  '  thou,  Lord,  art  the  same,  and  thy 
years  do  not  fail.'  Therefore,  as  David  saith,  '  Put 
not  your  trust  in  princes,  nor  in  any  son  of  man,  for 
there  is  no  help  in  them  ;'  there  is  help  hy  them,  but 
it  is  not  in  them :  *  our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  who  hath  made  heaven  and  earth.' 

Use  2.  This  sheweth  the  perpetual  course  of  God's 
favour  to  his  church.  The  faithful  servant  of  God, 
Moses,  dieth,  but  the  spirit  that  God  put  upon  Moses 
survived  him,  and  rested  upon  Joshua ;  he  was  conse- 
crated to  that  employment, 

1.  By  God's  own  election  and  designation ; 

2.  By  the  imposition  of  Moses'  hands.  Num.  xxvii. 
18,  and  the  devolution  of  some  of  his  honour  upon 
him ; 

3.  By  God's  own  gift  of  the  same  spirit  that  was 
upon  Moses. 

300 


Thus,  where  God  loveth  a  people,  the  favour  of 
God  runneth  in  a  full  stream  in  the  channel  of  his 
church. 

Use  8.  Seeing  this  constant  truth  of  God,  in  his 
gracious  promises  to  his  church,  hath  reference  to  our 
obedience,  this  must  teach  us  to  obey  and  serve  our 
God  in  all  things,  that  his  sun  may  shine  upon  our 
tabernacles,  and  that  we  may  anoint  our  paths  with 
butter ;  for  as  David  saith,  '  No  good  thing  will  he 
withhold  from  them  that  serve  the  Lord.'  He  hath 
shewed  his  people  what  they  shall  trust  to,  blessings 
and  cursings,  life  and  death,  Deut.  xxviii. 

Doct.  3.  This  also  teacheth  us,  as  the  apostle  doth, 
'  The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  prc- 
vaileth  much,'  James  v.  10.  He  proveth  it  by  the 
example  of  Elijah,  who,  though  he  were  a  man  subject 
to  the  like  passions  as  we  are,  '  he  prayed  earnestly 
that  it  might  not  rain,  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth 
in  three  years  and  six  months.  And  he  prayed  again, 
and  the  heaven  gave  rain.' 

So  this  example  of  Joshua  praying  is  a  full  example 
of  the  effectual  power  of  prayer.  These  examples,  as 
that  also  of  Moses  praying  upon  the  mount  when 
Joshua  fought  with  Amalek,  Exod.  xvii.,  do  all  seem 
to  prove  the  force  of  prayer  ;  and  great  reason  there  is 
that  this  should  be  effectual  with  God. 

1.  Because  there  is  no  service  that  man  can  perform 
to  God  wherein  he  doth  so  much  part  with  himself, 
and  even  lay  himself  down  [as]  in  prayer,  for  therein 
he  openeth  his  heart  to  God,  and  poureth  forth  his 
spirit  to  him,  and  bis  faith  doth  bring  God  to  him  face 
to  face.  When  men  pray  as  they  ought,  they  know 
God  and  themselves  :  they  know  and  confess  him  the 
faithful  creator,  the  merciful  redeemer,  the  gracious 
preserver,  the  bounteous  rewarder  of  men ;  and  they 
know  themselves  to  be  but  men,  that  is  indigent  and 
needy,  having  nothing  but  what  they  receive  from  his 
hand,  and  of  his  free  gift,  immerent,  deserving  none, 
not  the  least,  of  his  favours.  Which  two  consider- 
ations do  serve  to  humble  us,  and  to  honour  him. 

We  find  in  Scripture  watching  and  fasting  often 
joined  with  prayer,  as  outward  means  to  tame  and 
subdue  the  flesh,  that  it  may  be  the  lesser  able  to 
resist  the  power  of  the  spirit,  for  the  spirit  is  willing 
in  the  servant  of  God,  but  the  flesh  is  weak. 

2.  There  is  no  part  of  God's  worship  that  hath  so 
many  precepts  to  impose  it  on  us  as  prayer  hath  in 
both  the  Testaments ;  none  that  have  so  many  ex- 
amples of  great  success  and  prevailing  with  God  ;  none 


Ver.  11-14. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


213 


that  have  so  good  means  to  perform  as  prayer ;  none 
that  hath  so  many  promises  made  to  it  in  holy 
Scripture. 

1.  For  precepts.  So  soon  as  God  had  established 
him  an  house  for  his  public  worship,  he  commanded 
it  to  be  '  called  an  house  of  prayer  to  aU  nations.' 
Solomon  dedicated  that  house  to  God  by  prayer.  It 
is  God's  own  word,  '  Seek  ye  my  face  ;'  it  is  the 
church's  answer,  '  Thy  face,  0  Lord,  wiU  I  seek  ;'  and 
Christ  our  Saviour  often  in  the  Gospel,  the  apostles 
after  him,  enjoins  it. 

2.  For  example.  We  have  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  Moses,  David,  Solomon,  Hezekiah,  Elijah, 
Manasseh,  Xehemiah,  Job,  Samuel,  Daniel,  and  all 
the  prophets,  all  the  holy  men,  Christ,  his  apostles, 
all  with  admirable  success. 

3.  For  means.  Christ  taught  us  to  pray,  shewed  us 
the  way  to  the  Father,  in  his  mediation  and  by  his 
name  ;  and  the  Spirit  which  Christ  left  in  his  church 
helpeth  our  infirmities.  Christ  hath  comprehended  all 
in  a  few  words  :  *  "Whatosever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father 
in  my  name,  it  shall  be  given  you.'  '  Ask  and  receive, 
that  your  joy  may  be  full,'  petite,  qiuirite,  pulsate. 

Use.  These  great  examples  of  success  do  all  seem 
to  stir  us  up  to  the  performance  of  this  part  of  God's 
worship,  both, 

1.  In  obedience  to  the  commandment  of  God,  who 
hath  imposed  this  duty  on  us,  whose  commandments 
are  mighty,  and  ought  not  to  be  lighthed. 

2.  In  an  holy  ambition  of  the  best  graces  of  God, 
which  are  this  way  obtained  of  him. 

3.  In  an  humble  love  to  our  God,  to  whose  presence 
and  conference  we  come  by  prayer. 

4.  In  an  holy  imitation  of  those'great  examples, 
which  are  so  frequent  in  God's  faithful  ones,  in  the 
double  Testament  of  God. 

5.  In  a  thankful  use  of  the  means  by  God  ordained 
to  facilitate  this  service,  that  we  receive  not  the  grace 
of  God  in  vain. 

6.  In  a  confident  fiaith  in  God's  gracious  and  free 
promises,  which  are  yea  and  amen. 

7.  In  an  humble  sense  and  feeling  of  our  own 
wants,  and  the  necessities  of  our  brethren ;  for  so  we  do 
exercise  both  our  piety  to  God,  and  our  charity  to  our- 
selves and  our  brethren. 

Obj.  But  this  discourageth  many.  We  read  of 
great  power  of  prayer  of  old,  as  that  Moses'  prayer 
gave  Joshua  victory  ;  Joshua's  prayer  made  the  sun 
stand   still ;  Elijah  by  prayer  shut  up  heaven,  by 


prayer  he  opened  it ;  Daniel  by  prayer  shut  up  the 
mouths  of  the  lions  in  their  den.  We  see  no  such 
efiects  of  prayer  now,  and  therefore  we  think  prayer  is 
not  of  such  effect  now  as  heretofore. 

Sol.  To  this  our  answer  is,  that  great  and  extra- 
ordinary examples  of  the  success  of  prayer  are  but 
thinly  scattered  in  the  book  of  God,  to  shew  the  power 
of  God's  ordinance.  Neither  may  that  be  a  rule  to  us, 
that  prayer  is  not  of  force  as  it  hatJi  been,  because  we 
do  not  see  such  great  effects  thereof  as  have  appeared 
in  former  times.  For  in  the  time  of  the  shadow,  when 
Christ  was  seen  in  type  and  under  a  veil,  there  was 
need  of  extraordinary  examples  to  confirm  faith  ;  but 
to  us  that  live  in  the  clear  hght  of  the  gospel,  to  whom 
Christ  is  made  manifest  to  be  our  intercessor,  this  may 
seem  to  strengthen  faith.  If  God  did  hear  the  prayers 
of  his  faithful  ones,  and  answered  them  by  miracles, 
they  had  special  warrant  to  demand  those  things  at 
the  hands  of  God.  We  have  no  such  warrant,  but 
look  we  what  we  may  pray  for,  and  we  shall  find  that 
God  doth  answer  us  with  success. 

1.  That  the  name  of  God  may  be  hallowed.  Doth 
not  every  faithful  servant  of  God  place  his  trust  in 
this  name  ?  doth  he  not  praise  it  for  all  things  '? 

2.  That  the  kingdom  of  God  may  come.  Is  not 
this  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  church  ?  Doth  not  the 
believer  feel  Christ  reigning  in  his  heart,  and  ruling 
him  by  his  Spirit  ?  and  doth  he  not  expect  his  second 
coming  in  glory,  and  believe  everlasting  life  ? 

3.  That  the  will  of  God  may  be  done  here  as  it  is 
in  ^heaven.  Is  it  not  so?  Our  conversation  is  in 
heaven.  Doth  not  the  whole  life  of  a  faithful  soul 
spend  itself  in  imitation  of  Christ,  and  of  the  angels 
of  God,  and  of  the  holy  saints  that  are  gone  before  us 
to  praise  God  in  heaven  '? 

4.  Have  we  not  daily  bread  '?  Doth  not  God  feed  us 
with  food  convenient  for  us  ? 

5.  Doth  not  God  assure  our  consciences  of  the  free 
remission  of  our  sins  ? 

6.  Doth  not  he  in  temptations  save  us  from  the  evil 
one  that  seeketh  our  destruction,  and  maketh  them 
the  exercises  of  our  virtue,  that  are  directed  to  the 
dilapidation  of  our  faith  '? 

We  may  ask  nothing  else  of  God  but  what  hath 
reference  to  one  of  these  petitions,  and  in  all  these  God 
heareth  us,  and  granteth  our  requests. 

Our  own  want  of  faith  and  zeal  in  prayer,  our  own 
neglect  of  the  duty,  our  own  unthankfulness  to  God 
for  benefits  already  received,  our  corrapt  desires  to 

301 


214. 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


spend  the  favours  of  God  upon  our  lusts,  may  make 
many  of  our  prayers  miscarry ;  much  more  if  we  do 
ask  anything  at  the  hands  of  God  which  is  not  lawful. 
But  let  us  ask  as  he  commandeth,  and  the  argument 
will  follow  comfortably.  If  the  servants  of  God  have 
heretofore  prevailed  with  God  so  far  as  to  work 
miracles  for  their  good,  much  more  will  God  hear  our 
ordinary  suits,  and  grant  them,  so  far  as  may  stand 
with  the  glory  of  his  name  and  our  good. 

But  at  adventure  he  hath  commanded  us  to  pray ; 
and  let  us  do  our  duty  in  obedience  to  him,  and  leave 
the  success  to  his  fatherly  providence.  Prayer  is  the 
casting  our  care  upon  God,  and  is  not  that  a  great 
comfort  to  us,  when  our  care  is  put  off,  and  so  repose 
that  we  may  serve  our  God  without  fear  or  care  for 
things  of  this  life  ? 

2.  The  victory  that  followed  the  station  of  the  sun 
and  moon  contains  two  things : 

1.  What  God  did  in  indignation  to  his  enemies. 

2.  What  he  did  in  favour  to  his  people. 
1.  What  he  did  in  indignation. 
Containing, 

1.  His  martial  march  through  the  land. 

2.  His  conquest  of  it. 

1 .  His  march.  '  Thou  didst  march  through  the 
land  in  indignation ; '  which  teacheth  us, 

Doct.  That  in  all  wars  God  is  Lord  of  hosts,  and 
general  of  all  the  armies  that  fight  in  his  quarrel. 
This  was  assured  to  Joshua  by  a  vision ;  for.  Josh. 
V.  13,  '  It  came  to  pass,  when  Joshua  was  by  Jericho, 
that  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold, 
there  stood  a  man  over  against  him,  with  his  sword 
drawn  in  his  hand  ;  and  Joshua  went  unto  him,  and 
said  unto  him.  Art  thou  for  us,  or  for  our  adversaries  ? 
And  he  said.  Nay  ;  but  as  a  captain  of  the  host  of  the 
Lord  am  I  now  come.  And  Joshua  fell  on  his  face  to 
the  earth,  and  did  worship.'  This  must  be  God  that 
appeared  to  him  by  this  angel ;  and  it  is  the  same 
angel  which  God  before  promised :  Exod.  xxiii.  20, 
*  Behold,  I  send  an  angel  before  thee,  to  keep  thee  in 
the  way,  and  to  bring  thee  into  the  place  which  I  have 
prepared.  Beware  of  him,  and  obey  his  voice,  and 
provoke  him  not ;  for  he  will  not  pardon  your  trans- 
gressions ;  for  my  name  is  in  him.' 

This  angel  must  needs  be  the  same,  who  is  after 
called  the  Messiah,  or  Anointed,  in  the  next  verse ;  and 
both  the  power  that  was  given  him  of  God  to  protect 
and  to  pardon,  and  the  charge  that  was  given  to  the 
people  not  to  offend  him,  and  the  worship  which 
302 


Joshua  did  give  him,  and  the  name  which  God  said 
was  in  him,  prove  him  to  be  Jesus  Christ. 

All  serves  to  prove  that  God  was  the  leader  of  these 
wars,  as  here  is  said,  '  Thou  didst  march  through  the 
land.'  And  God  did  take  it  upon  himself :  Isa.  xlv.  7, 
*  I  the  Lord  do  all  these  things.' 

The  reason  is,  because  war  is  one  of  the  rods  of 
God,  wherewith  he  doth  scourge  the  sins  of  men.  For 
thus  saith'  the  Lord  God,  Ezek.  xiv.  21,  '  How  much 
more  when  I  send  my  four  great  judgments  upon 
Jerusalem  ? '     The  first  of  them  is  the  sword. 

Who  can  manage  the  judgments  of  God  but  himself  ? 
and  therefore,  when  wicked  persons  are  employed  by 
him  to  punish  sinners  by  the  sword,  he  confesseth  the 
service  done  to  him,  as  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
king  of  Babel,  against  Tyrus :  Ezek.  xxix.  20,  *  I 
have  given  him  the  land  of  Egypt,  for  the  labour 
wherewith  he  served  against  Tyrus,  because  they 
wrought  for  me,  saith  the  Lord.' 

God  ordereth  all  wars ;  for  wars,  as  I  have  said,  is 
one  of  God's  own  rods,  and  none  can  manage  them 
without  him ;  so  all  wars,  as  they  are  from  him,  are 
just  wars.  ;  But  they  may  be  unjust  in  respect  of  them 
that  commence  and  prosecute  them.  The  point,  then, 
here  taught  is,  that  in  all  wars  which  are  just  in 
respect  of  God,  who  smiteth  them,  God  is  the  leader 
and  the  protector  of  his  armies,  who  giveth  them  both 
strength  to  fight  and  victory  in  battle. 

These  were  God's  wars  by  which  Israel  was  settled 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  they  were  the  wars  of  God 
by  which  Israel  was  led  away  captive  into  Babel.  You 
heard  God  himself  say  so  :  Hab.  i.  6,  *  For,  lo,  I  raise 
up  the  Chaldeans,  that  bitter  and  hasty  nation,  which 
shall  march  through  the  breadth  of  the  land,  to  possess 
the  dwelling-places  that  are  not  theirs.'  God  was  he 
that  marched  through  the  land,  then,  in  indignation. 

Use.  This  teacheth  us,  wheresoever  we  see  the  sword 
of  God  abroad  in  the  world  to  smite,  to  confess  it  to 
be  God's  sore  judgment,  without  whom  no  man  could 
draw  a  sword,  or  lift  up  his  arm  in  the  world. 

Note.  God  brought  in  his  Israel  by  the  sword,  and 
by  the  sword  he  carrieth  them  out  of  Canaan ;  the 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  both. 

Therefore,  whatsoever  preparations  of  war  God's 
servants  do  make,  to  hold  or  to  recover  their  own  right, 
to  relieve  the  distresses  of  others,  or  to  suppress  the 
injuries  of  oppressors,  they  must  commit  their  cause 
to  the  Lord,  and  seek  their  strength  from  him,  and 
depend  on  him  for  their  success. 


Ver.  11-1-t.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


215 


But  as  God  is  the  author  and  manager  of  all  wars, 
so  is  he  the  special  protector  of  those  that  he  hath  sepa- 
rated from  the  world  to  be  his  church  and  peculiar 
people,  as  in  the  story  of  Israel's  passage  you  have 
heard. 

In  this  war,  God  did  march  before  his  Israel  against 
the  inhabitants  of  Canaan,  and  cast  the  fear  of  them 
upon  them  all.  This  is  a  great  advantage  in  all  wars, 
to  have  God  on  their  sides,  for  as  David  saith,  '  If  the 
Lord  had  not  been  on  our  side,  when  men  rose  up 
against  us,  they  had  swallowed  us  up,'  &c.  Then  is 
God  a  special  protector,  when  he  directeth  his  war  to 
the  good  of  them  whom  he  protecteth,  and  marcheth 
in  fury  against  their  enemies.  And  thus  it  was  with 
Israel  when  they  took  possession  of  Canaan,  as  you 
have  heard :  Ps.  xliv.  3,  '  For  they  gat  not  the  land 
in  possession  by  their  own  arm,  neither  did  their 
own  arm  save  them,  but  thy  right  hand  and  thine 
arm,'  &c. 

The  distressed  have  a  special  warrant  to  call  upon 
God ;  and  it  was  the  voice  of  the  church,  when  the  ark 
removed,  to  say,  Exsurgat  Deus,  dissipentur  inimici  ejus, 
let  God  arise,  and  let  his  enemies  be  scattered. 

God  is  merciful  to  our  land  and  church,  that  we  yet 
live  in  peace ;  it  is  full  of  comfort,  when  God  marcheth 
before  his  church  in  their  wars,  but  it  is  much  more 
happiness  when  he  biddeth  us  go  to  our  chambers, 
and  shut  the  door  after  us,  and  tarry  a  while  tUl  the 
storm  of  troubles  overblow.  But  then  it  is  most 
joyous,  when  he  giveth  peace  within  our  walls  and 
plenty  within  our  palaces. 

Thus  have  we  lived  hitherto  by  the  favour  of  the 
God  of  peace,  and  it  shall  do  well  that  we  do  lay  this 
example  to  heart.  For  the  same  God  that  marched 
before  Israel  to  plant  them  in,  doth  now  march  before 
the  Chaldeans  to  cast  them  out ;  he  that  fought  for 
them  to  give  them  their  land,  now  fighteth  against 
them  to  carry  them  captives  out  of  the  land.  It  is 
the  indignation  of  God  that  maketh  this  change,  and 
it  is  their  sin  that  thus  provoketh  him  ;  yet  they  look 
back  in  their  captivity,  and  comfort  themselves  with 
the  remembrance  of  God's  former  protection. 

Sin  hath  made  this  change  ;  are  we  more  in  the 
favour  of  God  than  Israel  was,  or  have  we  sinned  less 
than  they  did,  that  their  evils  should  not  come  on  us  ? 
Surely  the  sins  of  our  land  are  both  many  and  heinous, 
the  double  edge  of  the  word,  which  is  drawn  and  used 
against  them,  doth  not  draw  blood. 

Nullus  sequitur  de  vulnere  sanguia. 


The  course  that  is  taken  for  reformation  is  pre- 
posterous, for  men  look  without  themselves,  and  com- 
plain of  the  faults  of  others,  and  would  fain  amend 
their  brethren ;  but  the  right  way  is,  let  every  one 
strive  and  labour  to  amend  one.  And  all  that  say. 
Let  not  this  evil  come  upon  us,  not  the  sword,  not 
the  pestilence,  not  famine  ;  let  them  be  tender  that 
no  evil  come  out  of  them,  for  our  sins  are  they 
which  part  God  and  us,  which  maketh  him  that  set 
us  up  cast  us  down. 

2.  His  conquest.  This  is  expressed  in  divers 
phrases,  to  declare  it  fierce  and  violent. 

1.  '  Thou  didst  thrash  the  heathen  in  anger.' 

2.  '  Thou  woundest  the  head  out  of  the  house  of 
the  wicked.' 

3.  '  Discovering  the  foundation  to  the  neck.' 

All  look  one  way,  to  describe  God  in  his  indigna- 
tion, how  he  lays  about  him ;  and  they  teach  us  that 
*  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  liv- 
ing God,'  for  he  is  known  by  executing  judgment,  and 
the  heathen  are  punished  in  his  sight.  True,  that  he 
is  patient  and  longsuffering,  even  toward  the  heathen 
that  know  not  God.  Long  did  the  cursed  seed  of 
Ham  possess  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  God  deferred 
their  punishment  to  the  fourth  generation ;  himself 
giveth  the  reason  of  it :  Gen.  xv.  16,  '  For  the  iniquity 
of  the  Amorites  is  not  yet  full.' 

There  be  six  signs  of  ensuing  judgment ;  and  where 
they  are  found,  what  remaineth  but  a  fearful  expecta- 
tion of  the  fierce  wrath  of  God  ? 

1.  The  quality  of  the  sins  committed ;  if  they  be  of 
those  crying  sins  which  do  immediately  impeach  the 
gloriousmajesty  of  God ;  such  as  are  superstition  and 
idolatry,  which  do  give  the  glory  of  God  to  creatures, 
blasphemy,  breach  of  God's  Sabbath ;  or  such  as 
violate  human  society,  sins  against  nature,  as  in  the 
Sodomites ;  sins  of  blood,  as  in  the  old  world  sins ;  of 
oppression,  bribery,  extortion,  corruption  of  justice, 
and  such  like.  These  things  do  put  almighty  God  so 
to  it,  that  he  saith,  Jer.  v.  7,  '  How  shall  I  pardon 
thee  for  these  things  ?  shall  I  not  visit  for  these 
things  ?  saith  the  Lord  :  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged 
on  such  a  nation  as  this  ?'  The  fields  look  yellow,  as 
Christ  saith,  for  the  harvest,  and  call  for  the  sickle  of 
God's  vengeance  to  cut  them  down. 

2.  The  spreading  and  extent  of  sin ;  when  it  hath 
corrupted  the  most,  as  in  the  old  world  God  said  to 
Noah,  '  Thee  only  have  I  found  righteous  before  me 
in  this  age ;'  and  in  Sodom  not  ten  righteous  to  be 

303 


216 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


found ;  and  in  Jerusalem  God  said,  '  Eun  to  and  fro 
through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  see  now  and 
know,  and  seek  in  the  broad  places  thereof,  if  ye  can 
find  a  man,  if  there  be  any  that  executeth  judgment, 
that  seeketh  truth,  and  I  will  pardon  it.'  The  pro- 
phet did  go  the  circuit.  He  searched  amongst  mean 
men,  and  he  found  them  foolish  and  ignorant ;  he 
gat  him  amongst  the  great  ones,  and  he  found  them 
such  as  had  broken  the  yoke.  When  sin  once  covereth 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  is  grown  like  a  general  pes- 
tilence infecting  the  greatest  part,  Moses,  Job,  Samuel, 
and  Daniel  may  pray  and  have  no  audience. 

3.  The  impudency  and  boldness  of  sin  ;  when  men 
are  not  ashamed  of  their  evils  that  they  commit,  to 
cover  and  conceal  them,  to  do  them  in  the  dark,  but 
brave  the  sun  with  them  ;  as  Absalom  defiled  the  con- 
cubines of  David  in  the  sight  of  the  sun,  and  before 
all  Israel.  It  is  God's  complaint  of  his  people  :  Isa. 
iii.  9,  *  The  show  of  their  countenance  doth  witness 
against  them,  and  they  declare  their  sin  as  Sodom, 
and  they  hide  it  not.'  And  again,  Jer,  vi.  15,  '  Were 
they  ashamed  when  they  had  committed  abomination  ? 
ray,  they  were  not  at  all  ashamed,  neither  could  they 
blush.'  Jer.  iii.  3,  '  Thou  hast  an  harlot's  forehead, 
thou  refusest  to  be  ashamed.' 

4.  Ostentation  of  sin.  When  men  do  make  their 
boast  thereof,  '  why  boastest  thou  thyself  in  mischief?' 
Upon  which  words  St  Augustine  saith,  Gloria  malig- 
nitatis,  gloria  est  malorum.  He  saith,  it  is  a  foolish 
boast  to  glory  in  evil ;  for  evil  is  easily  done.  He 
gives  many  instances,  the  care  of  preparing  the  seed, 
and  of  the  ground,  the  sowing,  the  weeding,  the  at- 
tending, how  many  hands  it  asketh,  and  Absalom  can 
set  it  all  on  fire  in  a  moment.  So  Samson's  foxes  did 
the  fields  of  the  Philistines.  The  wise  man  setteth  it 
down  as  a  fault,  Prov.  xx.  6,  '  Most  men  will  pro- 
claim every  man  his  own  goodness  ;'  how  much  more 
to  boast  of  evil,  as  wantons  boast  how  many  they  have 
defiled,  and  drunkards  how  many  they  have  out-drunk. 

5.  Making  a  mock  at  sin.  So  the  wise  man  saith, 
there  be  that  toss  fire-brands,  and  say,  *  Am  not  I  in 
sport  ?'  All  our  sins  are  fire-brands  ;  we  need  no 
other  rods  to  scourge  us  here,  no  other  fuel  to  entire 
us  hereafter,  than  our  own  sin  ;  this  is  hilaris  inm- 
nia,  to  make  ourselves  merry  with  these,  and  to  sit  in 
the  chair  of  the  scornful. 

6.  Incorrigibility.  When  the  gracious  warnings  of 
God  do  not  lead  them  to  repentance  ;  when  the  angry 
threatenings  of  God  do  not  draw  blood  of  them ;  when 

304 


the  rods  of  God's  favourable  chastisement  do  not  smart 
upon  them.  '  0  Lord,'  saith  Jeremiah,  chap.  v.  3, 
*  thou  hast  stricken  them,  but  they  have  not  grieved.' 
Correction  had  wont  to  be  the  way  to  reclaim  sinners, 
but  when  iniquity  is  come  to  the  full  ripeness,  God 
may  lay  on  while  he  will ;  they  that  have  not  known 
the  way  of  peace,  will  harden  their  hearts,  as  Pharaoh 
did,  and  correction  will  but  make  them  curse  and 
blaspheme  God  to  his  face.  This  was  the  full  iniquity 
of  these  nations  whom  God  threshed,  and  wounded, 
and  digged  up,  and  cast  out,  that  he  might  plant  his 
Israel  therein. 

Use.  And  it  teacheth  us  to  be  wise  to  salvation  ;  as 
the  apostle  saith,  '  Thou  man  of  God,  fly  these  things.' 
And  let  me  say  to  you,  as  Lot  to  the  Sodomites,  '  I 
pray  you,  my  brethren,  do  not  so  wickedly.' 

1.  Take  heed  of  idols  :  *  Babes,  keep  yourselves 
from  idols.'  Idolatry  hath  grown  bolder  of  late  than 
heretofore.  The  factors  of  Rome  are  busy  amongst 
us  trading  for  proselytes  ;  but  God  stirreth  up  the 
spirits  of  his  religious  servants  to  solicit  the  cause  of 
religion,  and  the  worthies  of  our  land  stand  up  with 
zealous  fervency  of  spirit  for  the  truth  of  God. 

This  is  the  light  of  Israel ;  so  long  as  we  keep  the 
fire  of  God  burning  upon  our  altars,  we  shall  have 
hope  that  God  is  with  us,  and  that  he  will  give  us  his 
blessing  of  peace.  Let  us  break  off  our  sins  by  re- 
pentance, that  we  may  turn  away  the  indignation  of 
God  from  us  ;  let  not  sin  reign  in  our  mortal  bodies, 
that  we  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof. 

2.  Let  us  take  heed  that  we  give  not  way  to  sin, 
either  in  ourselves  or  in  others,  lest  it  overgrow  us  ; 
but  let  us  examine  our  own  hearts  in  our  chambers, 
and  turn  to  the  Lord.  And  if  a  brother  by  occasion 
fall  into  sin,  let  them  that  are  spiritual  restore  him 
with  the  spirit  of  meekness. 

3.  Let  shame  cover  our  faces  for  the  evils  that  we 
have  done  ;  it  is  no  shame  to  be  ashamed  of  our  evils. 
As  there  is  a  godly  sorrow,  so  there  is  a  godly  shame ; 
let  us  say  with  Job,  '  I  covered  not  my  transgression 
with  Adam,  by  hiding  my  iniquity,  in  my  bosom.' 

4.  Let  it  grieve  us  that  we  have  sinned,  and  let  us 
not  boast  thereof,  but  say  with  Job,  Peccavi,  quid 
faciam  tibi ;  with  Saul,  *  I  have  sinned,  and  done 
foolishly.' 

5.  Let  the  remembrance  of  our  sin  smite  our  hearts, 
as  David's  heart  smote  him  when  he  had  numbered 
the  people,  and  let  us  do  no  more  so.  Let  the  judg- 
ments of  God  make  us  afraid. 


Ver.  11-14.] 


MAKBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


217 


6.  Let  the  corrections  of  God  humble  us,  and  cast 
us  at  the  feet  of  God,  that  he  may  shew  us  mercy  ; 
and  with  Paul,  let  us  pray  three  times,  that  the  angel 
of  Satan  may  be  taken  from  us. 

Then  shall  we  neither  feel  the  flail  of  God  threshing 
us,  nor  the  sword  of  God  wounding  us,  nor  the  spade 
of  God  digging  [us]  up ;  but  we  shall  rejoice,  every 
man  under  his  own  vine,  and  under  his  own  fig-tree. 

2.  "What  he  did  in  favour  to  his  own :  '  Thou  wentest 
forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  people,  even  for  salvation 
with  thine  anointed.'  David  saith,  '  Truly  God  is 
good  to  Israel.' 

The  everlasting  comfort  of  the  church  hath  been 
planted  and  grounded  in  the  favour  of  God,  by  the 
mediation  of  Jesus  Christ  his  anointed.  For  although 
Christ  were  not  so  manifest  to  his  church  before,  and 
in  the  time  of  the  law,  as  he  hath  been  in  the  time  of 
the  gospel,  yet  he  hath  been  always  the  hope  of  all 
the  ends  of  the  world. 

Beason.  The  reason  is,  because  Christ  is  not  only  a 
mediator  of  intercession  to  pray  for  us,  and  a  mediator 
of  satisfaction  to  die  for  us,  and  a  mediator  of  salva- 
tion to  prepare  eternal  mansions  for  us,  but  he  is,  and 
ever  was,  and  will  be,  a  mediator  also  of  temporal 
protection  to  keep  and  defend  us  from  all  e\ils  ;  so 
that  the  sun  shall  not  smite  us  by  day,  nor  the  moon 
by  night.  For  as  God  created  us  to  his  own  image, 
80  he  fitted  to  his  only  begotten  Son  a  body  in  our 
image  ;  he  was  made  of  a  woman,  and  so  soon  as  his 
word  had  made  him  the  promised  seed,  so  soon  was 
he  crucified  for  us,  and  was  the  Lamb  slain  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world.  Then  did  he  take  his  ehurch 
into  his  bosom,  and  married  her  to  himself,  and  they 
became  one  body  ;  and  ever  since  his  angels  have 
charge  over  her,  to  keep  her  in  all  her  ways  ;  and  this 
must  comfort  Israel  in  Babylon,  that  God  went  before 
them  with  his  Anointed,  to  settle  them  in  the  promised 
land. 

There  be  no  other  mercies  that  will  tarry  by  us,  but 
those  which  God  doth  vouchsafe  us  by  the  means  of 
this  mediator.  He  imparteth  many  outward  blessings 
even  to  the  wicked,  by  the  means  of  his  Holy  Ghost ; 
for  all  the  knowledge  that  they  have,  all  the  wisdom 
in  arts  and  sciences,  be  the  gifts  of  the  Holy_  Ghost ; 
but  they  have  no  portion  at  all  in  the  office  of  Christ, 
he  was  not  anointed  for  them. 

From  hence  the  apostle  doth  conclude,  that  God 
hath  not  forsaken  the  Jews,  but  that  they  shall  be 
called  again  ;  for  he  saith,  Rom.  xi.  1,  2,  '  Hath  God 


cast  away  his  people  ?'  he  answereth,  '  God  hath  not 
cast  away  his  people  whom  he  foreknew.'  The  elec- 
tion of  grace,  which  made  them  his,  doth  confirm  them 
to  him  for  ever,  and  therefore  they  mention  his  going 
before  them  with  his  Anointed,  to  assure  them,  that 
though  they  go  into  captivity,  and  abide  a  long  time 
there,  yet  they  shall  not  be  left  in  bonds  for  ever  ;  for 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  this  Anointed,  Isa.  Ixi.  1, 
'  to  preach  liberty  to  captives,  and  the  opening  the 
prison  to  them  that  are  bound.' 

This  is  now  the  true  comfort  of  the  distressed  parts 
of  the  church,  which  groan  under  the  burden  of  op- 
pression and  bloody  persecution.  They  cry  for  the 
help  of  men,  and  no  nation  doth  succour  them  ;  they 
weep  and  pray  to  God  and  to  his  Anointed,  and,  no 
doubt,  but  in  good  time  he  will  come  down  to  them 
to  visit  them  in  his  mercy ;  they  are  Christians,  and 
they  carry  the  name  of  God's  Anointed.  His  name  is 
in  them,  and  his  righteousness  and  truth  are  their 
hope  and  strength.  It  is  time  for  thee,  Lord,  to  put 
to  thy  hand,  for  the  wicked  sons  of  Belial,  the  children 
of  Edom,  cry  out  against  thy  church,  Down  with  it, 
down  with  it,  even  to  the  ground.  The  bishop  of 
Rome  abetteth  the  unchristian  shedding  of  Christian 
blood  by  his  letters,  and  disperseth  his  whetstones  to 
sharpen  the  sword  of  God's  enemies  against  God's 
church.  Let  us  say  with  old  Jacob,  *  0  Lord,  I  have 
waited  for  thy  salvation,'  for  thy  Jesus. 

2.  This  repetition  of  salvation,  '  Thou  wentest  forth 
for  the  salvation  of  thy  people,  even  for  salvation,' 
teacheth  us, 

Doct.  2.  That  God  hath  taken  upon  himself  the 
care  of  the  preservation  of  his  church.  Therefore  he 
goeth  before  them  for  salvation,  and  he  doth  never 
leave  them  nor  forsake  them. 

Reason  1.  God  hath  many  gracious  titles,  which  do 
assure  his  love  and  fiivour  to  us.  He  is  called  Jehovah^ 
so  we  hve,  move,  and  have  our  being  in  him.  He  is 
called  by  Job  the  Preserver  of  men  ;  St  Paul  addeth, 
especially  of  the  elect,  for  their  salvation  is  a  pecuUar 
grace,  no  common  favour.  And  so  his  right  hand 
both  supporteth  and  guideth  us,  that  we  neither  stray 
out  of  the  way,  nor  fall  in  the  way.  He  is  called  our 
Shepherd,  and  so  we  come  to  want  nothing,  for  he 
leadeth  us  both  to  the  green  pastures  and  to  the 
waters  of  comfort.  He  is  called  the  Husband  of  the 
church,  and  Christ  preserveth  her  to  him,  sine  macula 
et  ruga,  '  without  spot  or  wrinkle  ;'  and  Christ  teacheth 
ns  to  call  him  our  Father^  so  as  a  father  hath  com- 

305 
U 


218 


MAEBUKT  ON  HABAKKTJK. 


[Chap.  III. 


passion,  &c.  The  Lord  is  our  King  of  old,  he  maketh 
salvation  in  the  midst  of  the  earth.  All  these  titles 
declare  him  co  non-resident  from  his  charge  ;  he  is 
alwaj-s  incumhent.     For  ipse  est  qui  dat  salutem. 

Reason  2.  Because  the  church  committeth  itself  to 
him,  and  casteth  her  care  upon  him,  and  he  never 
failed  them  that  trust  in  him.  St  Paul,  'I  know 
whom  I  have  trusted.'  '  Commit  thy  ways  to  the 
Lord,  and  trust  in  him,  and  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass.' 
Beason  3.  The  church  of  God  giveth  him  no  rest, 
but  by  continual  supplications  importuneth  his  saving 
protection,  saying,  '  0  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  save  now  ; 
O  Lord,  I  pray  thee,  now  give  prosperity.'  He  hath 
commanded  her  so  to  do ;  to  seek,  to  ask,  to  knock ; 
and  invocation  is  one  of  the  marks  of  God's  children. 
'  He  that  calleth  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved.'  They  are  called  the  assembly  of  God's  armies, 
and  their  prayers  be  their  weapons,  heaven  is  their 
abiding  city  which  they  besiege,  and  Christ  saith, 
'  the  violent  take  it  by  force.'  For,  multonim  preces 
impossihile  est  contemni. 

Reason  4.  Christ  himself  always  prayeth  the  Father 
for  his  church,  that  God  would  keep  it ;  and  he  saith 
to  his  Father,  '  I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always.' 
Use.  This  comfortable  doctrine  serveth  to  refresh 
the  grieved  soul  in  time  of  affliction.  The  smart  of 
God's  rod  doth  many  times  put  us  into  fits  of  im- 
patience and  murmuring,  and  the  delay  of  God's  saving 
help  doth  often  stagger  our  weak  faith ;  that  the  man 
after  God's  own  heart  doth  sometimes  fear  that  God 
hath  given  him  over. 

In  great  losses,  as  of  our  honours  and  preferments, 
of  our  liberty,  of  our  wealth,  of  our  dear  friends,  it  is 
some  time  before  we  can  recover  from  this  shaking  fit 
of  fear,  that  God  hath  forsaken  us,  and  we  say,  Ps. 
X.  1,  '  Why  standest  thou  so  far  off,  0  Lord,  and 
hidest  thee  in  due  time,  in  time  of  afiliction  ?' 

But  when  we  remember  *  thou  art  with  me,'  it 
establisheth  our  footsteps,  it  strengtheneth  our  weak 
knees,  and  comforteth  our  sorrowful  hearts,  and 
biddeth  us  *  Rejoice  in  the  Lord ;'  again  it  saith, 
'  rejoice.'  So  David,  '  I  waited  patiently  for  God  ;' 
and  so  he  comforteth  his  soul :  Ps.  xliii.  5.  '  Wait  on 
God,  for  I  will  yet  give  him  thanks,  for  the  help  of 
his  presence ;  he  is  my  present  help,  and  my  God.' 

So  then,  if  present  issue  appear  not  out  of  affliction, 
let  us  not  faint  in  our  troubles,  but  persuade  us  that 
God  is  with  us,  and  the  rock  of  our  salvation  will  not 
fail  us. 

306 


Use  2.  This  sheweth  that  we  need  not  seek  further 
for  salvation  than  to  God  himself  and  his  Anointed, 
seeing  they  are  always  with  us.  It  is  a  foolish  and 
idle  superstition  and  idolatry  to  seek  our  salvation 
from  or  by  the  means  of  angels  or  saints,  or  the 
mother  of  our  Lord,  when  we  have  both  him  and  his 
anointed  Messiah,  that  is,  both  the  giver  and  mediator 
of  salvation,  with  us. 

This  foolish  devotion  of  the  Roman  church,  of  mak- 
ing way  by  angels  and  saints,  hath  three  great  defects, 
which  all  the  wit  of  Rome  and  hell  could  never  cover 
or  conceal. 

1.  It  hath  no  commandment  to  lequire  it. 

2.  It  hath  no  example  to  lead  us  to  it. 

3.  It  hath  no  promise  in  Scripture  to  reward  it. 
Ps  Ixxiii.  25,  '  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ? 
and  I  have  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides 
thee.'  They  be  our  glorious  fellow-creatures,  we 
honour  God  for  the  good  that  they  have  done  in  his 
church.  We  believe  that  they  pray  for  our  happy 
deliverance  from  all  miseries  of  life,  and  the  society 
of  their  lives.  We  imitate  their  holy  examples,  and 
do  strive  to  follow  them  in  their  virtues,  and  pray  for 
the  graces  of  God  that  sanctified  them  on  earth.  But 
for  our  salvation  we  know  that  he  is  always  with  us, 
that  saveth  us,  and  his  Anointed  doth  never  forsake 
us,  that  keepeth  us  from  evil.  We  hear  him  saying, 
'  Come  unto  me ;'  and  he  calleth  us  not  to  heaven 
to  him,  but,  •  Lo,  I  am  with  you  to  the  end  of  the 
world.'  He  is  near  unto  all  that  call  upon  him,  and 
he  is  easily  found  of  them  that  seek  him. 

Use  3.  This  doth  give  us  fair  warning  to  take  heed 
that  we  do  not  leave  our  God  and  live  in  sin,  for  he 
is  not  so  near  us  but  that  ourselves  may  separate  be- 
ween  him  and  us,  for  it  is  also  true  that  God  putteth 
a  great  deal  of  diflference  between  an  ungodly  and 
godly  man  ;  as  Solomon  saith,  Prov.  xv.  29,  '  The 
Lord  is  far  from  the  wicked,  but  he  heareth  the  prayer 
of  the  righteous.'  And  as  God  is  far  from  them,  so 
is  salvation  ;  as  David  saith,  Ps.  cxix.  55,  '  Salvation 
is  far  from  the  wicked.'  As  we  tender  the  favourable 
protection  and  love  of  God,  let  us  take  heed  of  sin. 
Isa.  lix.  1,  'Behold,  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened, 
that  it  cannot  save ;  nor  his  ear  heavy,  that  it  cannot 
hear  :  but  your  iniquities  have  separated  between  you 
and  your  God,  and  your  sins  have  hid  his  face  from 
you,  that  he  will  not  hear.' 

Use  4.  Seeing  our  salvation  is  of  him  only  by  his 
Anointed,  let  us  remember  that  we  are  called  Chris- 


Ver.  14.] 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


219 


tians  after  his  name  ;  not  only  Christum,  Lo,  I  am  with 
you,  and  Spiritum  Christi,  whom  I  will  send  you 
from  the  Father,  but  we  have  ;^j/<r,u,a,  the  very  anoint- 
ing itself,  left  and  deposited  in  the  church ;  as  St 
John  saith,  1  John  ii.  2,  '  But  ye  have  an  unction 
from  the  Holy  One.'  If  we  keep  this  unction,  wo  are 
sure  of  this  salvation,  therefore  grieve  not  the  Spirit 
of  Grod,  resist  not  the  Holy  Ghost,  receive  not  the 
grace  of  God  in  vain. 

And  so  let  the  enemy  of  mankind  and  his  agents 
do  their  worst  to  annoy  us,  our  salvation  is  bound  up 
in  the  bundle  of  life  with  our  God  for  ever ;  we  may  go 
forth  boldly  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  both  against 
the  enemies  of  our  temporal  estate  and  the  ,  spiritual 
adversaries  of  our  souls,  for  who  can  wrong  us  if  we 
follow  the  thing  that  is  good  ? 

God,  who  maketh  in  us  both  telle  et  facere,  to  will 
and  to  do,  make  us  able  for  this  work  of  our  salvation ! 


Ver.  14;.  Thou  didst  strike  through  icith  his  staves 
the  head  of  his  villages ;  they  came  out  as  a  whirlwind  to 
scatter  me :  tJieir  rejoicing  icas  to  devour  the  poor  secretly. 

This,  as  you  have  heard  before  in  the  exposition  of 
the  words,  hath  reference  to  that  victory  which  God 
gave  against  the  Midianites  to  his  Israel,  Judges 
vii.  22,  wherein  the  Lord  set  every  man's  sword 
against  his  fellow  throughout  all  the  host,  for  there 
he  struck  them  with  their  own  staves,  and  armed 
them  against  themselves  to  their  own  rain. 

Wherein  consider  with  me  two  things  : 

1.  Their  punishment. 

2.  Their  sin. 

In  the  punishment  we  are  taught, 

Doct.  That  God  in  his  just  judgment  maketh  the 
imgodly  rods  to  punish  one  another  of  them.  If  they 
have  no  other  enemies  but  themselves,  they  shall  go 
together  by  the  ears  amongst  themselves,  and  smite 
one  another. 

This  is  that  which  God  threatened  against  the  sins 
in  Israel :  Isa.  xix.  19,  '  No  man  shall  spare  his  bro- 
ther ;  he  shall  snatch  on  the  right  hand,  and  be  hungry, 
and  he  shall  eat  on  the  left  hand,  and  shall  not  be 
satisfied :  they  shall  eat  every  man  the  flesh  of  his 
own  arm  ;  Manasseh  Ephraim,  and  Ephraim  Man- 
asseh,  and  they  together  shall  be  against  Judah.' 

This  was  the  burden  of  Egypt :  Isa.  xix.  2,  *  And 
I  will  set  the  Egyptians  against  the  Egyptians,  and 
they  shall  fight  every  one  against  his  brother,  and 


every  one  against  his  neighbour,  city  against  city,  and 
kingdom  against  kingdom.' 

In  the  first  of  these  two  places  the  prophet  doth 
foretell  how  the  tribes  shall  fall  out  among  themselves, 
and  how  their  greediness  of  wealth  and  honour  shall 
make  them  devour  one  another;  for  the  apostle  giveth 
warning  that  we  be  tender  how  we  bite  one  another, 
'  lest  we  be  devoured  one  of  another.' 

This  is  sin  and  punishment  both ;  wherein  they 
offend,  therein  they  are  punished. 

In  the  second  example,  of  the  Egyptians  destroying 
one  another,  we  behold  the  uncertain  state  of  ungodly 
nations  and  people ;  they  can  have  no  constant  peace. 

Reason  1.  Because  they  know  not,  they  serve  not, 
the  God  of  peace ;  and  where  true  religion  doth  not 
unite  hearts,  they  may  cry  a  confederacy,  which  may 
hold  so  long  as  it  may  [serve^  some  private  turns,  but 
the  next  great  provocation  turns  all  into  fury  and 
combustion,  for  there  wants  the  foundation  of  peace 
within  them. 

Reason  2.  Because  he  would  thereby  maintain  the 
equity  of  that  natural  law  written  in  every  man's 
heart  by  the  finger  of  God,  '  Do  as  thou  wouldst  be 
done  to.'  Wouldst  thou  be  content  to  be  beaten 
with  those  staves  that  thou  hast  made  to  beat  others, 
to  be  hewed  and  mangled  with  those  weapons  of  vio- 
lence 7  Therefore  God  in  his  justice  employeth  this 
preparation  against  themselves,  and  scourgeth  them 
with  their  own  rods. 

Reason  3.  That  we  may  know  that  all  things  in 
the  administration  of  the  world  are  directed  by  the 
wisdom  and  providence  of  God,  who,  though  he  be  a 
God  of  peace,  yet  he  also  causeth  divisions  and  con- 
tentions amongst  men,  and  punisheth  transgressors 
therewith.  The  ten  kings  in  the  Revelation,  which 
are  the  ten  horns  of  the  beast,  that  is,  of  Rome,  these 
at  first  join  their  forces  against  the  lamb,  and  set  up 
the  beast :  Rev.  xvii.  13,  *  These  have  one  mind,  and 
shall  give  their  strength  unto  the  beast ;'  but  in  the- 
end,  vers.  16,  17,  '  And  these  ten  horns  which  thou 
sawest  upon  the  beast,  these  shall  hate  the  whore,  and 
shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and  shaU  eat  her 
flesh,  and  shall  bum  her  up  with  fire.  For  God  hath 
.  put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his  will,  and  to  agree,  and 
to  give  their  kingdom  to  the  beast,  until  the  words  of 
God  shall  be  fulfilled.'  From  whence  we  gather  that 
that  agreement  which  is  amongst  wicked  men  against 
Christ  and  against  his  church,  is  strengthened  by  the 
will  and  providence  of  God  for  a  time.    Till  that  time, 

307 


220 


MAllBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


the  confederacies  of  the  ungodly  do  hold  ;  but  when  he 
pleaseth  to  dissolve  them,  they  end  in  self-woundings 
and  intestine  combusions. 

Use  1.  This  serveth  to  settle  our  judgments  con- 
cerning the  combinations  of  the  wicked  against  the 
church  ;  they  are  of  God,  and  he  hath  his  secret  and 
just  ends  therein,  either  to  chasten  the  errors  and 
transgressions  of  his  people,  or  to  bring  their  patience 
and  piety  to  the  test,  to  try  whether  anything  will 
make  them  forsake  their  hold  and  relinquish  their 
trust  in  him,  or  to  bring  the  greater  condemnation 
upon  those  whom  he  useth  as  instruments  in  this 
trial  of  his  chosen  servants. 

Therefore,  now  that  we  both  hear  the  news  and  see 
the  effects  of  this  new  bloody  league  to  destroy  the 
church,  and  to  root  out  the  protestant  religion, 
whereby  much  Christian  blood  of  innocents  is  already 
shed,  more  is  feared  ;  let  it  establish  our  hearts  and 
settle  our  judgments  upon  this  rest.  The  Lord  will 
have  it,  a  Domino  factum  est  hoc  ;  Tu  Domiue  feclstl, 
thou.  Lord,  hast  done  it. 

Surely  there  is  much  dross  in  our  gold,  which  must 
be  purged;  we  have  not  spared  one  another  with 
schismatical  mouths  and  pens,  to  break  the  peace  of 
the  church,  and  God  in  his  judgment  suffereth  the 
wicked  to  prevail  against  us. 

Use  2.  This  comforteth  the  church  against  these 
tempests  of  fury  that  her  enemies  do  raise  against  her, 
for,  though  they  weaken  us  thereby,  and  exalt  their 
own  horn  on  high,  yet,  when  the  waves  of  the  sea  do 
rage  horribly,  God  that  is  on  high  is  more  mighty 
than  they,  and  he  will  smite  them  with  their  [own 
staves  that  supported  them,  and  wound  them  with 
their  own  swords  that  defended  them. 

Use  3.  This  admonisheth  us  not  to  settle  any  con- 
fidence or  trust  in  the  friendship  of  man,  whose  breath 
is  in  his  nostrils,  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  trusted  ?  The 
prophet  Micah  saith,  chap.  vii.  2-4,  '  The  good  man 
is  perished  out  of  the  earth ;  there  is  none  upright 
among  men  ;  they  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood  ;  they  hunt 
every  man  his  brother  with  a  net.  That  they  may  do 
evil  with  both  hands  earnestly,  the  prince  asketh,  the 
judge  asketh  for  a  reward ;  and  the  great  man  uttereth 
the  mischief  of  his  soul:,  so  they  wrap  it  up.  The  best  of 
them  is  a  brier  ;  the  most  upright  of  them  is  sharper 
than  a  thorn  hedge.'  And  from  this  consideration  of 
the  general  falsehood  that  is  in  friendship,  his  caution 
is,  ver.  5, 6,  '  Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend,  put  no  confidence 
in  a  guide ;  keep  the  doors  of  thy  mouth  from  her  that 
308 


lieth  in  thy  bosom.  For  the  son  dishonoureth  the 
father,  the  daughter  riseth  up  against  her  mother, 
the  daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law ;  and  a 
man's  enemies  are  the  men  of  his  own  house.' 

What  shall  we  do  then  ?  Ver.  7,  Therefore  I  will 
look  upon  the  Lord ;  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my 
salvation  :  my  God  will  hear  me.' 

Christ  our  Saviour,  Mat.  x.  34,  doth  apply  this 
text  to  his  own  coming  into  the  world  ;  he  professeth 
it  that  he  'came  not  to  bring  peace  into  the  world,  but 
the  sword.'  In  which  words  he  rather  expresseth  the 
events  and  effects  than  the  intention  and  purpose  of 
his  coming  ;  for  where  the  light  of  the  gospel  doth 
shine,  father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  are  but  nuda 
nomina,  bare  names,  where  Christian  rehgion  is  not, 
for  the  true 'gospeller  will  fall  out  with  all,  and  for- 
sake them  all  for  Jesus  Christ.  The  rest  of  the  church 
is  God  in  Christ.  Let  us  seek  peace  with  men  if  it 
be  possible, 'as  much  as  in  our  power  ;  let  us  have 
peace  with  all  men,  but  let  us  trust  no  human  or  tem- 
poral supportation. 

Use  4.  Seeing  it  is  here  set  down  as  a  great  judg- 
ment of  God  upon  Midian,  that  they  were  beaten  with 
their  own  staves,  and  wounded  with  their  own  wea- 
pons, let  us  take  notice  of  this  judgment,  and  take  it 
for  a  great  sign  of  God's  indignation  against  us,  when 
we  break  the  bonds  of  peace  and  Christian  charity, 
biting  and  beating  one  another,  libelling  and  defaming, 
worrying  one  another  with  suits  of  molestation,  schis- 
matically  forsaking  the  fellowship  one  of  another,-  and 
changing  public  congregations  into  private  conventicles, 
and  forsaking  the  settled  priesthood  of  the  church,  for 
such  as  do  labour  most  to  break  the  peace  of  the 
church  ;  for  what  is  this  but  the  angel  of  Satan  beat- 
ing of  us  with  our  own  staves  ?  Doth  not  this  home 
contention  in  our  church  open  an  easy  way  to  the 
enemy  of  both  to  enter  in  and  spoil  all  ? 

And  this  I  have  observed,  that  two  sides  have  gained 
by  our  church  contentions.  The  anabaptists  have 
recovered  some  from  us,  who,  standing  so  violently 
against  popery,  have  questioned  all  that  they  received. 
The  papists  have  recovered  many  who  have  gone  so 
far  in  the  defence  of  the  mean,  that  themselves  have 
staggered  into  the  extreme. 

God  be  merciful  to  our  land,  and  continue  the  peace 
of  the  state,  even  the  sweet  correspondence  of  our 
sovereign  and  his  subjects,  and  we  shall  have  hope 
that  our  arms  shall  be  strengthened  against  our 
enemies,  and  our  own  staves  shall  do  us  no  hurt. 


Yer  14.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


221 


2.  Their  sin.  It  was  a  trespass  against  the  church 
of  Godj  devouring  of  the  poor,  and  that  by  open  vio- 
lence, coming  hke  a  whirlwind,  in  sudden  fury  against 
them,  and  by  secret  practices  to  hurt  and  annoy  them ; 
teaching  us  that, 

Doct.  It  is  a  grievous  and  provoking  sin,  openly  or 
secretly,  to  distress  the  poor. 

There  be  two  words  of  strong  signification  here 
used  : 

1.  Scattering;  which  signifieth  their  expulsion  out 
of  their  places  where  they  dwelt,  to  go,  as  the  Levite 
did,  to  get  them  a  place  where  they  can  find  one ;  which 
suiteth  well  with  the  humour  of  the  covetous  rich  man, 
who  desires  to  dwell  alone  upon  the  earth. 

2.  Devouring ;  which  signifieth  taking  away  from 
them  all  that  they  have,  to  put  it  to  their  own  heap, 
whereby  they  become  vassals  to  those  that  strip  them. 

Reason  1.  This  is  a  grievous  sin,  and  well  deserves 
the  punishment  above  mentioned, 

1.  Because  God  hath  declared  himself  the  patron 
and  protector  of  the  poor ;  and  therefore  the  psalmist 
saith,  '  The  poor  committeth  himself  unto  him,  for  he 
is  the  Father  of  the  fatherless.'  So  that,  to  distress 
those  is  to  clip  the  wings  of  the  hen  that  gathereth  in 
her  chickens. 

Reason  2.  Because  the 'poor  are  our  own  flesh,  so 
they  are  called  by  the  prophet,  and  it  is  used  as  an 
argument  to  persuade  compassion  :  Isa.  Iviii.  7,  *  To 
deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  to^bring  the  poor  that 
are  cast  out  to  thy  house;  when  thou  seest  the  naked, 
to  cover  him ;  and  that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from 
thine  own  flesh.'  The  poor  and  rich  both  digged  out 
of  the  same  pit,  both  cast  in  the  same  mould. 

Reason  3.  Because  natura  paucis  contenta,  nature 
is  content  with  a  little,  and  we  have  enough  amongst 
us  to  minister  that ;  for  if  we  have  food, — he  meaneth 
not  manna  and  quails,  but  necessary  food  and  raiment; 
he  meaneth  not  costly,  but  necessary  raiment, — we 
must  be  therewith  content. 

To  strip  the  poor  naked,  to  multiply  our  changes  of 
raiment,  or  to  take  away  a  whole  garment  from  them, 
to  put  one  lace  more  upon  ours,  this  is  inhuman, 
irreligious.  To  scatter  them,  that  we  may  have 
elbow-room  enough,  and  more  than  needs,  for  our- 
selves, that  we  may  have  so  |^ much  the  more  to  look 
upon  and  lie  by  us,  this  is  Midianitish  and  heathenish. 
T  OS  autem  non  sic,  do  not  you  so. 

Reason  4.  Because  God  hath  conmaitted,  together 
with  riches,  the  care  and  custody  of  the  poor  to  the 


rich ;  and  as  they  hold  their  wealth  not  as  rightful 
owners,  but  as  merciful  stewards  and  dispensers  there- 
of, so  in  the  dispensation,  they  are  accotmtants  to 
God  for  the  overplus,  and  he  will  call  for  the  inven- 
tory, and  judge  their  administration  of  those  things. 
Understand,  therefore, 'that  God  doth  not  at  any  time 
relinquish  his  interest  that  he  hath  in  the  gifts  which 
he  bestoweth  on  men  ;  but  still  he  saith,  Hag.  ii.  9, 
'  The  silver  is  mine,  and  the  gold  is  mine,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts.' 

When  David  gave  up  all  the  provisions  that  he  had 
made  for  the  building  of  God's  temple  to  Solomon  his 
son,  he  blessed  the  Lord,  and  he  confessed,  saying, 
1  Chron.  xxix,  16,  '  0  Lord  our  God,  all  this  store  that 
we  have  prepared  to  build  thee  an  house  for  thy  holy 
name,  cometh  of  thine  hand,  and  is  all  thine  own  ;' 
so  before,  *  All  things  come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own 
hand  have  we  given  thee.' 

Use.  The  use,  then,  that  we  must  make  of  this 
point  is, 

1.  For  the  rich,  let  them  know  their  duty  to  the 
poor.  Love  is  a  debt  that  they  owe  to  them,  not  an 
arbitrary  courtesy.     They  may  not, 

1.  Either  encroach  upon  them  by  robbing,  or  spoil- 
ing them  of  that  which  they  have,  as  here  those 
Midianites  did,  to  spoil  their  corn,  to  take  away  any- 
thing of  theirs. 

2.  Neither  may  they  come  upon  them  as  a  whirl- 
wind, to  encompass  and  gird  them  in  by  their  devices 
of  power,  or  wit,  or  authority,  to  make  prizes  of  their 
labours,  whilst  they  eat  the  bread  of  adversity,  and 
drink  the  waters  of  Marah. 

3.  Neither  may  they  withhold  ^their  hands  in  their 
bosoms  in  their  wants,  but  stretch  them  forth  to  re- 
lieve their  necessities. 

The  wise  son  of  Jakeh  saith,  Prov.  xxz.  14,  '  There 
is  a  generation  whose  teeth  are  as  swords,  and  their 
jaw-teeth  as  knives,  to  devour  the  poor  from  off  the 
earth,  and  the  needy  from  among  men.'  And  Solo- 
mon saith,  Prov.  xxi.  10,  '  The  soul  of  the  wicked 
desireth  evil :  his  neighbour  findeth  no  favour  in  his 
eyes.'  Let  them  remember  that  the  rich  man  in  the 
Gospel  is  not  charged  with  any  oppression  of  the 
poor,  but  with  suppression  of  the  relief  which  he 
should  have  given  to  Lazarus.  And  in  that  overture 
of  the  last  grand  sessions  in_^the  Gospel,  it  is  only 
charged  upon  them  that  are  adjudged  to  heU  fire, 
Esurivi,  et  non  pavistis  me,  &c.,  '  I  was  hungrv,  and 
you  fed  me  not.'     Suppression  is  oppression. 

809 


222 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


That  cold  charity  which  St  James  speaketh  of  will 
be  warmed  in  hell :  James  ii.  15,  16,  '  If  a  brother  or 
a  sister  be  naked,  and  destitute  of  daily  food  ;  and 
one  of  you  say  unto  them.  Depart  in  peace,  be  you 
warmed  and  filled  :  notwithstanding  you  give  them 
not  those  things  which  be  needful  for  the  body,  what 
doth  it  profit  ?' 

Use  2.  Let  the  poor  know  that  their  God  doth  take 
care  of  them,  to  visit  their  sins  with  rods  who  spoil 
them,  seeing  they  have  forgotten  that  we  are  members 
one  of  another,  and  have  invaded  the  goods  of  their 
brethren  ;  God  will  arm  them  against  themselves,  and 
beat  them  with  their  own  staves  ;  either  their  own 
compassing  and  over-reaching  wits  shall  consume  their 
store,  or  their  unthrifty  posterity  shall  put  wings  upon 
their  riches  to  make  them  fly  ;  or  God  shall  not  give 
them  the  blessing  to  take  use  of  their  wealth,  but 
they  shall  leave  to  such  as  shall  be  merciful  to  the 
poor. 

Therefore  let  them  follow  the  wise  man's  counsel, 
Eccles,  X.  20,  '  Curse  not  the  rich,  no,  not  in  thy  bed- 
chamber ;'  let  no  railing  and  unchristian  bitterness 
wrong  a  good  cause  ;  let  it  be  comfort  enough  to  them 
that  God  is  both  their  supporter  and  avenger.  Is  it 
not  sufficient  to  lay  all  the  storms  of  discontent  against 
their  oppressors,  that  God  sees  their  affliction,  and 
Cometh  down  to  deliver  and  to  avenge  them  ? 

Use  3.  Rather  let  this  move  them  to  commit  their 
cause  to  the  Lord  ;  for,  as  TertuUian  saith,  Si  apud 
Deum  deposueris  morbum,  medicus  est;  si  damnum, 
restitutor  eft ;  si  injuriam,  ultor  est;  si  mortem,  resus- 
citator  est.  Let  not  the  fair  weather  of  oppressors 
grieve  them  that  live  in  the  tempest  of  their  injuries  ; 
David  will  tell  them  that  he  saw  the  ungodly  flourish 
like  a  green  bay-tree,  and  anon  he  sought  them,  and 
their  place  was  not  found. 

Here  is  the  exaltation  of  Christian  charity,  to  bless 
and  pray  for  such  ;  and  this  will  heap  coals  of  fire 
upon  their  head,  either  to  warm  their  charity  which 
hath  taken  cold,  or  to  consume  or  devour  them. 

There  was  a  time  when  he  that  denied  Lazarus  a 
crumb,  begged  of  him  a  drop,  Et  qui  negavit  dare 
micam,  non  accepit  guttam,  and  he  that  denied  a 
crumb  had  not  a  drop. 


Ver.  15.  Thou  didst  walk  through  the  sea  with  thine 
horses,  through  the  heap  oj  great  waters. 
These  words  do  end  the  section,  which  containeth 
310 


a  thankful  commemmoration  of  God's  former  mercies 
to  his  people. 

De  verborum  interpretalione. 

It  seemeth  to  me  clear  against  all  question,  that  this 
text  hath  reference  to  the  wonderful  passage  of  Israel 
through  the  Red  Sea,  of  which  mention  is  made  before  : 
ver.  8,  '  Was  thy  wrath  against  the  sea,  that  thou  didst 
ride  upon  thy  horses,  and  chariots  of  salvation '?' 

The  words  express  that  miracle  very  fully  and  fitly, 
for  where  it  is  said,  '  Thou  didst  walk  through  the 
sea,'  this  hath  reference  to  that  which  we  read  con- 
cerning this  passage  over  the  Red  Sea,  Exod.  xiv.,  in 
which  this  is  memorable,  that  God  went  before  the 
people  of  Israel  on  the  shore  ;  but  it  is  said,  when  God 
gave  Moses  direction  to  lift  up  his  rod,  and  stretch 
forth  his  hand  over  the  sea  to  divide  it,  Moses  having 
so  done,  ver.  19,  20,  '  The  angel  of  God  which  went 
before  the  camp  of  Israel  removed,  and  went  behind 
it,  and  the  pillar  of  cloud  went  from  before  their  face, 
and  stood  behind  them.  And  it  came  between  the 
camp  of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  it 
was  a  cloud  of  darkness  to  them  {i.  e.  to  the  Egyptians), 
and  it  gave  light  by  night  to  these  (that  is,  to  Israel), 
so  that  the  one  came  not  near  the  other  all  night. 
This  story  sheweth  how  God  doth  walk  through  the 
sea,  even  between  the  two  camps.  The  power  of 
God's  word  went  before  them,  the  presence  of  his 
angel  went  behind  them  ;  God  himself  carried  the  dark 
lantern  which  kept  all  light  from  the  Egyptians,  and 
shewed  a  clear  light  to  Israel. 

The  '  horses  of  God '  here  mentioned  are  the  em- 
blems of  strength,  courage,  and  speed  ;  for  thus  was 
Israel  relieved  through  the  heap  of  the  great  waters  ; 
that  is,  on  the  way  made  through  the  sea,  which  was 
gathered  in  heaps  on  both  sides.  So  the  words  are 
plain  and  easy. 

The  sum  of  them  is  a  repetition  of  that  great 
wonder  of  the  conduct  of  Israel  per  mare,  through  the 
sea,  of  which  I  have  formerly  spoken  at  large,  and 
now  remaineth  that  we  search  the  reason  why  this  one 
special  miracle  is  here  again  repeated.     That  is, 

Reason  1.  Because  this  was  the  greatest  miracle  of 
power  and  mercy,  which  made  the  name  of  God  glorious 
amongst  all  nations,  and  the  fame  whereof  was  furthest 
spread  abroad  in  the  word,  for  never  was  the  like  heard 
of  before  or  since. 

Yet  I  will  not  conceal  from  you  that  Josephus,* 
writing  this  story  of  the  division  of  the  sea  for  the 
*  Antiquit.  ii,  cap.  14. 


Ver.  15.J 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


223 


passage  of  Israel,  to  give  it  more  credit,  ne  quis  discredat 
verba  miracidi,  doth  report  a  like  wonder,  that  God, 
intending  by  Alexander  the  Great  to  destroy  the  Persian 
kingdom,  did  open  the  like  passage  through  the  Pam- 
phUian  Sea  to  Alexander  and  his  army.  He  addeth.  Id 
quod  omnes  testantur,  that  which  all  do  witness  who 
wrote  the  story  of  Alexander's  conquests. 

Quintus  Cuxtius,  who  writeth  of  purpose  the  life  and 
acts  and  death  of  Alexander,  saith  no  more  of  it  but 
this.  Mare  novum  iter  in  pamphiliam  aperuerat,  which, 
being  ascribed  to  Alexander  himself,  doth  declare  it  no 
miraculous  passage. 

But  Strabo  cleareth  Jt  thus,  that  this  sea  was 
no  other  than  such  as  we  have  within  our  own  land, 
which  we  call  washes,  wherein  the  sea  forsaketh  the 
sands  at  an  ebb,  and  leaveth  them  bare  and  passable 
on  foot  or  horseback ;  and  he  saith  that  Alexander 
passed  his  army  through  these  washes,  but  being 
belated,  the  waters  returned  upon  them  before  they 
could  recover  the  shore  of  Pamphilia,  uf  7oto  die  iter 
faceret  in  mari  umhdico  teuus. 

Therefore  Josephus  was  ill  advised  to  parallel  this 
passage  with  the  Israelites'  passage  through  the  Pted 
Sea,  seeing  there  were  so  many  disparisons ;  and 
whereas  he  seemed  to  labour  to  give  credit  to  Moses' 
history  ^by  this  unlike  example,  he  rather  blemished 
the  glory  of  this  superadmirable  miracle. 

There  is  not  any  of  the  great  wonders  that  God 
wrought  for  Israel  so  often  remembered  in  Scripture 
as  this  is  ;  and  where  the  Spirit  of  God  so  often  fixeth 
our  eyes  and  thoughts,  we  shall  do  evil  to  take  them 
off. 

Moses  biddeth  Israel  remember  this  miracle  of  their 
passage  :  Deut.  xi.  4,  '  What  God  did  to  the  army  of 
Egypt,  unto  their  horses  and  their  chariots,  how  he 
made  the  water  of  the  E,ed  Sea  to  overflow  them.' 

Rahab  could  tell  the  spies,  Josh.  ii.  10, 11, '  We  have 
heard  how  the  Lord  dried  up  the  water  of  the  Red  Sea  for 
you.  As  soon  as  we  heard,  our  hearts  did  melt,  neither 
did  there  remain  any  courage  in  any  man  because  of  vou. ' 

Ps.  Ixxvii.  19,  20,  '  Thy  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  thy 
path  in  the  great  waters,  and  thy  footsteps  are  not 
seen.  Thou  leddest  thy  people  like  a  flock,  by  the 
hand  of  Moses  and  Aaron.' 

Therefore  it  is  a  fabulous  relation  of  Paulus  Orosius, 
who  reported  it  as  an  addition  to  this  wonder,  that  the 
trace  of  the  chariot  wheels  was  in  his  days  to  be  seen 
on  the  sands  of  the  Red  Sea  at  every  ebb,  and  that  if 
they  were   defaced,   yet   they  renewed  again.      But 


David  saith  that  the^^footsteps  of  this  passage  were  not 
seen ;  and  we  need  not  add  anything'to  the  miracles  of 
God  to  make  thetn  more  miraculous. 

David  again  remembereth  ^it,  saying,  Ps.  Ixxviii. 
13,  53,  *  He  divided  the  sea,^and  caused  them  to  pass 
thi'ough  ;  and  he  made  the  waters  to  stand  on  an 
heap.  The  sea  overwhelmed  their,  enemies.'  Ps. 
cvi.  9,  '  He  rebuked  the  Red  Sea  also,  and  it  was  dried 
up  ;  so  he  led  them  through  the  depths  as  through  a 
wDdemess.'  Yer.  11,  '  The  waters  covered  their 
enemies,  so  that  there  was  not_one  of  them  left.* 
Ps.  cxiv.  1,  3,  o,  '  When  Israel  came  out  of  Egypt, 
&c.  The  sea  saw  that  and  fled.  What  ailed  ihee, 
0  sea,  that  thou  fleddest !'  Ps.  cxxxvi.  13-15,  'He 
divided  the  Red  Sea  into  parts.  He  overthrew  Pharaoh 
and  his  host  in  the  Red  Sea.'  Isa.  li.  10,  *  Art  not 
thoujt,  that  hath  dried  up  the  sea,  the  waters  of  the 
great  deep,  that  hath  made  the  depths  of  the  sea  a  way 
for  the  ransomed  to  pass  over  ? ' 

Many  more  are  the  mentions  of  this^miracle  in  the 
book  of  God,  and  here  we  find  it  in  this  psalm  doubly 
repeated. 

Doct.  Which  teacheth  us  that]God's  extraordinary 
mercies  must  be  often  remembered. 

For  we  must  consider  our  God  two  ways  : 

1.  Qua  Deus,  as  God  ;  and  so  he  is  to  be  worship- 
ped cultu  latrifB  propter  Deum,  for  his  own  sake, 
though  we  could  live  without  him  ;  though  he  do_hide 
his  face  from  us,  and  heap  up  his  judgments  on  us  : 
as  Job  saith,  chap.  vii.  20,  '  Though  he  maketh  us  as 
his  mark  to  shoot  at,  though^all  his  arrows  do  stick 
fast  in  us.' 

2.  Qua  benefactor,  as  a  benefactor  ;  and  that  also 
two  ways. 

(1.)  Propter  opus  providentia,  for  his  work  of  pro- 
vidence, whereby  he  is  to  us  a  gracious  God  and  mer- 
ciful Father,  taking  his  church  to  himself,  and  gather- 
ing it  under  his  wings,  shielding  it  against  the  sun  by 
day,  and  against  the^moon  by  night. 

(2.)  Propter  opera  privilegiata,  for  his  privileged 
works,  especially  favours  of  mercy,  quando  non  facit 
talitet .  For  the  first,  all  our  Hfe,  especially  the  Sab- 
bath, is  designed  to  the  worship  and  service  of  God 
for  the  same.  The  second  of  his  extraordinary  works 
doth  exact  of  us  singular  commemoration  by  them- 
.selves  ;  and  therefore  Abulensis  saith.  Omnia  festa  qua 
Deus  imtituit  observanda  d  Judceis  Jiebant,  ad  recorda- 
tionem  beneficioimm  ejus. 

Now,  the  school  saith  well,  that  latria  is  not  totaliUr 

311 


224 


MAEBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


determinata,  to  these  or  these  times  or  ceremonies,  or 
occasions,  but  that  we  may  worship  God  always  qua 
Deus,  as  God  ;  upon  special  occasions  qua  benefactor, 
as  benefactor. 

And  so  the  Jews  kept  the  memorial  of  their  deliver- 
ance from  Egypt  in  their  anniversary  celebration  of 
the  passover,  and  of  their  dwelling  in  tents  in  the 
feast  of  tabernacles  ;  and  of  their  deliverance  from 
Haman,  in  their  feast  of  Purim. 

And  the  German  protestants  do  keep  a  Christian 
jubilee  every  fifty  years  for  their  deliverance  from  the 
darkness  of  popery,  and  their  ejection  of  the  pope. 
Wherein  our  church,  as  much  beholding  to  God  for 
the  same  benefit  as  they,  doth  come  short  of  them  in 
matter  of  thankfulness  to  God  for  the  expulsion  of 
that  man  of  sin  from  us. 

We  have  three  commemorations  enjoined  us  by 
high  authority.  The  one  is  orhis  auspida ;  so  of  all 
it_was  called ;  the  initium  regni,  the  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  our  sovereign,  whom  God  sent  to  settle  the 
religion  and  peace  which  his  glorious  predecessor 
Queen  Elizabeth  had  so  happily  and  so  valiantly 
brought  in  and  maintained  during  her  whole  reign,  and 
by  the  providence  of  God  we  enjoy  it  to  this  day. 

Another  is  the  remembrance  of  his  majesty's  de- 
liverance from  the  treason  of  the  Gowries  in  Scot- 
land, before  his  reign  here,  as  it  were  his  reserving 
of  him  for  us. 

The  third  is  the  commemoration  of  the  admirable 
goodness  of  God  to  our  land,  in  the  bloody  treason  of 
the  papists,  the  mortal  enemies  of  our  religion  and 
peace,  in  their  powder  plot. 

But  this  often  remembrance  of  the  mercy  of  God  to 
Israel  in  the  Bed  Sea  upbraids  our  forgetfulness  of 
that  '88  sea-mercy  which  God  shewed  to  our  land  in 
our  deliverance  from  the  Spanish  intended  invasion, 
in]the  times  of  hostility  between  Spain  and  England ; 
and  though  the  established  peace  between  these  two 
kingdoms  have  laid  aside  open  wars,  yet  let  God  be 
no  loser  in  the  glory  due  to  his  name  for  that  de- 
liverance. 

Reason  2.  I  will  add  another  reason  why  this  pas- 
sage of  Israel  through  the  Red  Sea  is  so  oft  remem- 
bered in  Scripture,  twice  in  this  psalm  of  Habakkuk, 
which'I  gather  from  the  apostle  St  Paul :  1  Cor.  x. 
1,  2,  '  Moreover,  brethren,  I  would  not  have  you 
ignorant,  how  that  all  our  fathers  were  under  the 
cloud,  and  all  passed  through  the  sea  ;  and  were  all 
hap tizedji unto  Moses  in  the  sea,  and  in  the  cloud.' 
312 


For  this  was  memorable  not  only  in  the  history  of  the 
thing  done,  but  in  the  mystery  also  of  the  signification 
thereof. 

You  see  by  this  apostle  that  this  is  a  memorable 
thing,  and  he  would  not  have  us  ignorant  of  it ;  and 
if  we  know  it,  he  would  uot  have  us  forget  it.  There 
is  continual  use  of  it  in  the  church,  even  so  long  as 
baptism  continueth  therein.  For  that  is  the  scope  of 
the  apostle  in  the  beginning  of  that  chapter,  to  shew 
that  the  church  of  the  Jews,  as  they  had  sacraments 
of  their  own,  circumcision  and  the  Lord's  passover, 
so  had  they  types  and  figures  of  our  two  sacraments 
also. 

The  type  and  representation  of  our  baptism  w^as 
their  passage  through  the  Red  Sea.  The  type  of  our 
Lord's  supper  was  the  water  out  of  the  rock  and 
manna.  But  they  and  we  do  all  receive  the  same 
spiritual  meat  and  drink,  that  is,  Christ. 

So  that  this  passage  over  the  Red  Sea  doth  figure 
our  baptism.  Here  is  Moses,  the  minister  of  the 
sacrament ;  here  are  Israelites,  the  receivers  of  it ;  and 
here  is  water,  the  element ;  and  the  cloud,  the  sign 
of  God's  presence  :  here  is  Israel,  that  is,  the  persons 
baptized,  preserved  in  these  waters  ;  and  here  is  king 
Pharaoh  and  his  hosts,  that  is,  Satan  and  our  here- 
ditary corruptions,  drowned  and  destroyed  in  the 
same  waters. 

And  the  apostle  saith,  I  would  not  that  ye  should 
be  ignorant  of  this  thing  ;  which  admonisheth  both 
you  and  us,  that  are  your  ministers. 

1.  You ;  not  to  be  ignorant  in  those  great  mysteries 
of  salvation. 

2.  Us  ;  not  to  leave  you  untaught  or  unremembered 
thereof. 

We  that  preach  to  a  mixed  auditory,  consisting  of 
incipientes,  abcedaries  in  religion,  who  are  not  yet  out 
of  their  first  elements,  which  the  apostle  calleth  the 
doctrine  of  beginnings  ;  and  some  few  proficients,  who 
also  have  their  measures  not  all  of  equal  growth,  but 
some  few  as  much  better  grown  than  others,  as  Saul 
was  higher  than  all  the  rest  of  the  people,  must  as 
well  give  milk  with  the  spoon  as  break  bread,  and 
divide  strong  meat ;  and  methinks  there  be  two  places 
that  direct  us  well  in  the  dispensation  of  the  word  of 
God. 

1.  That  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  ii.  13,  '  The 
word  of  the  Lord  was  unto  them  precept  upon  precept, 
precept  upon  precept,  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line, 
here  a  httle  and  there  a  little ;'  in  which  words  the 


Ver.  16.] 


KABBUBT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


225 


matter  of  our  preaching  is  expressed  in  two  words  :  1, 
precept,  which  teacheth  us  what  to  do ;  2,  line,  which 
exemplifieth  doctrine,  and  serveth  as  a  copy  to  write 

by. 

And  again,  the  manner  of  our  preaching  is  declared 
profitable,  if  the  same  things  be  well  taught,  till  they 
be  well  learned.  And  this  is  modicum  ill,  modicum  ibi, 
here  modicum,  not  too  much  at  once,  for  oppressing 
the  spiritual  stomach ;  and  here  is  ibi  and  ibi,  ibi 
amongst  the  proficients,  and  ibi  amongst  the  inci- 
pients. 

2.  That  of  St  Peter:  2  Peter  i.  12,  '  Wherefore,  I 
will  not  be  negligent  to  put  you  in  mind  of  those  things, 
though  ye  know  them.  Yea,  I  think  it  meet,  so  long 
as  I  am  in  this  tabernacle,  to  stir  you  up,  by  putting 
you  in  remembrance.' 

This  sheweth  the  use  of  often  repetitions  of  such 
things  as  we  onght  not  to  forget,  for  it  is  not  enough 
to  have  light  in  our  understanding,  there  must  be 
also  zeal  in  our  affections.  Religion  in  the  head  is 
speculation,  in  the  heart  afi'ection,  in  the  hand  action. 

If  we  do  our  duty  thus,  as  we  are  directed,  it  must 
be  your  great  fault  if  either  you  be  ignorant  or  forget- 
ful of  these  things. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  our  example  ;  for  he  remem- 
bereth  this  passage  of  Israel  often,  and  modicum  ibi, 
a  httle  here,  in  the  Old  Testament,  modicum  ibi,  a  lit- 
tle there,  iu  the  New  Testament ;  for  this  is  also  pro- 
fitable for  us. 

This  sheweth  that  the  often  preaching,  and  learn- 
ing, and  remembering  the  doctrine  of  our  baptism,  is 
a  most  necessary  lesson  in  the  school  of  Christ,  that 
we  do  not  enter  into  a  new  peace  with  the  Egyptians, 
whom  God  hath  drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  that  we  do 
not  revive  and  quicken  in  us  those  things  which  the 
laver  of  new  birth  hath  purged,  by  suffering  sin  to 
reign  in  our  mortal  bodies,  and  by  obeying  it  in  the 
lusts  thereof.  That  we  do  not  so  much  as  in  heart 
return  again  into  Egypt,  out  of  which  God  hath  so 
graciously  delivered  us. 

Profitable  is  the  remembrance  of  our  baptism,  for 
it  is  the  sacrament  and  seal  of  our  deliverance  from 
the  cui'se  of  the  law,  from  the  spiritual  bondage  of 
Satan,  from  the  dominion  of  sin ;  it  sheweth  us  the 
old  Adam,  dead  in  the  death,  and  buried  in  the  grave 
of  Christ. 

It  also  serveth,  being  often  remembered,  to  stir  us 
up  to  a  practice  of  Christian  conversation,  and  to  an 
holy  imitation  of  Christ  in  godly  life ;  that  we  may 


not  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain  ;  that  we  be  not 
again  defiled  with  the  world  ;  for  the  apostle  will  tell 
us,  Heb.  X.  22,  23,  that  if  Christ  hath  opened  us  a 
new  and  living  way  through  the  veil,  that  is,  his 
flesh,  we  must  '  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  fall 
assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an 
evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  wa- 
ter ;  holding  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without 
wavering.'  For,  ver.  26,  *  if  we  sin  wilfully  after  we 
have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  re- 
maineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fear- 
ful looking  for  of  judgment,  and  fiery  indignation, 
which  shall  devour  the  adversaries.' 

I  conclude,  in  the  apostle's  words :  '  Therefore, 
brethren,  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,'  concern- 
ing this  passage  of  the  Lord's  Israel  through  the  Red 
Sea. 


Yer.  16.  When  I  heard,  my  belly  trembled  ;  my  lips 
quivered  at  the  voice:  rottenness  entered  into  my  bones, 
and  I  trembled  in  myself,  that  I  might  rest  in  the  day 
of  trouble :  ichen  he  cometh  up  unto  his  people,  he  icill 
invade  them  icith  his  troops. 

At  this  verse  beginneth  the  third  section  of  this 
chapter,  and  it  containeth  the  consternation  of  the 
prophet  dejected  before  the  Lord  with  the  fornaer  con- 
siderations, and  the  sad  estate  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 

1.  Concerning  the  words. 

When  I  heard.  The  prophet  fitting  this  psalm,  as 
you  have  heard,  for  the  common  use  of  the  church, 
doth  not  speak  in  this  place  in  his  own  person  parti- 
cularly, *  "When  I  heard,'  but  in  the  person  of  that 
church  of  God  to  which  this  prophecy  was  sent : 
Yer.  li.  They  came  out  as  a  tchirlwind  to  scatter  me, 
is  spoken  of  the  iVIidianites  invading  God's  people, 
not  the  prophet ,  Habakkuk.  So  that  /  heard  here  is 
collectively  the  whole  church,  and  particularly  every 
member  thereof. 

But  what  is  that  is  here  heard  ? 

Surely  this  hath  a  double  reference  : 

1.  To  the  former  prophecy  of  God's  threatened 
judgments  against  his  people,  of  which  you  heard 
before,  ver.  2,  '  0  Lord,  I  have  heard  thy  speech,  and 
was  afraid.'  For  it  was  a  fearful  judgment  which  God 
had  denounced  against  them. 

2.  It  hath  reference  to  the  full  commemoration  of 
God's  former  mercies ;  for  howsoever  faith  may  grow 
upon  this  root  of  experience  of  God's  favour,  yet  when 

313 


226 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


the  church  of  God  shall  consider  all  that  former 
favour  now  turned  into  indignation,  and  shall  feel  that 
power  which  once  protected  them,  so  miraculously 
now  armed  against  them,  this  cannot  but  cast  them 
into  great  fear. 

This  fear  is  described  fully  and  rhetorically  in  four 
several  phrases. 

1.  '  My  belly  trembled.' 

2.  '  My  lips  quivered.' 

8.  *  Rottenness  entered  into  my  bones.' 

4.  *  I  trembled  in  myself.' 

It  is  the  manner  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  such  like 
phrases  to  express  a  great  horror  and  dismay.  By  the 
belly  is  meant  the  inward  parts  and  bowels.  So  the 
prophet,  upon  the  denunciation  of  the  burden  upon  the 
desert  sea,  saith,  Isa.  xxi.  3,  '  Therefore  are  my  loins 
filled  with  pain  :  pangs  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  as 
the  pangs  of  a  woman  that  travaileth  :  I  was  bowed 
down  at  the  hearing  of  it ;  I  was  dismayed  at  the 
seeing  of  it.'  Isa.  xvi.  11,  '  My  bowels  shall  sound 
like  an  harp  for  Moab,  and  mine  inward  parts  for 
Kirharesh.'  So  Job,  chap.  xxx.  27,  '  My  bowels 
boiled,  and  rested  not.'  And  David,  Ps.  xxxi.  9, 
*  Mine  eye  is  consumed  with  grief ;  yea,  my  soul  and 
belly.'  Ps.  xxii.  14,  '  I  am  poured  out  like  water ; 
all  my  bones  are  out  of  joint :  my  heart  is  like  wax  ; 
it  is  melted  in  the  midst  of  my  bowels  ? '  Thus  the 
perturbations  of  grief  and  fear,  and  the  passions  of 
anguish,  are  expressed. 

The  quivering  of  the  lips,  which  hindereth  speech, 
sheweth  a  man  overcome  with  anger,  fear,  or  grief. 
So  doth  the  general  disabling  of  the  body,  as  if  the 
parts  thereof,  the  brains  and  sinews,  suffered  laxation 
and  debilitation,  and  the  earthquake  in  the  whole 
frame  thereof,  and  the  distemper  of  the  man  within 
us.  '  I  trembled  in  myself,'  that  is,  the  inward  man  ; 
the  hid  man  of  the  heart  felt  this  anguish  of  grief  and 
fear,  and  all  this  trepidation  and  terror  had  this  good 
effect  following ; — 

That  I  might  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble.  For  of  suf- 
ferance comes  ease.  This  fear  of  the  heavy  hand  of 
God  is  but  a  fit ;  for  faith  folio weth  it,  and  consumeth 
it,  and  settleth  the  heart  in  a  yielding  to  the  mighty 
band  of  God,  and  that  giveth  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble. 
That  day  is  also  described. 

When  he  cometh  up  unto  his  people,  he  xcill  invade 
them  with  his  troops.  Either  when  God  cometh,  or 
when  the  enemy  whom  God  shall  employ  in  the  exe- 
cution of  this  judgment  cometh,  he  will  invade  his 
314 


people  that  have  rebelled  against  him,  and  are  fallen 
away  from  him,  with  troops;  that  is,  he  will  come 
upon  them  with  a  full  power,  to  make  a  full  conquest 
of  them.  This  day  is  further  described  in  the  verse 
following. 


Ver.  17.  Although  the  Jig-tree  shall  not  blossom^ 
neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines  ;  the  labour  of  the 
olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat  ;  the 
flocks  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  he 
no  herd  in  the  stalls. 

In  which  words  he  supposeth  the  worst  that  may 
befall  to  the  land,  that  God  should  not  only,  as  before, 
carry  away  or  destroy  the  inhabitants  thereof,  although 
he  should  smite  the  land  itself  with  barrenness,  that 
neither  the  fig-tree  nor  the  vine  should  relieve  them, 
nor  the  olive,  nor  the  fields,  nor  the  folds ;  yet  the 
church  will  not  despair  of  the  loving-kindness  of  the 
Lord  toward  them. 

This  land,  so  long  promised  to  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
so  long  expected,  and  at  last  by  them  possessed,  is 
much  praised  in  Scripture.  God  himself,  Exod.  iii.  8, 
calleth  it  '  a  good  land,  and  a  large  ;  a  land  flowing 
with  milk  and  honey.'  And  so  the  spies  that  were 
sent  to  search  it  brought  word :  Num.  xiii,  9,  and 
they  brought  of  the  fruit,  and  shewed  it  to  the  people. 

Again,  Deut.  viii.  7,  '  For  the  Lord  thy  God  bringeth 
thee  into  a  good  land ;  a  land  of  brooks  of  water,  of 
fountains,  and  depths,  that  spring  out  of  valleys  and 
hills  ;  a  land  of  wheat,  and  barley,  and  vines,  and  fig- 
trees,  and  pomegranates ;  a  land  of  oil-olive,  and 
honey  ;  a  land  whei'ein  thou  shalt  eat  bread  without 
scarceness,  thou  shalt  not  lack  anything  in  it ;  a  land 
whose  stones  are  iron,  and  out  of  whose  hills  thou 
mayest  dig  brass.' 

It  was  one  of  the  miracles  of  the  earth,  and  the  full 
blessing  of  the  Lord  was  upon  it ;  for  the  land  was 
small,  both  in  length  and  breadth,  as  all  the  charts 
thereof  describe  it.  For  from  Dan  to  the  river  of 
Egypt,  which  is  somewhat  further  than  Beersheba,  it 
was  little  more  than  three  hundred  miles,  which  was 
the  length  of  it,  and  in  the  broadest  place  thereof  it 
was  not  an  hundred  ;  yea,  do  I  put  in  this  account  all 
the  land  on  this  side  Jordan,  the  portion  assigned  to 
Eeuben,  Gad,  and  the  half-tribe  of  Manasseh. 

Yet  did  it  contain  two  great  kingdoms,  of  Judah 
and  Israel  j  and,  in  David's  time,  there  were  numbered 
in  it  thirteen  hundred  thousand  fighting  men,  2  Chron. 


Veb.  17.] 


MAKBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


227 


xxiv.,  which  cannot  in  probable  computation  be  more 
than  a  fourth  part  of  the  people,  seeing  aged  men, 
women,  and  children,  and  all  under  twenty  years  of 
age,  are  not  reckoned;  and  this  land  fed  them  all. 
Much  is  said  by  heathen  writers  of  the  fruitfulness  of 
this  land  ;  and  as  great  a  wonder  is  it  of  the  change 
thereof  now,  for  travellers  do  report  it  at  this  time  to 
be  a  barren  and  unfruitful  land.  It  is  in  the  possession 
of  God's  enemies  ;  and  David  saith,  '  A  fruitful  land 
maketh  he  barren,  for  the  iniquity  of  the  people  that 
dwelt  therein.'  De  verbis  hactenus,  of  the  words 
hitherto.     The  parts  of  this  section  are  two  : 

1.  The  fear  of  the  church. 

2.  The  misery  of  the  land. 

In  the  first,  I  observe  also  three  things  : 

1.  The  cause  of  this  fear. 

2.  The  fear  itself. 

8.  The  effect  hereof. 

In  the  second,  the  misery  of  the  land.  It  is  dis- 
tressed in  the  three  great  commodities  of  life. 

1.  In  the  trees  yielding  fruit. 

2.  In  the  soil  yielding  com. 

3.  In  the  flocks  yielding  increase. 

1.  Of  the  fear  of  the  church  ;  and  therein, 

1.  Of  the  cause  of  this  fear,  in  these  words,  '  When 
I  heard.' 

Doct.  The  commination  of  God's  judgments  doth 
make  the  church  of  God  to  fear. 

1.  Because  this  openeth  to  man  his  conscience, 
and  declareth  to  him  his  sin,  for  we  know  that  God 
is  gracious,  and  merciful,  and  longsuffering,  and 
hideth  his  hand  in  his  bosom.  His  mercy  doth  often 
pull  it  out  and  openeth  it,  and  he  filleth  the  hungry 
with  good  things ;  his  mercy  stretcheth  it  out  often 
to  gather  together  his  chosen,  to  defend  them  from 
evil,  to  stay  and  support  them. 

If  his  indignation  do  pluck  it  out,  it  is  a  sign  that 
sin  hath  provoked  him,  and  therefore  we  read  what 
of  old  was  the  practice  of  the  church.  K  there 
were  any  judgment  abroad,  presently  they  made 
search  for  the  sin  that  had  provoked  God  to^  it ;  for 
they  knew  him  so  just,  that  he  will  not  smite  without 
cause.  God  taught  Joshua  this ;  when  the  men  of 
Ai  smote  the  men  of  Israel,  and  made  them  to  fly 
before  them,  Joshua  went  to  the  Lord  to  make  his 
moan,  and  God  told  him,  « Israel  hath  sinned.'  And 
BO  there  was  a  present  search  made  by  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord  throughout  all  Israel,  to  find  out 
the  sinner,  and  Achan  was  detected. 


In  like  manner,  when  Saul  had  made  a  vow  that 
none  of  his  army  should  taste  any  food  till  night,  and 
Jonathan,  not  hearing  of  the  commandment,  had  eaten 
a  little  honey  upon  the  end  of  his  rod,  he  went  to  ad- 
vise with  God  concerning  the  pursuit  of  the  Philistines 
by  night,  and  God  answered  him  not ;  wherefore  Saul 
said,  1  Sam.  xiv.  38,  *  Draw  you  near  hither  all  the 
chief  of  the  people,  and  know,  and  see  wherein  this 
sin  hath  been  this  day.' 

And  this  is  so  natural  a  quest,  as  that  whosoever 
do  acknowledge  a  divinity,  cannot  but  upon  the  sense 
of  judgment,  or  the  fear  of  it,  presently  conclude  God 
oftended  with  some  sins.  So  the  mariners  in  the 
great  storm  in  Jonah  said  every  one  to  his  fellow, 
'  Come  and  let  us  cast  lots,  that  we  may  know  for 
whose  cause  this  evil  is  upon  us.' 

Reason  2.  The  consideration  of  God's  judgments 
do  breed  feai*  in  respect  of  God,  whose  judgments 
they  are.  For,  1,  he  is  so  quick- sighted  to  discern 
our  sins,  that  he  seeth  all ;  nothing  can  be  hidden 
from  him,  but  all  Ueth  open  and  naked  to  his  sight. 

2.  He  is  so  wise  to  weigh  the  sins  that  we  commit, 
putting  into  the  scales  the  incitements  and  temp- 
tations, the  circumstances  of  time,  person,  place,  num- 
ber, even  the  very  affection  wherewith  sin  is  committed. 

3.  He  is  so  just,  as  not  to  impute  more  sin  to  us 
than  we  have  committed,  not  to  abate  any  of  that  we 
have  misdone. 

4.  He  is  so  holy,  as  not  to  abide  or  appear*  the 
least  evil,  for  he  is  a  God  that  hateth  iniquity. 

5.  He  is  so  powerful,  as  to  avenge  it  with  his  judg- 
ment, and  he  hath  all  sorts  of  instruments  of  ven- 
geance to  punish  sin. 

6.  He  is  so  ubiquitary,  as  that  no  remove  can  avoid 
him,  his  presence  filleth  all  places. 

7.  He  is  so  true  of  his  word,  that  heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass,  but  no  part  of  his  word  shall  fail  till  all 
be  fulfilled. 

8.  He  is  one  that  cannot  repent  of  anything  that 
he  peremptorily  decreeth. 

All  these  things  do  declare  that  there  is  great  cause 
to  fear  when  he  threateneth. 

Use.  The  apostle  teacheth  us  the  use  of  this  point : 
Rom.  xiii.  3,  '  Wilt  thou  not  then  be  afraid  of  the 
power  ?  Do  that  which  is  good,  then  shalt  thou  have 
praise  of  the  same,'  This  is  the  way  to  make  us  seek 
the  face  of  God.  The  first  sinners  fled  from  the  pre- 
sence of  God  behind  the  trees  in  the  garden.  Adam 
■"  Qu.  'approve'?— Ed. 

315 


228 


MARBUET  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


confessed  to  God :  Gen.  iii.  10,  '  I  heard  thy  voice  in 
the  garden,  and  I  was  afraid.' 

A  good  life  is  a  good  fence  against  fear ;  Solomon 
saith,  '  The  righteous  is  bold  as  a  lion.'  Perfect  love 
casteth  out  fear,  for  perfect  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law ;  where  our  love  falleth  short,  there  fear  fiUeth 
the  empty  and  void  room. 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  comfortable,  and  his  words 
are  sweet  to  those  that  fear^him  :  Ps.  Ixxxv.  8,  '  He 
will  speak  peace  unto  his  people,  and  to  his  saints ; 
bat  let  them  not  turn  again  to  folly.'  So  David  re- 
solves there,  '  I  will  hear  what  the  Lord  will  speak.' 

It  is  a  plain  sign  that  all  is  not  well  with  us,  when 
the  voice  of  God  doth  cast  us  into  fear,  when  we  are 
afraid  to  hear  the  word  preached,  when  just  reproofs 
of  our  sins  are  unwelcome  to  us,  and  anger  us,  and 
make  us  think  the  worse  of  our  minister  thatchideth 
and  threateneth  us. 

A  good  life  and  a  well  governed  conversation  doth 
not  fear  the  voice  of  God ;  the  word  of  God  is  the 
light  which  God  hath  set  up  in  his  church,  to  guide  her 
feet  in  the  ways  of  peace.  They  that  do  evil  hate 
the  light,  and  will  not  come  near  it,  lest  their  works 
should  be  reproved  ;  the  children  of  the  light  resort 
to  it,  and  call  upon  God :  *  Search  my  reins  and  my 
heart,  and  see  if  there  be  any  way  of  wickedness  in 
me.' 

This  fear  of  the  church  is  not  joined  either  with 
obstinacy  against  God,  or  murmuring  at  his  judg- 
ments, or  despair  of  his  mercy ;  it  is  that  fear  which 
is  one  of  the  effects  of  a  godly  sorrow,  and  it  is  one  of 
the  documents  to  true  repentance ;  it  is  the  hammer 
and  mallet  of  God,  wherewith  he  bruiseth  us,  and 
breaketh  us,  that  we  may  be  truly  humbled  under  his 
almighty  hand ;  it  is  that  fear  which  the  spirit  of  bond- 
age snggesteth,  Kom.  viii.  15,  which  is  not  a  grace 
of  Qod  in  us,  but  a  punishment  of  God  upon  us,  and 
we  would  fain  be  without  it ;  it  is  the  fear  of  servants, 
and  not  of  sons,  yet  God  useth  it  as  a  means  to  bring 
us  home  to  him  again,  when  we  like  sheep  have  gone 
astray ;  and  therefore  the  prodigal,  to  re-enter  himself 
into  his  father's  house,  prayed,  Fac  me  unum  ex  merce- 
nariis,  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants.  It  may 
be  that  fear,  which  in  the  school  is  called  initialis, 
which  re-entereth  us  into  the  service  of  God,  and 
keepeth  us  in  awe.  It  is  utilis,  but  not  sxijjiciens,  and 
we  would  be  glad  to  be  delivered  out  of  it,  that  we 
might  '  serve  God  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness.' For  so  the  apostle  doth  recount  it  a  favour 
316 


to  the  Komans,  '  Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
bondage  again  to  fear,  but  the  spirit  of  adoption.' 

2.  The  fear  itself. 

This  fear  was  great,  both  in  the  inward  man  and 
in  the  outward  ;  it  was  that  fear  of  which  David  spake 
to  God,  saying  of  the  heathen,  *  Put  them  in  fear,  0 
Lord,  that  they  may  know  themselves  to  be  but  men.' 
And  David  himself  was  soundly  shaken  with  it,  as  his 
complaint" sheweth :  Ps.  cxix.  120,  'My  flesh  trembleth 
for  fear  of  thee,  and  I  am  afraid  of  thy  judgments.' 
And  we  find  the  best  of  the  faithful  servants  of  God 
subject  to  this  fear ;  and  it  is  clear  in  my  text,  that  it 
may  be  joined  with  faith.  For  after  this  cold  fit  of 
fear,  you  shall  see  the  faith  of  the  church  to  quicken 
it  again. 

Doct.  The  elect  of  God  are  shaken  with  fear. 

Reason  1.  Because  they  are  great  students  in  the 
law  of  God,  for  that  is  a  special  mark  of  a  righteous 
man,  he  doth  exercise  himself  in  the  law  of  God  day 
and  night.  And  wheresoever  the  law  is  wisely  under- 
stood and  applied  rightly,  there  fear  doth  arise,  for  so 
long  as  we  are  under  the  law,  we  are  under  a  school- 
master ;  and  as  the  apostle  doth  say,  a  child  differeth 
very  little  from  a  servant.  You  know  when  a  young 
man  came  to  Christ,  to  ask  him  the  way  to  heaven, 
Christ  referred  him  to  the  law,  and  the  keeping  thereof. 
That  is  our  first  lesson ;  it  follows  so  in  the  mission  of 
our  Redeemer,  he  was  made  of  a  woman,  and  made 
subject  to  the  law. 

The  law  sheweth  us  how  much  we  are  in  God's 
debt,  and  you  may  note  it  in  the  parable  of  the  good 
master  in  the  Gospel ; — 

1.  He  called  his  servant  to  account,  and  cast  up 
the  debt. 

2.  Then  he  put  him  to  it  to  pay  it. 

3.  When  he  saw  him  willing  but  unable,  then  he 
forgave  it. 

God  calleth  us  by  the  light  of  the  law,  by  the  sight 
of  our  sins.  Our  sins  are  debts  ;  when  we  see  them, 
how  can  we  choose  but  together  with  them  behold  the 
danger  of  them,  and  the  wrath  due  to  them  ?  This  can- 
not be  done  without  fear,  even  great  horror  and  de- 
jection. 

The  thief  that  was  converted  upon  the  cross,  when 
he  had  but  a  little  time,  he  made  an  example  of  great 
mercy,  the  only  example  in  all  the  book  of  God  of  so 
late  a  conversion ;  yet  in  that  short  time  he  began  at 
the  law  of  God,  and  said  to  his  fellow,  Luke  xxiii. 
41,  •  We  indeed  are  justly  punished,  for  we  receive 


VfiR.  17.] 


MABBUBY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


229 


the  due  rewards  of  our  deeds.'  And  after  that  he 
sought  grace ;  this  law  was  the  schoolmaster  that 
brought  him  to  Christ,  saying,  '  Lord,  remember  me 
when  thou  comest  into  thv  kingdom ; '  for,  until  we 
compare  ourselves  with  the  law  of  righteousness,  we 
cannot  know  how  unjust  we  are,  and  what  nead  we 
have  of  a  Saviour. 

We  may  see  it  in  our  first  parents,  who  no  sooner 
had  sinned  but  they  hid  themselves  from  God,  because 
they  saw  their  fault  by  the  light  of  the  law,  which 
they  had  transgressed. 

Reason  2.  This  fear  bringeth  us  to  repentance,  it 
putteth  our  sins  in  our  sight,  and  setteth  before  our 
eyes  the  wrath  to  come  ;  so  the  generation  of  vipers 
were  first  put  in  fear,  by  warning  given  them  of  the 
anger  to  come,  and  upon  that  foundation  he  buildeth 
his  doctrine  of  repentance.  Ferte  ergo  fnictus  dignos 
panitentia,  bring  forth  therefore  fruits  worthy  of  re- 
pentance. It  is  time  to  amend  when  sin  standeth  at 
the  door ;  that  is,  the  wages  of  sin,  to  punish  all,  or 
some  new  temptation  to  sin  to  make  it  more.  Fear 
will  tell  us  that  time  is  precious,  we  must  lose  none 
of  it  for  our  true  repentance  and  conversion  to  God. 

Reason  3.  This  fear  serveth  for  caution  against  the 
time  to  come  ;  for  piscis  ictus  sapit,  one  that  hath  been 
once  soundly  shaken  with  a  strong  fit  of  this  fear,  will 
be  the  more  wary  to  decline  and  avoid  it  another  time. 
For  there  is  nothing  that  so  much  agonizeth  the  soul 
and  body  of  man,  as  the  sense  and  conscience  of  the 
wrath  of  God. 

Reason  4.  It  is  one  of  the  arguments,  as  you  have 
heard,  by  which  we  do  prove  certnin  great  articles  of 
faith ;  as, 

1.  It  proveth  that  there  is  a  God  ;  for  that  power 
which  the  conscience  of  man  doth  fear  as  an  avenger 
of  evil,  is  God. 

2.  -It  proveth  the  resurrection  of  the  body  ;  for,  as 
the  apostle  saith,  *  If  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope,' 
so  we  may  say,  if  for  this  life  only  we  have  fear,  it 
can  be  no  great  matter,  for  the  judgments  of  God  can- 
not take  sufiicient  vengeance  of  sin  here. 

3.  It  proveth  the  final  judgment ;  for  all  the  afiiic- 
tions  of  a  temporal  life  are  but  the  forerunner  of  the 
last  judgment. 

Quest.  But  here  it  is  objected,  that  this  may  well 
hold  in  the  reprobate  ;  but  to  see  this  earthquake  of 
trembling  in  the  church,  and  amongst  the  holy  ones 
of  God,  as  it  is  here  described,  this  seemeth  too  hard 
a  portion  for  God's  beloved  and  chosen  ones.^ 


Sol.  To  this  I  answer,  that  judgment  beginneth  at 
the  house  of  God,  and  the  righteous  are  hardly  saved; 
they  that  have  no  other  hell  but  in  this  terror  of  the 
Lord  here,  do  most  smart  in  this  world,  and  there  is 
great  reason  for  it. 

1.  In  respect  of  God,  to  shew  him  no  accepter  of 
the  persons  of  men,  but  an  equal  hater  of  evil  in  all 
that  commit  it ;  as  David  saith,  '  If  I  regard  wicked- 
ness in  my  heart,  God  will  not  hear  me.' 

2.  In  respect  of  the  sin  committed  by  his  chosen, 
that  God  may  declare  the  danger  of  it  for  terror  to 
others  ;  and  his  justice  in  avenging  it,  that  men  mav 
fear,  and  do  no  more  so. 

3.  In  respect  of  the  wicked,  that  they  may  have 
example  of  fear  in  the  smart  of  others,  to  bring  them 
to  the  obedience  and  service  of  God. 

Use  1.  This  doth  serve,  first  for  exhortation,  to 
stir  us  up  to  consider  our  God  in  the  way  of  his  judg- 
ments, and  to  bethink  us  what  evil  may  hang  over  our 
heads  for  sin.  The  church  hath  ever  found  this  a 
profitable  course  :  Isa.  xxvi.  8,  '  In  the  way  of  thy 
judgments,  0  Lord,  have  we  waited  for  thee  ;  the 
desire  of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remem- 
brance of  thee.'  The  profit  that  groweth  hence  is 
there  confessed  by  the  church  :  ver.  9,  '  When  thy 
judgments  are  in  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
world  will  learn  righteousness.' 

Use  2.  This  doth  serve  to  put  difierence  between 
the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  this  world ; 
for  the  ungodly  are  not  afraid  of  the  hand  of  God,  but 
the  sinner  contemneth,  but  the  righteous  layeth  it  to 
his  heart ;  so  saith  the  church,  ver.  11,  '  Lord,  when 
thy  hand  is  lifted  up,  they  will  not  see  :  but  they  shall 
see,  and  be  ashamed.' 

Use  3.  This  also  serveth  for  consolation  of  the 
church  ;  for  let  them  not  be  too  much  dejected  with 
consideration  either  of  God's  revealed  wrath,  or  their 
own  just  fear  ;  no,  though  their  fear  do  shake  and 
stagger  their  very  faith  for  a  time  ;  for  God  will  not 
forsake  them  unto  despair,  but  will  let  some  of  the 
beams  of  grace  shine  even  through  the  clouds  of  fear 
to  comfort  them.  David  felt  it,  and  confessed  it, 
saying,  Ps.  Ivi.  3,  '  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will 
trust  in  thee.'  See  how  they  grow  together,  fear  and 
faith. 

Obj.  But  this  is  objected,  as  an  argument  against 
that  doctrine  of  the  assurance  of  salvation  that  a  child 
of  God  may  have  in  this  life  ;  for  it  is  urged.  Can  a 
man  that  standeth  assured  of  the  favour  of  God  to  him 

317 


230 


MAEBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


I 


in  Christ  Jesus,  be  so  shaken  with  fear  as  the  church 
here  confesseth  ? 
Sol.  We  answer, 

1.  That  fear  of  temporal  smart  in  this  life  is  natural, 
and  may  be  in  the  sons  of  God  ;  it  was  in  the  Son  of 
Grod,  Jesus  Christ,  and  it  may  be  without  sin  ;  and 
the  elect,  although  they  fear  the  judgments  of  God  on 
earth,  yet  they  doubt  not  but  that  their  names  are 
written  in  heaven. 

2.  That  fear  is  not  against  faith,  which  is  quick  and 
sensible  of  the  wrath  and  judgments  of  God  ;  it  is  cos 

Jidei,  the  whetstone  of  faith  ;  it  puts  a  better  edge 
upon  it,  and  serves  to  teach  us  to  lay  so  much  the 
faster  hold  upon  Jesus  Christ. 

Courage  either  to  resist  an  evil  ingruent  without  a 
right  knowledge  of  it,  or  to  bear  an  evil  incumbent 
without  a  right  understanding,  both  of  the  author  of  it, 
the  cause  of  it,  or  the  eud  of  it,  or  the  measure  of  it, 
is  not  courage,  but  stupidity ;  but  when  we  do  rightly 
know  God  to  lay  his  hand  on  us  for  sin,  or  hear  him 
threaten  us  with  the  rod,  is  it  not  time  to  fear,  and  to 
pray  with  Jeremiah,  chap.  xvii.  17,  '  Be  not  a  terror 
to  me,  for  thou  art  my  hope  in  the  day  of  evil.' 

3.  Fear  and  faith  go  together  in  respect  of  the  tem- 
poral judgments  of  God,  because  the  threatenings  of 
temporal  judgments  are  not  always  peremptory,  but 
ofttimes  conditional ;  therefore  the  king  of  Nineveh, 
proclaiming  a  general  fast  and  repentance  in  Nineveh, 
had  this  encouragement,  Jonah  iii.  9,  *  Who  can  tell 
if  God  will  turn  and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his 
fierce  anger,  that  we  perish  not  ?'  God  himself  hath 
put  US  into  this  comfort :  Jer.  xviii.  7,  8,  'At  what  in- 
stant I  shall  speak  concerning  a  nation,  and  concern- 
ing a  kingdom,  to  pluck  up,  and  to  pull  down,  and  to 
destroy  it ;  if  that  nation,  against  whom  I  have  pro- 
nounced, turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil 
that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them.' 

So  that  this  fear  of  the  temporal  judgments  of  God 
doth  no  way  weaken  the  faithful  assurance  that  we 
have  conceived  of  eternal  salvation,  rather  it  strength- 
eneth  it ;  yea,  the  more  that  we  either  taste  or  fear 
the  punishing  hand  of  God  here,  the  more  do  we 
desire  the  release  of  us  hence,  which  is  rest  from  all 
labours. 

4.  They  that  take  this  fear  to  be  contrary  to  faith 
and  assurance  of  the  favour  of  God,  do  mistake  it, 
for  it  is  true  that  a  doubtful  and  despairing  fear  doth 
destroy  faith  ;  but  the  faithful  cannot  fall  into  that 
fear,  because  God  presseth  not  his  temptations  above 

318  ! 


that  which  his  children  are  able  to  bear.  And  fear 
in  them  is  but  contrary  to  presumption,  it  is  not 
contrary  to  faith ;  which  thus  appears,  because  this 
fear  doth  not  make  the  servants  of  God  give  over 
the  work  of  their  salvation,  rather  it  makes  them 
double  their  endeavours  and  redeem  the  time. 

But  in  the  reprobate,  their  fear  doth  make  them 
give  heaven  gone  from  them,  and  profess  it  lost  la- 
bour to  serve  God.  Mai.  iii.  14,  '  Ye  have  said.  It 
is  in  vain  to  serve  God  ;  and  what  profit  is  it  that  we 
have  kept  his  ordinances,  and  that  we  have  walked 
mournfully  before  the  Lord  of  hosts  ?'  But  they  that 
feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another,  that  is, 
encouraged  one  another ;  and  it  is  said  the  Lord 
hearkened  and  heard  it,  &c. 

8.  The  effect  of  this  fear,  *  that  I  might  rest  in  the 
day  of  trouble.' 

This  also  sheweth  that  this  fear  of  the  church  was 
not  separated  from  faith,  for  it  is  entertained  of  pur- 
pose to  settle  the  heart,  and  to  give  it  rest  in  the 
day  of  trouble. 

I  cannot  but  often  remember  that  sweet  saying  of 
Austin,  Medichia  est  quod  pateris,  thy  suffering  is  the 
physic ;  for  the  physic  that  we  take  to  purge  the  ill 
humours  of  the  body  doth  make  the  body  more  sick 
for  the  time,  and  so  do  the  chastisements  of  God. 
The  fear  of  judgment  threatened  is  more  pain  to  the 
children  of  God  than  the  sense  of  the  judgment  in- 
flicted. 

It  is  a  note  of  the  just,  that  they  rejoice  in  tribu- 
lations, yet  you  see  they  fear  tribulations  before  they 
come,  which  shews  that  the  bitterness  of  that  cup  is 
more  in  the  cause  than  in  the  effect. 

The  righteous  in  these  threatenings  do  behold  God 
in  displeasure,  themselves  in  the  guilt  of  provocation, 
and  nothing  goeth  so  near  the  heart  of  a  godly  man 
as  that  his  God  should  take  any  unkindness  at- him, 
for  in  his  favour  is  life.  To  help  this,  when  God 
threateneth,  the  just  man  feareth,  and  that  fear  doth 
both  remember  him  of  the  occasion  of  this  judgment, 
and  composeth  him  to  repentance  of  his  sin,  and  to 
prayer  to  divert  it,  or  to  patience  in  it. 

Doct.  Fear  joined  with  faith  prepareth  us  for  peace 
and  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble. 

An  admirable  work  it  is  of  wisdom  and  mercy  to 
extract  rest  out  of  fear,  but  to  him  that  brought  light 
out  of  darkness  nothing  is  impossible  ;  more  to  give 
rest  in  the  day  of  trouble  when  the  soul  refuseth  com- 
fort, and  even  begins  to  take  a  kind  of  pride  in  the 


Ver.  17.] 


MARRURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


231 


fulness  of  misery,  and  saith,  ViJete  si  dolor  sicul  dolor 
mens. 

Benson  1.  Because  these  inward  convulsions  of  the 
hid  man  of  the  heart  are  joined  evermore  in  the  godly, 
with  an  hatred  of  the  sin  that  deserved  them ;  for 
from  hence  ariseth  this  confession,  Peccavi. 

Heasou  2.  Observe  it  in  Job.  He  did  not  ask. 
Quid  potior  f  but  Quid  faciam  tibi  ?  So  it  worketh 
in  us  a  care  and  conscience  of  obedience  hereafter. 

Reason  3.  It  also  discemeth  an  issue  out  of  trouble ; 
for  where  fear  doth  not  overgrow,  there  is  a  sweet  ap- 
prehension of  joy  in  the  end.  As  the  apostle  saith, 
Heb.  xii.  11,  'Afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable 
fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them  which  ai'e  exercised 
thereby.' 

Use  1.  *  'SM}erefore,  lift  up  the  hands  that  hang 
down,  and  the  feeble  knees.  Make  straight  paths  for 
your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame  be  turned  out  of  the 
way;  but  let  it  rather  be  hea,led.'  The  way  is  there 
described  :  '  Follow  peace  with  all  men,  and  holiness, 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.'  '  Look 
diligently,  lest  any  man  fall  from  the  grace  of  God  ; 
lest  any  root  of  bitterness  springing  up  in  you  trouble 
you.' 

Out  of  this  whole  passage  you  may  observe  a  sweet 
description  of  a  full  repentance. 

1.  Here  is  the  law  of  God,  revealing  both  sin  and 
the  judgment  due  to  it,  called  here  the  hearing  of  the 
voice  of  God. 

2.  Here  is  the  conscience  agonised  with  the  fear  of 
God's  judgments. 

3.  Here  is  the  fruit  and  benefit  thereof,  even  peace 
and  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble. 

Here  is  sowing  in  tears  and  reaping  in  joy ;  rather 
it  is  sunshine  in  a  tempest,  for  the  outward  man  is 
shaken,  and  the  flesh  suflereth ;  but  the  just  do  say 
with  the  ever-blessed  virgin,  '  My  spirit  rejoiceth  in 
God  my  Saviour.* 

Impii  non  sic,  not  so  with  the  wicked ;  for  God  hath 
said  it,  that  there  shall  be  no  peace  at  the  last  to 
them,  but  as  the  raging  of  the  angry  sea,  which  casteth 
up  nothing  but  foam  and  dirt. 

2.  The  miseries  of  the  land. 

This  is  described  fully, 

1.  In  the  agent.     2.  In  the  patient. 

In  the  agent  two  ways. 

1.  The  primus  motor,  the  supreme  agent,  God. 

2.  The  instruments  of  action ;  his  troops.  These 
are  the  Chaldeans. 


In  the  patient,  the  land  of  Canaan  distressed,  as 
you  have  heard. 

1.  In  the  trees  bearing  fruit :  the  fig-tree,  the 
vine,  the  olive. 

2.  In  the  field  or  arable. 

3.  In  their  cattle  :  1.  Such  as  feed  abroad.  2.  Such 
as  are  stalled. 

1.  Concerning  the  agent  supreme,  God. 

Doct.  The  same  hand  that  gave  them  possession  of 
that  good  land  doth  now  remove  them  thence.  Here 
is  mutatio  dextrce. 

It  is  a  thing  notable,  that  God  is  ever  in  Scripture 
described  to  us  constant,  '  yesterday  and  to-day,  and 
the  same  for  ever;  without  variableness,  or  so  much  as 
a  shadow  of  alteration.'  Yet,  in  his  government  of  the 
world,  he  sometimes  giveth,  and  sometimes  he  taketh 
away ;  sometimes  he  fiUeth,  and  sometimes  he  emptieth. 

Reason  1.  The  reason  hereof  is  partly  in  ourselves  ; 
for  as  our  obedience  and  service  of  him  doth  both  gain 
and  assure  to  us  all  good  things,  as  himself  telleth  us, 
Isa.  i.  19,  20,  *  If  you  consent  and  obey,  you  shall  eat 
the  good  things  of  the  land;'  so  our  disobedience 
and  transgression  doth  lose  us  all  these  things,  as  he 
addeth,  '  If  you  refuse  and  rebel,  you  shall  be  devoured 
with  the  sword;  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it.' 

Reason  2.  Partly  it  is  in  God,  for  his  mercy  in 
giving  must  not  destroy  his  justice  in  punishing  of 
evil  doers  ;  for  if  it  be  '  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to 
recompense  tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  us,  it  must 
needs  be  as  righteous  to  recompense  tribulation  to 
them  that  trouble  him.  It  is  an  heavy  complaint  God 
made  of  his  people :  Isa.  i.  2,  '  I  have  nourished  and 
brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.' 

It  is  well  observed  in  God,  that  he  is  primus  in 
amore,  et  postremus  in  odio,  he  loveth  us  before  we  can 
seek  his  face,  and  we  are  tender  in  sight  before  we 
know  the  right  hand  from  the  left,  as  in  the  case  of 
Nineveh  God  pleaded  with  Jonah  for  the  infants. 

But  God  never  forsaketh  us  till  we  first  forsake 
him ;  not  then,  if  there  be  but  animus  revertendi,  he 
is  patient  and  long-suffering ;  but  when  we  come  once 
to  two  evils,  to  forsake  him,  the  fountain  of  livinc 
waters,  and  to  dig  to  ourselves  cisterns  of  our  own 
making,  then  he  can  no  longer  forbear ;  when  we 
grow,  Isa.  i.  4,  *  a  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden  with 
iniquity,  a  seed  of  evil  doers,  children  that  are  cor- 
rupters, forsaking  the  Lord,  provoking  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel  to  anger,  going  away  backward,'  no 

319 


232 


MARBURY  ON  HABAK.KUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


wonder,  ver.  7,  *  if  he  make  our  country  desolate, 
bum  our  cities  with  fire,  let  strangers  devour  land  in 
our  presence,  and  lay  it  desolate,  as  overthrown  by 
strangers.' 

Use  1.  Where  we  are  guilty  to  ourselves  of  provo- 
cation of  the  Lord  against  us,  we  have  cause  to  lay 
all  the  blame  upon  ourselves,  and  to  say,  We  have  gone 
away  from  thee,  and  have  not  hearkened  to  thy  voice, 
therefore  art  thou  displeased  with  us.  Seeing  the  jus- 
tice of  God  doth  set  him  against  us,  we  are  also  to 
acquit  him  of  any  hard  measure  towards  us,  and  to  say, 
'  Just  art  thou,  0  Lord,  and  just  are  thy  judgments.' 

But  especially,  this  stirreth  us  up  to  divert  this 
wrath  to  come,  for  to  that  purpose  God  giveth  warn- 
ings by  threatenings,  not  in  judgment  to  punish  and 
torment  us  before  our  time  with  the  fear  of  them,  and 
after  in  their  time  with  the  sense  of  them,  but  to  ad- 
monish us  to  fly  from  the  anger  to  come ;  for  Jere- 
miah was  sent  on  this  very  message  to  this  people,  and 
he  threatened  them  from  God,  as  Habakkuk  here  doth, 
yet  with  this  caution  of  repentance. 

For  Jeremiah  being  required  by  king  Zedekiah  to 
inquire  of  the  Lord  concerning  Nebuchadnezzar,  king 
of  Babel, — Jer,  xxi.  2,  '  If  the  Lord  will  deal  with  us 
according  to  all  his  wonderful  works  that  he  will  go 
from  us,' — Jeremiah,  through  the  whole  chapter,  re- 
solveth  him,  that  God  is  purposed  to  deliver  his  people 
and  their  land  into  the  hand  of  king  Nebuchadnezzar, 
yet  in  the  next  chapter  he  bringeth  this  comfortable 
message  from  God  to  the  king  :  Jer.  xxii.  1-5,  '  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  Go  down  to  the  king  of  Judah,  and 
speak  there  this  word,  and  say,  Hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  0  king  of  Judah,  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne 
of  David,  thou  and  thy  servants,  and  the  people  that 
enter  in  by  these  gates  ;  thus  saith  the  Lord,  execute 
you  judgment  and  righteousness,  and  deliver  the 
spoiled  out  of  the  hand  of  the  oppressor:  and  do  no 
wrong,  do  no  violence  to  the  stranger,  the  fatherless, 
nor  the  widow,  neither  shed  innocent  blood  in  this 
place.  For  if  you  do  this  thing  indeed,  then  there 
shall  enter  in  by  the  gates  of  this  house,  kings  sitting 
for  David  upon  his  throne,  riding  in  chariots  and  on 
horses,  he,  and  his  servants,  and  his  people.  But  if  ye 
will  not  hear  these  words,  I  swear  by  myself,  saith  the 
Lord,  that  this  house  shall  become  a  desolation,'  &c. 
This  declareth  that  the  threatenings  of  God,  when  he 
menaceth  our  sins  with  judgments,  are  like  Jona- 
than's arrows,  shot  rather  to  give  us  warning  than  to 
hurt  us. 

320 


Which  admonisheth  us,  that  whensoever  any  fear 
surpriseth  us  of  wrath  to  come  upon  our  land,  either 
in  the  corruption  of  our  religion,  or  in  the  pertur- 
bation of  our  peace,  or  in  the  fear  of  false  friends 
that  may  kiss  or  betray,  or  in  the  dearth  and  scarcity 
of  the  necessaries  of  life,  in  any,  in  all  these  fears,  the 
change  of  our  ways,  the  repentance  of  our  sins,  the 
amendment  of  our  lives,  will  ever  make  our  peace 
with  our  God,  and  turn  away  these  threatened  and 
feared  evils  from  us  ;  for  godliness  hath  the  promises 
both  of  this  life  and  of  that  which  is  to  come. 

2.  Let  us  consider  the  instruments  in  this  action, 
called  '  his  troops.' 

Doct.  The  armies  of  the  Chaldeans,  by  which  Israel 
is  to  be  punished,  are  the  troops  of  God. 

God  owns  them,  as  Jeremiah  telleth  Zedekiah, 
Jer.  xxi.  4,  5,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
Behold,  I  will  turn  back  the  weapons  of  war  that  are 
in  your  hands,  wherewith  ye  fight  against  the  king  of 
Babylon,  and  against  the  Chaldeans  which  besiege  you 
without  the  walls,  and  I  will  assemble  them  in  the 
midst  of  this  city.  And  I  myself  will  fight  against 
you  with  an  outstretched  hand,  and  with  a  strong  arm, 
even  in  anger,  and  in  fury,  and  in  great  wrath.' 

So  he  told  them  before  in  this  prophecy  :  Hab.  i.  6, 
'  I  raise  up  the  Chaldeans,  a  bitter  and  hasty  nation, 
which  shall  march  through  the  breadth  of  the  land,  to 
possess  the  dwelling-places  that  are  not  theirs.* 

From  whence  we  have  learned, 

That  God  ordereth  this  war  against  his  people ;  which 
doctrine  we  have  at  large  handled  in  the  prophecy  of 
Obadiah. 

We  learned  also  that  God  punisheth  one  evil  nation 
by  another,  and  those  whom  he  employeth  in  the  cor- 
rection of  his  enemies,  he  protecteth  and  prospereth  in 
their  wars,  and  he  is  very  careful  to  pay  them  wages, 
as  in  the  service  of  Egypt  against  Tyrus  which  Nebu- 
chadnezzar did  :  Ezek.  xxix.  20,  '  I  have  given  him 
the  land  of  Egypt  for  the  service  wherewith  he  served 
against  it,  because  they  wrought  for  me,  saith  the  Lord 
God.'  For  God  can  make  use  of  wicked  men  to 
serve  in  his  troops  for  the  punishing  of  such  as  rebel 
against  him. 

Therefore,  let  no  man  say,  the  Turk  is  an  enemy 
to  God  and  to  religion ;  he  serveth  Mahomed,  he  is 
an  infidel,  and  therefore  he  shall  not  prevail  against  us. 

Let  no  man  say,  the  pope  is  a  man  of  sin  and  a 
maintainer  of  idolatry,  a  usurper  upon  the  royal  pre- 
rogatives of  Jesus  Christ ;  he  advanceth  himself  above 


Ver  17.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


233 


all  that  is  called  God,  and  is  worsliipped  ;  he  is  an 
encroacher  upon  the  rights,  and  honours,  and  power  , 
of  princes,  and  usurpeth  a  transcendent  jarisdictioa   ' 
over  them  ;  a  maintainer  of  treason,  and  murderer  of 
kings  ;  a  coiner  of  articles  of  faith  ;  a  hider  of  the  word  ' 
of  God  ;  a  maker  of  counter  laws  against  the  law  of 
God  ;  therefore,  neither  he  nor  his  religion  shall  ever 
prevail  against  the  professors  of  the  truth  of  God. 

For  if  these  sins  be  found  in  our  land  which  God 
conditioned  again*  in  Judah;  that  is,  if  just  judg-  i 
ment  be  not  executed  and  righteousness  practised,  if  [ 
the  spoiled  be  not  delivered  from  the  hand  of  the  op- 
pressor, if  wrong  be  done  to  the  stranger,  the  poor,  the 
fatherless  and  the  widow  ;  Turk  and  pope,  papists  and 
infidels  may  be  gathered  together  into  the  troops  of 
God  and  employed  agiiinst  us,  anl  prevail  against  us, 
for  we  are  no  better  than  Judah,  nor  dearer  to  God 
than  his  own  people  ;  and  if  he  please  to  punish 
Christendom  or  the  professors  of  his  truth  by  these, 
if  once  they  become  God's  troops,  they  shall  prosper 
and  carry  all  before  them. 

The  misery  in  the  patient ;  the  land  of  Israel 
threatened,  as  you  hear  in  the  trees. 

Here  are  named  the  chief  trees  for  fruit,  the  fig-tree, 
the  vine,  and  the  olive.  Non  omnis  fert  omnia  tellius, 
these  trees  do  not  grow  in  all  lands.  Our  land,  though 
rich  and  plenteous,  is  no  fit  soil  for  these  trees. 

They  served  for  food,  and  they  are  of  special  note, 
for  in  the  parable  of  Jotham,  Judges  ix.  8,  when  the 
trees  went  to  choose  them  a  king,  they  came  first  to 
the  olive-tree  and  said.  Reign  thou  over  us  ;  they  went 
next  to  the  fig-tree,  and  then  to  the  vine.  The  olive-tree 
saith,  Shall  I  leave  my  fatness,  wherewith  by  me  they 
honour  God  and  man  "?  The  fig-tree  saith.  Should  I 
forsake  my  sweetness  and  my  good  fruit  ?  The  vine 
saith,  Should  I  leave  my  wine,  which  cheereth  God 
and  man  ?  You  see  of  how  excellent  use  these  fruits 
were  :  two  of  them  used  in  the  special  service  of  God,  oil 
and  wine,  and  often  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  praised  for 
frnitfulness  in  respect  of  the  trees  growing  there,  which 
every  soil  doth  not  yield.  They  are  all  of  excellent 
use,  both  for  food  and  medicine  ;  and  David  saith  of 
wine,  that  it  maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man  ;  of  oil, 
that  it  maketh  him  have  a  cheerful  countenance. 

The  failing  of  these,  which  the  soil  doth  naturally 
bring  forth,  doth  shew  that  God  hath  called  in  his 
blessing,  which  he  gave  to  every  land,  for  the  true 

*  Qn.  '  cautioned  against '  ? — Ed. 


nature  of  every  soil  is  the  word  of  God's  blessing, 
which  once  called  in,  a  fruitful  land  is  made  barren, 
and  a  populous  country  is  soon  turned  into  a  desert. 

But  this  is  not  all :  not  only  God  will  smite  the  land 
in  these  excellent  fruits,  which  are  for  food,  but  as 
Jeremiah  threateneth,  chap.  xxii.  7,  '  They  shall  cut 
down  the  choice  cedars,  and  cast  them  into  the  fire : ' 
trees  for  building. 

Reason.  The  reason  whereof  we  may  find  in  the 
first  of  our  parents,  who  no  sooner  had  sinned  but 
God  accursed  the  earth  for  their  sakes.  So  that  we 
may  say  as  the  church  doth  in  this  psalm,  Was  thy 
wrath  against  the  trees  of  the  land,  that  thou  smotest 
them  ?  not  so,  but  against  the  sins  and  sinners  of  the 
land. 

This  further  appeareth  in  the  common  ground,  for 
it  followeth,  '  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat.' 

Bread  is  the  staff  of  life ;  God  threateneth  to  break 
the  staff  of  bread.  So  he  bade  Ezekiel  prophesy, 
chap.  iv.  16,  '  Son  of  man,  I  will  break  the  staff  of 
bread  in  Jerusalem,  and  they  shall  eat  their  bread  by 
weight,  and  with  care.' 

God  hath  many  ways  to  perform  this  judgment, 
either  by  taking  away  his  blessing  from  the  earth,  that 
it  shall  not  bring  forth  bread  for  the  use  of  man ; 
thus  he  maketh  a  fruitful  land  barren.  Or  he  can 
hold  in  the  early  and  the  later  rain,  that  it  shall  not 
fall  to  moisten  the  earth,  as  in  the  time  of  Haggai  the 
prophet :  chap.  i.  9,  10,  '  Ye  looked  for  much,  and,  lo, 
it  came  too  little.  The  heaven  over  you  is  stayed 
from  dew,  and  the  earth  under  you  is  stayed  from  her 
fruit.' 

Yea,  God  when  he  pleaseth  can  drown  the  fixiits  of 
the  earth  with  too  much  rain,  and  destroy  the  crop  ; 
and  when  he  hath  shewed  us  plenty  upon  the  ground, 
he  can  deceive  the  hope  of  the  husbandman,  and  make 
a  thin  harvest.  "When  we  have  gathered  in  our  crop, 
he  can  blow  upon  it  and  destroy  it  in  the  bam ;  he 
hath  his  judgments  in  store,  ready  to  be  executed  upon 
sinners. 

We  have  tasted  of  this  rod,  for  how  did  God  crown 
the  former  year  with  plenty,  and  how  unthankfuUy 
was  it  entertained  of  many  ?  What  complaint  did  we 
hear  of  the  cheapness  of  com,  not  able  to  yield  the 
racked  rents  of  their  ground  to  the  labouring  husband- 
men, to  satisfy  the  greedy  landlord.  And  God  heard 
from  heaven,  how  heavy  his  plentiful  hand  was  to 
many,  and  he  hath  since  shut  it  up,  and  turned  our 
plenty  into  dearth ;  and  now  he  heareth  another  cry 

321 
X 


234 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


of  the  poor ;  their  labours  will  scarce  give  them  bread 
to  eat. 

Yet  another  woe :  the  cattle  fail  both  in  the  fields 
and  in  the  stalls,  fat  and  lean  beasts ;  the  enemj'  de- 
stroyeth  them,  and  the  barrenness  of  the  land  aflfordeth 
them  no  food.  When  God  gave  man  lordship  over 
all  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  over  all  the  beasts  of  the 
field,  he  did  not  devolve  his  prerogative  dominion  upon 
man,  but  reserved  his  royal  supremacy  over  them,  and 
a  power  of  resumption,  that,  if  man  neglected  his  ser- 
vice, these  ci*eatures  in  their  kinds  should  fail  him. 

You  behold  in  this  whole  passage  a  miserable  face 
of  a  land  with  which  God  is  fallen  out:  the  very  soil  is 
accursed  for  the  people's  sakes,  the  people  either  perish 
by  the  sword,  or  go  into  captivity,  or  tarry  to  serve 
the  enemy  in  the  land.  The  full  cities,  the  glorious 
buildings  therein,  either  demolished  and  laid  even  with 
the  ground,  or  inhabited  by  strangers.  You  have 
heard  before  what  sins  have  brought  these  evils  upon 
.this  pleasant  land  :  corruption  in  common  conversa- 
tion between  man  and  man ;  corruption  in  religion 
and  the  service  of  God  ;  corruption  [in]  administra- 
tion of  justice. 

And  so  free  as  our  land  is  from  these  sins,  so  far 
are  these  judgments  ofi"  from  us.  But  if  either  the  pre- 
sent times,  or  times  to  come,  are  or  shall  be  guilty  of 
these  heinous  sins,  I  think  we  may  boldly  say,  that 
God  is  holy  now  as  ever  he  was,  to  hate  them,  and 
the  committers  of  them ;  and  as  wise  as  ever  he  was, 
to  discern  them;  and  as  just  as  ever  he  was,  to  punish 
them.  We  know  that  these  sins  carried  God's  people 
into  a  strange  land,  where  they  had  not  the  heaxi  to 
sing  the  songs  of  the  Lord. 

God  best  knows  why ;  but  we  see  a  great  part  of 
the  protestant  reformed  church,  at  this  time,  bleed- 
ing under  the  sword,  or  flying  from  the  hand,  or 
standing  upon  their  guard  against  the  power  of  strong 
opposition,  and,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  we  are  lookers 
on,  and  their  smart  is  not  yet  shared  amongst  us ; 
but  if  Canaan  were  thus  smitten,  both  in  the  soil,  and 
fruit,  and  beasts  thereof,  and  most,  in  the  inhabitants 
of  it ;  if  our  brethren,  professors  with  us  of  the  same 
religion,  do  in  our  days  suffer  so  many  vexations,  we 
had  need  study  holiness  of  life,  and  put  more  fire  into 
our  zeal  of  religion,  and  make  the  balance  of  justice 
even,  lest  we  drink  of  the  same  cup  of  bitterness. 

The  Jews  returned  again  to  their  land  from  their 
captivity,  they  had  the  face  of  it  renewed,  they  had 
their  temple  rebuilt,  religion  replanted,  and  then  they 
322 


relapsed  to  their  former  sins,  and  in  Christ's  time, 
Christ  was  bound,  and  Barabbas  was  set  loose.  And 
not  long  after,  the  Jews  went  into  a  dispersion,  wherein 
they  have  continued  almost  one  thousand  six  hundred 
years. 

God  be  merciful  to  us,  to  preserve  us  from  their 
sins  and  from  their  punishments,  that  our  trees  may 
bring  forth  their  blossoms,  and  their  fruits  in  their 
seasons ;  that  our  land  may  bring  forth  increase ;  that 
our  oxen  may  be  strong  to  labour;  that  there  be  no 
invasion,  no  leading  into  captivity,  and  no  complain- 
ing in  our  streets.     Amen,  amen. 


Ver.  18,  19.  Yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will 
joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation.  The  Lord  God  is  my 
strength,  and  he  will  make  my  feet  Wee  hinds'  feet,  and 
he  will  make  me  to  walk  upon  my  high  places.  To  the 
chief  singer  upon  my  stringed  instruments. 

This  is  the  last  part  of  this  psalm :  it  endeth  in  con- 
solation, notwithstanding  all  these  aiflrctions  of  the 
church  threatened,  though  they  shall  fall  upon  it,  and 
it  must  needs  sufler  this  sharp  visitation.  *  Yet  will  I 
rejoice  in  the  Lord.' 

It  is  the  apostle's  counsel,  Philip,  iv.  4,  '  Rejoice 
in  the  Lord  always ;'  and  here  the  church  doth  so. 
The  apostle  resumeth  it,  '  Again  I  say,  rejoice ;' 
and  the  church  here  resumeth  it,  '  I  will  joy  in  the 
God  of  my  salvation,'  shewing  the  reason  and  ground 
of  her  joy,  which  is  God's  salvation  :  Ps.  xiii.  5,  *  My 
heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy  salvation.' 

The  Lord  God  is  my  strength.  They  are  the  words 
of  David,  and  he  is  more  full  and  rhetorical  in  the 
expressure  thereof:  Ps.  xviii.  1,  2,  '  I  will  love  thee, 

0  Lord  my  strength.  The  Lord  is  my  rock,  and  my 
fortress,  my  deliverer;  my  God,  my  strength,  in  whom 

1  will  trust ;  my  buckler,  and  the  horn  of  my  salva- 
tion, my  high  tower.'  David  speaks  like  one  in  love 
with  God,  for  he  doth  adorn  him  with  confession  of 
praise,  and  his  mouth  is  filled  with  the  praise  of  the 
Lord,  which  he  expresseth  in  this  exuberancy  and  re- 
dundance of  holy  oratory  ;  the  church  addeth. 

He  will  make  my  feet  liJ(e  hinds'  feet.  This  also  is 
borrowed  of  David,  in  the  same  psalm :  ver.  83,  *  He 
maketh  my  feet  like  hinds'  feet,  and  setteth  me  upon 
my  high  places;'  that  is,  he  doth  give  swiftness  and 
speed  to  his  church  ;  as  St  Augustine  interpreteth  it, 
transrendendo  spinosa,  et  umhrosa  impUcamenta  hujus 
saculi,  passing  lightly  through  the  thorny  and  shady 


Vee.  18,  19.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


235 


incumbrances  of  this  world.  *  He  will  make  me  walk 
upon  my  high  places.'  David  saith,  *  He  setteth  me 
upon  my  high  places.' 

For,  consider  David,  as  he  then  was,  when  he  com- 
posed this  psalm,  it  was  at  the  time  when  God  had 
deUvered  him  from  the  hand  of  all  his  enemies,  and 
from  the  hand  of  Saal.  For  then  God  set  his  feet  on 
high  places,  settUng  his  kingdom,  and  establishing  him 
in  the  place  of  Saul. 

The  church  here,  hoping  to  obtaiu  of  God  the  like 
deliverance,  by  faith  apprehendeth  the  samd  mercy 
and  favour  of  God,  that  God  will  again  restore  them 
to  their  high  places,  and  estabUsh  them  in  the  same  ; 
that  is,  in  the  free  and  undisturbed  possession  of  their 
own  land,  and  the  liberties  thereof,  Isa.  Iviii.  14. 
Those  are  called  high  places,  because  God  was  exalted 
in  them,  in  the  profession  of  religion  ;  and  God  exalted 
them  above  all  other  places  of  the  world  by  his  special 
favour,  as  it  is  said,  Xonfecit^taUter. 

St  Augustine  goeth  higher  in  the  mystical  survey 
of  these  words^  and  looketh  up  to  the  future  glory  of 
the  church,  saying,  Super  ccelestem  hahitationem  figet 
intentionem  vieam,  ut  impleat  in  omnem  plenitudinem 
Dei. 

The  last  words  of  the  psalm  are  a  dedication  thereof, 
to  the  use  of  the  church,  dedicating  it  to  the  chief 
singer,  to  be  fitted  to  the  church  music,  that  it  may 
be  sung  in  the  congregation. 

Doct.  1.  The  words  are  taken  from  David's  psalms, 
and  applied  to  this  particular  occasion  of  the  church. 
From  whence  we  are  taught,  what  use  we  may  make 
of  David's  psalms  in  our  frequent  reading  and  medita- 
tion of  them. 

Our  church  hath  divided  the  Psalms  into  so  many 
equal  portions  for  our  reading,  that  in  every  thirty 
days,  such  as  can  read  may  read  over  the  whole  book 
of  David's  Psalms  ;  and  it  is  no  great  task  for  every 
one  of  us  so  to  read  them  over  privately  in.  our  houses. 
The  benefit  is  great  that  will  redound  to  them  that 
shall  do  this,  for  this  will  our  experience  find,  that 
St  Augustine  long  ago  hath  testified  of  the  book  of 
Psalms,  that  it  is  communis  quidam  honcB  doctrincB 
thesaurus,  a  common  storehouse  of  good  learning.  It 
■will  instruct  the  ignorant,  it  will  draw  on  forward  those 
that  are  incipients,  it  will  perfect  those  that  are  profi- 
cients, it  will  comfort  all  sorts  of  afflictions,  veteribus 
animanim  ridiieribus  novit  mederi,  et  recentibus  reme- 
dium  applicare,  it  knows  how,  &c.  He  that  would 
pray  to  God,  may  make  choice  here   of  fit  forms 


dictated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  petition  God  upon 
all  occasions,  whatsoever  he  would  desire  of  God, 
either  to  give  him,  or  to  forgive  him.  He  that  would 
make  confession  of  his  sins  to  God,  is  here  furnished 
and  accommodated  with  the  manner  of  searching  and 
ripping  up  of  the  conscience,  and  laying  the  hid  man 
of  the  heart  open  before  God.  He  that  would  make 
confession  of  praise,  hath  his  mouth  filled  with  forms 
of  praise,  to  set  forth  the  goodness  of  God,  either  in 
particular  to  himself,  or  in  general,  to  the  whole 
church.  He  that  is  merry  and  rejoiceth  in  the  Lord, 
may  find  here  the  music  of  true  joy,  and  may  fi-om 
hence  gather  both  matter  and  manner  of  jubilation  ; 
you  see  that  the  church  in  my  text  resorteth  to  this 
storehouse  of  comfort.  He  that  findeth  himself  dull 
and  heavy  in  the  duties  of  God's  service,  may  here  find 
cheerful  strains  of  music  to  quicken  his  dead  afiec- 
tions,  and  to  put  life  into  them. 

Many  are  too  well  conceited  of  their  own  sufficiency 
for  those  holy  services  of  God,  so  that  in  confession 
of  sins,  in  prayer  or  in  praising  God,  they  over- ween 
their  own  measure  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  are  too 
much  wedded  to  their  own  forms  of  address  to  God. 

But  let  no  man  despise  these  helps  ;  the  best  of  us 
all  need  them,  and  the  most  able  amongst  us  shall  abate 
nothing  from  his  own  sufficiency,  to  borrow  of  them. 
We  are  sure  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  indited  them  ; 
and  if  a  wise  judgment  do  make  choice  and  fit  appli- 
cation of  them  to  our  several  purposes  and  occasions, 
we  cannot  more  holily  or  more  effectually  express  our- 
selves than  in  them.  The  sweet  singer  of  Israel  hath 
furnished  us  plentifully  by  them. 

2.  Before  I  come  to  handle  the  text  in  the  parts 
thereof,  let  me  return  your  thoughts  to  the  former 
verse,  where  the  church  putteth  her  own  case  in  great 
affliction.  Supposing  the  good  land  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey  touched  and  accursed  for  their  sakes,  so 
that  neither  their  best  fruit  trees,  nor  their  common 
fields,  nor  their  fruits,  nor  their  flocks  and  herds  shall 
yield  increase,  yet  saith  she,  *  Yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation.' 

Doct.  2.  Teaching  us  that  where  there  is  the  true 
joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  no  temporal  affliction  whatso- 
ever, though  it  extend  even  to  deprivation  of  the 
necessaries  of  life,  can  either  extinguish  or  so  much 
as  eclipse  that  joy,  but  that  as  a  Ught  it  will  shine  in 
darkness. 

The  book  of  God  is  thick  sown  with  examples  and 
promises,  with  doctrine  and  use,  with  assertions  and 

323 


2.3C 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


experience  of  this  truth  ;  and  it  so  sealed  to  the  per- 
petual consolation  of  the  church  of  God,  that  when 
Christ  left  his  sheep  among  wolves,  saying,  '  In  the 
world  you  shall  have  affliction,'  he  left  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  his  church  in  the  office,  and  under  the  name  and 
title  of  a  Comforter,  to  assure  this. 

Reason  1.  David  gives  a  good  reason  hereof,  for 
'  he  knoweth  whereof  we  be  made,  he  remembereth  we 
are  but  dust.'  Indeed,  we  are  made  of  such  stuff, 
and  by  our  sin  we  have  so  marred  our  own  first 
making,  that  if  God  did  not  support  us  in  afflictions, 
with  a  strong  supply  of  faith,  we  should  soon  sink 
under  the  burden  of  our  own  infirmities.  David  con- 
fesseth  as  much  :  Ps.  xxvii.  13,  '  I  had  fainted,  unless 
I  had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the 
land  of  the  living.'  Blessed  be  God,  that  ministereth 
ever  some  comfort  to  sweeten  the  calamities  of  life, 
and  to  keep  the  soul  from  fiiinting,  to  keep  the  head 
above  water,  that  the  deep  waters  swallow  us  not  up. 

The  true  church  of  God,  when  the  ambition  of  the 
bishop  of  Rome  to  be  universal  bishop  began  to  sway 
religion  to  the  service  of  human  policy,  then  began  to 
lose  of  her  full  numbers  ;  many  of  them,  most  of  them, 
defecting  to  popery  and  superstition.  The  true  profes- 
sors of  the  gospel  were  pursued  with  all  kinds  of 
bloody  persecution,  and  in  many  years  the  true  church 
of  God  lived  in  concealment ;  yet  God  did  never  suflfer 
this  little  remaining  spark  to  be  quite  put  out ;  and 
when  the  pope  thought  himself  absolute  lord  of  all, 
then  arose  Martin  Luther,  an  ai'row  out  of  their  own 
quiver,  and  in  the  low  ebb  of  the  true  church  he 
opposed  the  pope,  and  put  a  new  life  into  the  true 
Christian  church,  which  ever  since  his  time  bath  grown 
to^a  clearer  light,  and  the  man  of  sin  is  more  and  more 
revealed,  and  the  mystery  of  ungodliness  detected,  and 
in  many  parts  of  Christendom  the  pope  ejected,  as  an 
usurper  both  in  ecclesiastical  hierarchy  and  temporal 
sovereignty. 

At  this  time,  this  poor  church  doth  suffer  persecu- 
tion in  France,  and  is  threatened  with  utter  extirpa- 
tion. In  Bohemia,  the  Protestants  feel  the  uttermost 
of  extremity ;  the  Prince  Palatine,  and  the  king's 
children,  remain  under  proscription,  and  in  exile  from 
their  inheritance ;  and  their  country,  invaded  and  de- 
populated, doth  groan  under  the  fury  of  war,  religion 
is^oppressed  ;  the  fig-tree,  and  the  vine,  and  olive 
fail,^the  earth  is  not  husbanded  to  profit,  to  feed  the 
inhabitants.  In  this  extremity,  what  comfort  sur- 
viveth  but  this,  that  our  God,  the  husband  of  his 
324 


church,  will  not  chide  continually,  nor  reserve  his 
anger  from  generation  to  generation,  but  even  in  this 
extremity  of  distress  we  have  joy  in  his  favour  and 
love  to  his  church  ? 

This  holy  care  of  religion  now  assaulted,  and  the 
natural  care  that  our  loyal  allegiance  to  our  sovereign 
and  his  children  doth  lay  upon  us,  inciteth  us  to  join, 
as  one  man,  with  united  strength,  to  work  for  God 
and  his  t]*uth  to  the  uttermost  of  our  best  abilities  ; 
and  who  knoweth  whether  God,  having  crowned  our 
land  so  many  years  with  peace  and  truth,  doth  now 
try  us  what  we  will  do  for  religion  and  peace,  and  how 
forward  we  will  be  in  his  cause,  and  how  charitably 
compassionate  of  the  afflictions  of  our  brethren  abroad  ; 
wherein,  if  we  shall  acquit  ourselves  like  the  children 
of  light,  and  the  sons  of  peace,  we  may  prevent  a 
further  trial  of  us  nearer  hand  in  our  own  land. 

Blessed  be  the  God  of  mercy,  and  of  all  consola- 
tion, who  hath  revealed  to  us  this  comfort  and  joy  in 
him  in  all  our  afflictions,  that  we  may  be  able  to  com- 
fort the  distresses  of  our  brethren,  as  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  our  God. 

His  Majesty  by  his  letters  graciously  inviteth  all  his 
loyal  subjects  to  this  commiseration  of  his  children, 
to  this  religious  compassion  of  God's  afflicted  church ; 
he  requireth  us,  your  ministers,  to  lay  this  as  near  as 
we  can  to  your  hearts,  to  stir  up  your  willing  and  for- 
ward affections  to  a  tenderness,  and  increase  of  zealous 
love  of  this  cause,  and  he  believeth  that  our  labour  in 
the  Lord  will  not  be  in  vain. 

If  it  be  heavy  to  us  to  part  with  some  small  portion 
of  our  estates  to  this  assistance,  what  is  it  to  his  chil- 
dren to  lose  all? 

Impius  haec  tam  culta  novalia  miles  habebit, 
Barbarus  l)as  segetes. 

Shall  we  look  on  whilst  papists  possess  the  inheritance 
of  protestants,  while  superstition  and  idolatry  usurpeth 
the  temples,  where  the  holy  worship  of  God,  and 
the  gospel  of  truth  and  peace,  have  been  so  many 
years  gloriously  maintained  ? 

His  Majesty  hath  well  acquitted  himself  to  us  to  be 
a  prince  of  peace,  who  hath  with  unmeasurable  ex- 
pense essayed,  by  mediation  and  treaties,  to  compose 
the  bloody  wars  in  Christendom  with  fair  conditions 
of  peace  ;  he  hath  shewed  himself  tender  in  the  case 
of  Christian  blood,  and  he  would  have  all  the  Chris- 
tian world  bear  him  witness,  that,  if  he  could  recover 
the  inheritance  of  his  children  in  peace,  he  would  not 


Ver.  is,  19.] 


ilAr.BURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


s.s*; 


draw  a  sword,  nor  hazard  a  life  in  that  cause.  He  is 
now  put  to  it  to  seek  peace  bv  the  way  of  wars  ;  and 
his  children  being  shut  out  of  their  own  in  the  way  of 
inheritance,  must  wade  in  again  by  way  of  conquest, 
or  sit  out  altogether. 

If  that  part  of  the  afflicted  church  have  hope  in  this 
disconsolate  extremity,  and  trust  in  God  for  deliver- 
ance and  restitution,  they  shall  sing  Carmen  in  node, 
and  let  God  strengthen  their  faith  and  trust  in  him, 
and  let  them  not  think  it  long  to  await  his  leisure  till 
he  have  mercy  upon  them. 

Worse  was  the  condition  of  Jerusalem  and  the 
people  of  Judah,  God's  own  inheritance  ;  yet,  when 
they  had  summed  up  their  miseries,  and  cast  them 
into  one  total  of  full  calamity,  they  have  both  faith  to 
assure,  both  deliverance  and  restitution,  and  hope  to 
expect  it,  and  joy  to  recreate  and  refresh  their  present 
droopings. 

And  truly,  to  our  understanding,  it  is  time  for  the 
Lord  to  put  to  his  hand,  for  the  cause  is  his.  The 
strife  was  for  a  kingdom,  but  religion  is  such  a  party 
in  the  quarrel,  that  it  cannot  but  share  in  the  sufier- 
ings  of  those  who  fare  the  worse  for  religion's  sake. 
Be  we  comforted  in  the  Lord. 

Eome  and  Roman  idolatry-  can  neither  spread  fur- 
ther nor  gather  more  strength  than  her  elder  sister 
Babylon  did ;  her  armies  are  called  here  the  troops  of 
God ;  God  employed  them  and  God  prospered  them, 
and  they  prevailed  against  God's  inheritance.  But 
the  same  prophets  who  are  sent  to  tell  Judah  of  their 
deportation  into  Babylon,  do  also  foretell  the  ruin  of 
Babylon.  For  this  read  at  your  leisure  Isaiah,  iGth 
and  47th  chapters,  Jeremiah  oOth  and  51st,  and  when 
you  have  read  them,  compare  them  with  Revelations, 
17th  and  18th  chapters,  and  you  shall  see  that  Baby- 
lon in  Chaldea  was  but  a  type  of  the  present  Babylon 
in  Rome,  a  double  type,  of  sin  and  punishment. 

Therefore  comfort  yourselves  in  the  Lord.  God 
worketh,  as  we  see,  against  the  usurper  of  Rome  by 
his  own  domestics,  and  they  tell  tales  of  him,  and 
discover  the  nakedness  of  that  prostitute  strumpet  to 
the  shame  of  their  religion  ;  he  that  hath  begun  wUl 
also  in  time  make  an  end,  and  he  that  beginneth  to 
lose  estimation  at  home  will  hardly  either  increase  or 
maintain  it  abroad. 

Who  are  papists,  or  affected  popishly  amongst  us, 
for  the  most  part,  but  such  as  are  ignorant  of  Holy 
Scriptures,  or  such  as  corrupt  and  pervert  them,  for 
the  Revelation  doth  point  oat  antichrist  as  the  finger 


of  John  did  Christ,  with.  This  is  he ;  it  calleth  Rome 
Babylon,  and  sheweth  us  the  fall  thereof,  and  the 
cheerful  rising  of  the  true  church  to  light  and  glory. 
In  all  those  dangers  that  the  church  of  God  runneth, 
the  comfort  here  expressed  in  the  Lord  stays  the 
heart  thereof  with  flagons,  and  comforteth  it  with 
apples,  for  his  love  is  a  banner  to  it. 
The  parts  of  this  text  are  three  : 

1.  The  hope  of  the  afflicted  church. 

2.  The  ground  of  this  hope  and  comfort. 

3.  The  dedication  of  this  psalm. 

(1.)  The  hope  of  the  afflicted  church,  '  Yet  will  I 
rejoice  in  the  Lord.' 

You  know  that  joy  dilateth  the  heart,  and  giveth  it 
sea-room  in  the  stormy  and  tempestuous  state  of 
trouble.  Joy  is  a  thing  that  every  soul  affecteth  ;  we 
desire  many  happy  days  to  see  good  :  we  are  apt  with 
Solomon  to  try  our  hearts  with  joy.  This  is  welcome  to 
them  that  live  here  on  earth,  which  is  convallis  lachry- 
marum,  a  valley  of  tears,  wherein  the  story  of  our 
whole  life  is  written  upon  a  scroll  on  both  sides,  filled 
with  lamentations,  mourning,  and  woe ;  and  our 
Saviour  saith,  *  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted.' 

We  have  so  many  causes  of  mourning,  that  whether 
we  look  to  ourselves,  the  occasions  of  our  own  woe,  or 
to  our  sorrows,  the  fruitful  spawn  of  our  breeding  sins, 
the  natural  and  proper  effects  of  our  own  corruptions, 
we  have  from  both  matter  of  grief  and  provocation  of 
sorrow. 

1.  Pro  nobis,  for  ourselves,  for  what  we  sufler. 

2.  In  nobis,  in  ourselves,  for  that  we  do  deserve. 
Therefore  we  must  not  seek  joy  in  ourselves,  for 

then  we  shall  weep,  as  Rachel  for  her  children,  be- 
cause they  are  not.  The  joy  of  the  church  is  in  the 
Lord.  Pleriimqni  in  ipsis  piis  fietibus  gaudii  claritas 
entmpit,*  and  then  it  is  when  man  forsaketh  all 
comforts,  and  findeth  that  bonum  est  adharere  Deo 
semper,  when  a  man  unmindeth  all  other  comforts. 
This,  as  Augustine  saith,  est  gaudium,  quod  non  datur 
impiis,  sed  eis  qui  te  gratis  colunt,  quorum  gaudium  tu 
ipse  es  :  et  ipsa  est  beata  vita  gaudere  de  te,  propter  te  ; 
ipsa  est,  non  est  alia. 

All  you  then  who  have  found  sorrow  and  heaviness, 
by  the  due  consideration  of  those  evils  which  you 
have  committed,  and  of  those  holy  duties  which  you 
have  omitted,  and  of  those  punishments  which  you 
have  justly  suffered,  come  hither  and  learn  how  to  re- 
*  Gregor. 

325 


238 


MARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


joice  ;  forget  that  which  is  behind  ;  remember  Lot's 
wife  :  look  not  back  to  the  beguiling  delights  of  the 
bewitching  and  flattering  world  ;  look  before  you  to 
the  Lord,  for  he  is  the  author,  he  is  the  mediator,  he 
will  be  the  finisher  of  your  joy,  et  gaudiuni  vest  rum 
nemo  toilet  a  vobis,  and  your  joy  no  man  shall  take 
from  you. 

Joy  not  in  greatness  and  high  place,  or  in  riches, 
in  the  fruit  of  the  womb,  in  the  extent  of  your  lands, 
in  the  favours  of  princes,  in  the  full  sea  of  temporal 
happiness  ;  they  that  suffer  in  all  these  things  do  find 
joy  in  the  Lord. 

Reasons  why  in  the  Lord  ? 

1.  They  that  joy  in  the  Lord  rest  in  the  Lord,  and 
caet  all  their  care  upon  him  ;  they  pray.  Fiat  voluntas 
tita,  thy  will  be  done,  and  they  are  content  with  it, 
and  they  are  thankful  for  it  when  it  is  done,  neither 
relucting  at  the  doing  of  it,  nor  repining  and  finding 
fault  when  they  see  it  performed.  They 'say  with  old 
Eli,  1  Sam.  iii.  18,  *  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  him  good  ;'  and  with  Hezekiah,  Isa.  xxxix.  8, 
'  Good  is  the  word  of  the  Lord.'  And  therefore  the 
Lord  is  the  same  to  them,  whether  he  be  offerens, 
opening  his  hand  and  giving,  or  auferens,  stretching 
out  his  hand  to  strip  and  divest  them  of  all  that  he 
hath,  as  he  was  to  Job. 

2.  They  that  rejoice  in  the  Lord  rejoice  in  nothing 
otherwise  than  as  a  means  and  faculty  to  serve  the 
Lord.  And  so  we  may  rejoice  in  honours,  which  do 
put  our  good  example  more  in  sight,  that  others  may 
behold  our  good  works,  and  glorify  God.  So  we  may 
rejoice  in  authority  and  power  over  others,  if  we  use 
it  to  the  winning  of  others  to  the  service  of  our  God, 
to  the  coercion  of  evil  doers,  and  the  reward  of  the 
good.  So  may  we  rejoice  in  riches,  if  we  use  them 
as  means  to  advance  the  law  of  God,  and  to  express 
our  charity  to  the  needy.  All  this  is  joy  in  the  Lord, 
that  God  trusteth  us  with  the  dispensation  of  these 
outward  things,  and  the  applying  of  them  to  his  ser- 
vice. 

3.  They  that  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  rejoice  because 
God  is  Lord.  So  David,  '  The  Lord  is  king,  the 
earth  may  be  glad  of  it;'  for  'blessed  is  the  people 
whose  God  is  the  Lord.'  This  is  the  jubilation  of 
the  church:  Isa.  xxv.  9,  '  Lo,  this  is  our  God;  we 
have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us  :  this  is  the 
Lord,  we  have  waited  for  him ;  we  will  be  glad,  and 
rejoice  in  his  salvation.'  They  do  thus  acknowledge 
him  their  Lord,  and  are  glad  that  they  live  under  his 

326 


government :  Isa.  xxvi.  8,  '  The  desire  of  their  souls  is 
to  his  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of  him.'  '  For 
when  thy  judgments  are  in  the  world,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  will  learn  righteousness.  0  Lord  our 
God,  other  lords  have  ruled  us,  but  by  thee  only  will 
we  make  mention  of  thy  name.'  This  was  the  joy  of 
the  church  here,  professed  in  the  midst  of  extreme 
sorrows. 

There  cannot  be  a  better  sign  to  know  this  true 
spiritual  joy  from  all  other  false  seemings  and  blan- 
dations  of  joy  than  the  lasting  thereof;  for  the  candle 
of  the  wicked  shall  be  put  out,  but  God  is  a  sun  and 
a  shield  to  his  church.  Joy  in  all  other  things  is  but 
a  sojourner,  and  tarrieth  but  a  small  time;  but  when 
once  it  fasteneth  upon  God,  it  saith,  '  Here  will  I  dwell 
for  ever,  for  I  have  a  delight  herein.'  This  joy  hath 
none  of  the  fears  that  other  joys  have  to  make  us 
doubt  the  losing  of  it ;  it  hath  none  of  the  impedi- 
ments to  stop  the  way  to  it  that  other  joys  have.  It 
hath  none  of  the  sorrows  that  other  joys  have  to  com- 
meddle  with  it.  It  hath  none  of  the  miseries  that 
conclude  all  other  joys  to  determine  it. 

Use.  Therefore  as  the  apostle  admonisheth, '  Rejoice 
always  in  the  Lord :  again  I  say,  rejoice.'  Rejoice 
when  thou  aboundest,  rejoice  also  when  thou  wantest, 
full  and  empty ;  when  thou  givest  alms,  and  when  thou 
receivest  alms  ;  it  is  a  more  blessed  thing  to  give,  it  is 
also  a  blessed  thing  to  receive  ;  in  health,  in  sickness; 
on  the  bride-bed,  on  the  death-bed ;  always. 

Quest.  But  have  not  the  saints  of  God  on  this  earth 
their  sorrows?  Do  they  not  bear  forth  their  seed 
weeping  ?  Do  they  not  sow  in  tears  ?  Do  they  not 
feel  heaviness  for  the  night  ?  Is  it  not  a  true  word, 
Tnbulus  est,  qui  nan  est  tribulatus  ?■  Was  not  David's 
soul  heavy  within  him  ?  Did  not  Hezekiah  taste  of 
bitterness  of  soul  when  he  chattered  as  a  swallow  ? 
Did  not  this  very  church  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon  sit 
down  by  the  rivers  of  water  when  they  remembered 
Sion  ?  Did  they  not  '  hang  up  their  harps  upon  the 
willows,  or  could  they  sing  the  song  of  the  Lord  in  a 
strange  land  ? ' 

So/.  True ;  and  yet  all  these,  who  found  such  cause 
of  mourning  in  themselves,  and  expressed  so  much 
grief  to  others,  yet  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  always.  I 
deny  not  that  their  cup  was  bitterness,  yet  had  they 
sweet  fruits  of  spiritual  joy  even  in  the  midst  of  sor- 
rows ;  for,  as  David  saith,  they  did  '  rejoice  in  trem- 
bling.' Optime  dictum,  est,  Exultate,  contra  miseriam. ; 
optime  additum  est,  Own  tremore,  contra  liresumptionem, 


Ver.  is,  19.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


239 


quia  tremor  est  sanctificationis  custodia.'^  See  this  in 
the  apostle,  who  expresseth  the  life  of  a  Christiaii 
well :  2  Cor.  vi.  9, 10, '  As  unknown,  and  yet  known ;  as 
dying,  and  behold  we  live;  as  chastened,  and  not 
killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing;  as  poor, 
and  yet  making  many  rich;  as  having  nothing,  and 
yet  possessing  all  things.'  Which  words,  though 
neither  Mr  Calvin  nor  Beza  in  their  commentai-ies 
have  vouchsafed  so  much  as  a  note  upon  them,  yet 
are  they  an  holy  riddle  to  flesh  and  blood,  and  both 
these  have  brought  forth  their  light  in  much  fairer 
weather. 

Aquinas  cleareth  this  darkness  well,  for  he  sheweth 
that  temporal  things  have  but  the  resemblance  and 
appearance  of  good  and  evil,  they  have  no  true  exist- 
ence and  substance  of  them.  And  therefore  they  are 
brought  in  with  a  tauquam,  as;  for  as  the  apostle 
saitb,  we  are  tanquarti  ignoti,  'as  unknown,'  &c.:  tan- 
qiuim  castlgati,  tanquam  doleutes. 

But  God's  spiritual  favours  are  real ;  we  are  known, 
not  tanquam  twti,  as  known;  we  rejoice  not  tanquam, 
dolentes,  as  sorrowing.  For  the  Ught  aflliction,  which 
is  but  for  a  moment,  troubles  them ;  and  he  speaketh 
of  them  rather  as  they  appear  to  others  than  as  they 
do  feel  themselves,  or  of  them  rather  in  some  crazy 
fits  of  distraction,  than  in  the  constant  uniformity  of 
their  true  health. 

And  I  deny  not  but  the  dearest  of  God's  saints  here 
on  earth  have  their  sudden  qualms  and  their  agonising 
pangs  and  convulsions,  even  such  as  do  sometimes 
shake  their  very  faith,  as  you  have  seen  in  this  church 
of  the  Jews,  that  make  their  bellies  and  bowels  with- 
out f  them  to  tremble,  and  their  lips  to  quiver,  and 
themselves  to  fear  within  themselves ;  but  when  they 
remember  Jesus  Christ,  the  author  and  finisher  of 
their  faith,  saying  to  them,  Ecce  ego  sum  vobiscum  ad 
Jinem  s(scuU,  '  Behold,  I  am  with  you  to  the  end,' 
this  reneweth  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  puts  new  life 
into  them,  and  quickeneth  them;  for  how  can  they 
want  anything,  habent  enim  omnia,  qui  habent  habentem 
omnia.  For  they  have  all  who  have  him  that  hath  all ; 
for  '  he  that  gave  us  his  Son,  how  could  he  not  to- 
gether with  him  give  us  all  things  ? ' 

I  hear  St  Ambrose  thus  comforted  upon  his  death- 
bed :  Non  ita  vixi  inter  vos  ut  me  pudeat  vivere,  nee 
mori  timeo,  quia  bonum  Dominum  habemus.     For  it  is 
a  true  rule,  panitens  de  peccatis  dolet,  de  dolor e  guadet. 
Another  note  to  distinguish  this  joy  in  the  Lord 
*  Angnst.  t  Qu-  '  within  '  ? — Ed. 


from  all  other  joys,  is  the  fulness  and  exuberancy  of 
it;  for  it  is  more  joy  than  if  com,  and  wine,  and  oil 
increased,  else  what  needed  the  apostle,  having  said, 
•  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,'  to  add,  *  and  again  I 
say,  Rejoice '  ?  "VNTiat  can  be  more  than  aluays  1  But 
still  adding  to  the  fulness  of  our  joy,  till  our  cup  do 
overflow. 

This  is  that  measure  which  the  apostle  doth  so  com- 
fortably speak  of,  which  is  both  full  and  pressed  down, 
and  heaped,  and  running  over ;  for  it  is  still  growing 
and  increasing,  like  the  waters  in  Ezekiel's  vision, 
firom  the  ankles  to  the  loins,  to  the  chin,  over  head 
and  ears,  for  waders,  for  swimmers,  for  sailors. 

Upon  working  days  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  who  giveth 
thee  strength  to  labour,  and  feedeth  thee  with  the 
labour  of  thy  hands.  On  holidays  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
who  feasteth  thee  with  the  marrow  and  fatness  of  his 
house.  ;^  In  plenty,  rejoice  again  and  again,  because 
the  Lord  giveth;  in  want  rejoice,  because  the  Lord 
taketh  away,  and  as  it  pleaseth  the  Lord,  so  come 
things  to  pass. 

This  poor  distressed  church,  being  in  deportation, 
and  feeling  the  heavy  burden  of  affliction,  yet  it  found 
comfort  in  the  Lord. 

Jerusalem  remembered,  in  the  days  of  her  aflliction, 
and  of  her  miseries,  all  her  pleasant  things  that  she 
had  in  the  days  of  old.  Lam.  i.  7.  And  this  joy 
was  quickened  with  hope  of  the  favour  of  God  to  be 
shewed  to  them,  even  till  their  joy  did  swell  into  ec- 
stasy ;  as  David  expresseth  it,  Ps.  cxxvi.  1,  '  When 
the  Lord  turned  again  the  captivity  of  Zion,  then  were 
we  like  them  that  dream.  Then  was  our  mouth  filled 
with  laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  singing.'  There- 
fore is  the  joy  of  the  ungodly  compared  to  a  candle, 
which  spends  itself  to  the  snufi",  and  goeth  out  in  a 
stench  and  evil  savour.  Job  xviii.  5,  for  the  very  name 
of  the  wicked  shall  rot ;  but  to  the  just,  saith  God, 
Isa.  Iviii.  8,  '  Thy  Ught  shall  break  forth  as  the  morn- 
ing.' This  begins  in  obscurity,  and  groweth  more 
and  more  tiU  the  sun  rising,  and  yet  groweth  till  the 
noon-day ;  that  is  also  promised  the  just.  Ver.  10, 
'  Thy  light  shall  rise  in  obscurity,  and  thy  darkness 
shall  be  as  the  noon-day ;'  he  expoundeth  himself,  ver. 
11, '  Thou  shalt  be  as  a  watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring 
of  water,  whose  waters  fail  not.'  Therefore  it  is  said 
of  the  just,  that  '  they  shall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old 
age  ;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing ;'  and  this  is 
'  to  shew  that  the  Lord  is  upright,  that  he  is  our 
rock,  and  that  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him.' 

327 


210 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


For  his  word  is  gone  out,  his  promise  is  passed  to 
his  church, — he  will  neither  deny  it  nor  reverse  it, — 
to  comfort  them  with  all  spiritual  consolation  ;  for  ho 
is  the  God  of  all  consolation,  not  of  some  only. 

2.  The  ground  of  this  joy  ;  wherein  consider, 

1.  The  main  :  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  her  salvation. 

2.  The  Lord  is  her  strength. 

3.  The  Lord  will  perform  two  great  mercies  to  her. 
(1.)  He  will  make  her  feet  like  hinds'  feet. 

(2.)  He  will  make  her  walk  upon  her  high  places. 

1.  Under  the  title  of  salvation,  I  comprehend  not 
only  corporal  and  spiritual,  but  eternal  salvation  also. 

2.  Under  the  name  of  strength,  I  understand  the 
whole  mercy  of  supportation,  by  which  God  doth  pre- 
serve them  in  their  deportation  and  return. 

3.  Under  the  title  of  hinds'  feet,  I  contain  the 
mercy  of  expedition,  whereby  they  are  delivered  from 
their  captivity  in  Babylon. 

4.  Under  the  title  of  walking  upon  high  places,  the 
mercy  of  restitulion  to  their  own  land,  and  of  consti- 
tution, and  establishing  of  them  in  their  land. 

The  just  hve,  and  are  supported  by  faith,  appre- 
hending these  full  mercies. 

1.  Of  salvation. 

The  church  of  God  hath  need  of  salvation,  and 
therefore  great  cause  to  rejoice  in  it. 

(1.)  In  respect  of  her  spiritual  enemies  ;  for  *your 
adversary,  the  devil,  goeth  about  like  a  roaring  lion, 
seeking  to  devour,'  saith  the  apostle. 

These  spiritual  enemies  do  assault  the  church, 

[1.]  Out  of  their  own  malignity  and  envy  to  man  ; 
and  to  this  purpose  the  powers  and  principalities  of 
darkness  do  go  always  armed,  both  with  temptations 
to  corrupt  them,  and  with  fiery  darts  of  provocations 
to  destroy  them  ;  for  this  it  is  that  Satan  goeth  and 
cometh  to  survey  the  earth,  and  to  pry  and  search 
where  ho  may  fasten  any  hold  where  he  may  grip. 
So  St  Bernard  saith,  Hostes  indefessi  nos  assidue  op- 
piignanty  modo  aperle,  modd  fraudulenter ;  he  gives 
this  reason,  Invidet  hiiinano  generi,  quia  pravidet 
horum  Deum  futurum. 

[2.]  By  way  of  commission  ;  for  God  doth  employ 
devils  in  the  church  amongst  his  holy  ones,  both  for 
probation  of  their  faith,  for  exercise  of  their  patience, 
for  preservation  of  them  in  humility,  for  punishment 
of  their  sin,  for  sweetening  to  them  the  hopes,  and 
quickening  their  desires  of  a  better  life ;  and  for  the 
polishing  and  burnishing  of  their  example,  that  others 
that  be  lookers  on  may  know  beforehand  that  this  hfe 
328 


to  a  just  man  is  mUilia,  a  warfare;  and  they  that  will 
join  with  the  church  must  know,  before  they  put  their 
hand  to  the  plough,  what  hazards  they  must  run,  lest 
they  look  back,  and  make  their  sin  more  than  it  was 
by  apostasy,  departing  away  from  the  living  God.  It 
is  clear,  in  Job's  example,  that  Satan  had  commission 
from  God  himself  to  try  the  faith,  and  love,  and 
patience,  and  humility  of  Job,  and  to  make  him  an 
example; 

And  as  clear  it  is  which  the  psalmist  saith  of  Israel, 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  21,  when  they  started  aside  from  God, 
that  '  a  fire  was  kindled  in  Jacob,  and  anger  came  up 
against  Israel ;  and  in  these  executions,  God  doth  up- 
hold the  ministry  and  service  of  evil  angels,  as  he  did 
against  his  enemies  the  Egyptians,  of  whom  it  is  so 
said,  ver.  49,  '  He  cast  upon  them  the  fierceness  of 
his  wrath,  anger,  and  indignation  and  trouble,  by 
sending  evil  angels  amongst  them.' 

St  Paul  confesseth,  2  Cor.  xii.  7,  that  lest  he  should 
be  too  much  exalted  with  that  metaphysical  rapture 
above  measure,  '  There  was  given  me  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  bufiet  me,  lest  I 
should  be  exalted  above  measure.' 

Thus,  in  respect  of  spiritual  enemies  without  us,  we 
have  need  of  a  salvation,  the  rather  because  our  own 
corruptions  within  us  are  false  to  us,  and  ready  to 
join  with  Satan  against  us. 

(2.)  In  respect  of  human  opposition  ;  for  the  regi- 
ment and  kingdom  of  Christ  is  thus  assigned  to  him, 
'  Be  thou  ruler  in  the  midst  of  thine  enemies.'  David 
doth  well  express  this  :  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  5-7,  '  For  they 
have  consulted  together  with  one  consent :  they  are 
confederate  against  thee.  The  tabernacles  of  Edom, 
and  the  Ishmaehtes  ;  of  Moab,  and  the  Hagarenes  ; 
Gebal,  and  Ammon,  and  Amalek  ;  the  Philistines, 
with  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre;  Ashur  also  is  joined 
with  them  :  they  have  holpen  the  children  of  Lot.' 
Here  is  no  mention  of  this  sweeping  broom  of  Baby- 
lon, that  comes  in  the  rear  of  this  march,  and  carrieth 
them  clean  away. 

Christendom  hath  for  many  years  suffered  from  the 
Turks,  whose  invasions  encroach  upon  the  bounds 
thereof,  and  gain  ground  of  it  daily.  And  even  within 
ourselves,  tlie  pope,  and  all  the  friends  of  his  hier- 
archy, do  hate  and  persecute  so  much  of  the  true  pro- 
testant  church  as  they  either  can  or  dare  attempt ; 
and  the  earth  hath  nothing  to  shew  more  bloody  and 
cruel  than  the  Spanish  inquisition,  nothing  more 
cunning  and  dangerously  plotting  than  the  society  of 


Vm  18,  19.] 


^LA^BURY  OX  HABAKKUK. 


241 


Jesuits ;    so  that,  in  respect  of  human  opposition, 
there  is  great  need  of  a  salvation. 

(3.)  In  respect  of  the  punishments  deserved  for  sin, 
for  what  nation  hath  so  kept  in  their  sins  to  them- 
selves that  we  have  not  found  means  to  import  them 
even  into  the  church.  Solomon  could  not  take  a  wife 
out  of  Egypt,  but  his  wisdom  proved  too  weak  a  fence 
against  the  temptation  to  idolatry.  Xehemiah  presseth 
this  example  :  Neh.  xiii.  26,  '  Did  not  Solomon,  king 
of  Israel,  sin  by  these  things  ?  Yet  among  many 
nations  was  there  not  a  king  like  him,  who  was  be- 
loved of  his  God,  and  God  made  him  king  over  all 
Israel ;  nevertheless,  even  him  did  outlandish  women 
cause  to  sin.'  The  children  of  Israel  could  not  eat  of 
the  fat  and  fruits  of  the  land  of  Goshen  to  relieve  their 
famine,  but  they  were  mingled  with  the  Egyptians,  and 
learned  their  works,  and  worshipped  their  gods  ;  there- 
fore, in  regard  of  their  many  and  great  sins,  they 
needed  salvation. 

These  sins  endangered  their  heavenly  hopes,  for  the 
wages  thereof  is  death. 

Use.  This  doctrine  may  turn  to  great  profit  to  us. 
1.  If  we  apply  ourselves  to  the  means  by  which 
we  may  apprehend  this  salvation.  For  this  general 
apprehension  of  God's  mercy  in  Christ,  which  the  most 
part  of  common  professors  trust  to,  will  never  justify 
any  man  in  the  sight  of  God,  except, — 

(1.)  He  be  by  the  law  of  God  brought  to  a  sight  and 
sense,  to  a  confession  and  acknowledgment,  of  all  his  sins. 
(2.)  To  a  true  sorrow  and  mortification  of  the  flesh 
for  them. 

(3.)  To  a  serious  deprecation  of  the  wrath  of  God 
due  to  them  in  the  justice  of  God. 

(4.)  To  amendment  of  life,  ruled  and  governed  by 
the  holy  word  of  God,  rightly  understood. 

(5.)  To  a  faithful  appHcation  of  the  sufficient  merits 
of  Jesus  Christ  to  ourselves  ;  which  faith  doth  so  root 
and  ground  us  in  Christ  that  we  become  one  with  him, 
BO  that  we  may  lay  the  burden  of  our  sins  upon 
him,  and  put  the  robe  of  his  holy  righteousness  upon 
us. 

For  so  doing,  we  may  rejoice  in  our  salvation  as  his 
free  gift  to  us,  and  as  our  full  acquittal  and  discharge 
from  aU  our  sins  before  God,  so  that  the  ignorant 
person  that  liveth  in  darkness,  not  knowing  the  mystery 
of  his  salvation,  and  the  blinded  papist,  who  trusteth 
either  to  the  power  of  his  own  free  will,  or  to  the  merit 
of  his  own  works  or  righteousness,  or  to  the  mediation 
of  saints  and  angels,  or  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  to 


propitiate  on  his  behalf,  or  that  trusteth  to  the  pope's 
indulgence  and  pardon  of  all  his  sins,  or  that  believeth 
to  have  salvation  by  the  dispensation  of  the  church's 
treasure,  the  supererogate  works  of  over-doers  that 
have  done  more  than  the  law  of  God  hath  required  of 
them  ;  also  the  unconscionably  profane,  that  go  on  in  • 
their  sins  without  check  of  the  inward  man,  their  hearts 
never  smiting  them  for  that  they  misdo  ;  all  these  are 
excluded  from  this  salvation ;  Jesus  Christ  died  for  none 
such,  and  goeth  not  forth  with  his  anointed  amongst 
them. 

These  shall  have  no  salvation  hereafter  ;  they  can 
have  no  true  joy  here  ;  and  therefore  when  the  evil 
day  Cometh,  they  are  shaken  with  the  terror  of  the 
Lord,  and  they  find  no  balm  in  Gilead ;  their  sins  do 
appear  to  them  greater  than  the  mercies  of  God. 

Use  2,  Let  those  who  have  the  comfortable  assur- 
ance of  their  salvation  rejoice  therein  in  the  Lord,  and 
take  heed  of  presumption  of  Goi's  mercy,  which  is 
one  of  the  worms  of  faith.  Let  them  take  heed  of 
receiving  the  grace  of  God  in  vain,  of  recidivation  and 
relapse  into  their  former  sins,  of  murmuring  at  the 
Lord's  chastisements,  of  quenching  the  Spirit,  of 
crucifying  again  the  Lord ;  for  we  see,  Heb.  vL  4,  5, 
that  it  is  possible  for  '  those  who  were  once  enlight- 
ened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  tasted  the 
good  word  of  God  and  the  power  of  the  world  to  come, 
to  fall  away ;'  which  putteth  Jesus  Christ  to  open  shame. 
Therefore  the  joy  of  our  salvation  must  not  be 
rooted  and  grounded  in  ourselves,  but  in  the  Lord, 
that  the  whole  honour  of  it  may  redound  to  him,  as  the 
whole  benefit  and  profit  of  it  may  redound  to  us. 
Doct.  2.  Our  salvation  is  only  of  God. 
It  is  Jonah's  faith  :  chap.  ii.  9,  '  Salvation  is  of  the 
Lord.'  It  is  David's  faith;  Ps.  iii.  8,  '  Salvation  be- 
longeth  only  unto  the  Lord.'  God  taketh  it  upon 
himself:  Isa.  xliii.  11,  '  I,  even  I,  am  the  Lord,  and 
beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour."  He  giveth  it  as  a 
reason  of  his  first  commandment,  Hosea  xiii.  4,  '  Thou 
shalt  know  no  God  but  me,  for  there  is  no  Saviour 
beside  me.' 

I  may  call  heaven  and  earth  to  record  this  day,  to 
avouch  the  truth  to  this,  for  who  is  it  that  supporteth 
the  great  frame  of  the  whole  universe  ?  Who  is  he 
that  knoweth  the  numbers  of  the  stars,  and  calleth 
them  all  by  their  names,  that  sendeth  forth  the  sun  as  a 
bridegroom  out  of  his  chamber,  and  as  a  mighty  giant 
to  run  his  race  ?     Who  is  it  that  maketh  and  keepeth 

329 


242 


MARBUEY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[OUAP.  III. 


the  covenant  between  day  and  nigbt,  to  take  their  turns 
for  the  use  of  man  ?  Who  is  it  that  clotheth  the  Hlies, 
that  feedeth  the  birds  of  the  air,  that  can  neither  labour 
nor  spin,  that  preserveth  man  and  beast,  but  the 
Lord  ?  Ps.  xxxvi.  6.  All  these  look  up  to  thee,  and 
thou  givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season. 

It  is  glory  and  happiness  enough  for  the  angels  in 
glory  to  behold  the  face  of  God  always. 

Hail  and  snow,  stormy  winds  and  vapours,  the 
dragons  and  all  deeps,  mountains  and  all  hills,  fruit- 
ful trees  and  all  cedars,  beasts  and  cattle,  creeping 
things  and  feathered  fowls,  kings  of  the  earth  and  all 
people,  young  men  and  maids,  old  men  and  children, 
all  choristers  in  this  great  temple  of  the  world,  and 
this  is  the  matter  and  argument  of  their  song,  Sahis 
Jehova,  salvation  is  of  God  ;  for  their  being  is  derived 
from  him,  their  supportation  is  borrowed  of  him,  their 
operation  is  guided  by  him,  their  whole  address  is 
directed  to  him.  The  angels  that  kept  not  their  first 
estate  of  glory,  man  that  kept  not  his  first  estate  of 
innocency,  could  not  lose,  could  not  forfeit,  their  ex- 
istence and  being  ;  their  happy  being  they  might,  they 
did,  forfeit.  He  preserveth  the  devils  and  the  i-epro- 
bate,  and  he  maketh  them  immortal,  that  he  may  be 
glorious  in  his  just  punishment  of  them. 

But  especially,  he  is  the  salvation  of  his  elect ;  so 
St  Paul :  1  Tim.  iv.  10,  «  We  trust  in  the  living  God, 
who  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  especially  of  those  that 
believe.'  He  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men  by  universal 
providence,  but  of  them  that  believe  by  singular  and 
especial  grace.  And  that  is  the  salvation  here  meant ; 
our  preservation  in  this  life,  our  sanctification  for  a 
better  life,  our  glorification  in  heaven,  is  of  the  Lord. 
Reason  1.  Because  the  kingdom  is  his,  and  none 
hath  power  to  make  us  kings  but  he,  whose  kingdom 
ruleth  over  all ;  and  salvation  maketh  us  kings. 

Reason  2.  Because  salvation  is  a  work  of  power, 
and  none  can  give  it  but  he  who  is  able  to  put  all  our 
enemies  under  our  feet;  and  none  but  God  can  do  this. 
Reason  3.  Because  salvation  is  a  work  of  glory,  of 
glory  to  him  that  worketh  it,  of  glory  to  them  upon 
whom  it  is  wrought ;  for  he  maketh  his  saints  glorious 
by  deliverance,  and  the  saved  do  serve  him,  and 
glorify  him  in  earth  and  in  heaven. 

These  three  we  ascribe  to  him  in  our  Lord's  praj'er, 
*  For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  glory.' 

Reason  4.  Salvation  is  a  work  of  mercy,  and  David 
saith,  Apud  te  est  misericordia,  with  thee  is  mercy; 
and  God  hath  committed  the  dispensation  of  mercy  to 
330 


no  creature,  it  is  one  of  the  glories  of  his  crown,  and 
prerogatives  of  his  supreme  diadem ;  only  his  Son,  who 
thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  him,  hath  the 
dispensation  of  his  mercies. 

Use  2.  This  teacheth  us  where  to  seek  and  find 
salvation.     God  saith,  '  Seek  ye  my  face.' 

We  are  wise  enough  in  our  quest  of  temporal  either 
protection  or  preferment,  to  observe  which  is  the  way 
to  the  fountain  of  honour,  and  to  direct  our  observance 
that  way.  Let  us  not  be  wise  for  this  life,  and  fools 
for  the  life  to  come. 

With  men  on  earth  there  may  be  some  small  brooks 
of  a  present  life,  but  apud  te  est  fons  vita,  with  thee 
is  the  well  of  life,  and  the  brooks  and  cisterns  that  we 
seek  after  do  derive  themselves  from  this  fountain. 
These  brooks  do  often  change  their  channel,  for  men 
have  their  breath  in  their  nostrils,  they  die,  and  their 
thoughts  perish,  but  God  is  the  same,  and  his  years 
do  not  fail.  And  our  Savioui-'s  method,  that  he 
teacheth  his  disciples,  is,  '  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  the  righteousness  thereof,  and  then  all 
these  things  shall  be  cast  upon  you.' 

Use  3.  This  also  serveth  to  stir  us  up  to  a  godly 
life,  for  that  hath  the  promises  of  this  life,  and  of  the 
life  to  come. 

David  putteth  us  in  good  comfort:  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11, 
'  For  the  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield ;  the  Lord 
will  give  grace  and  glory  :  no  good  thing  will  he  with- 
hold from  them  that  live  uprightly ;'  and  the  apostle 
saith,  1  Peter  iii.  12,  13,  'For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord 
are  open  to  the  righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  to 
their  prayers :  but  the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against 
them  that  do  evil.  And  who  is  he  that  will  harm  yon, 
if  you  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ?' 

Let  the  wicked  take  root  in  the  earth,  and  spread 
his  boughs  never  so  far,  God  hath  not  denied  him 
this,  yet  his  face  is  against  him ;  and  though  the  sun 
shineth  on  him  for  a  time,  and  the  early  and  later 
rain  do  make  him  grow  and  flourish,  yet  our  Saviour 
will  tell  us,  that  *  every  plant  which  his  heavenly 
Father  hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted  out.' 

Use  4.  This  serveth  to  reprove  the  doctrine  and 
faith  of  the  church  of  Rome,  who  teach  that  God  hath 
committed  to  his  Son  the  dispensation  of  justice,  but 
to  his  Son's  mother  the  dispensation  of  mercy;  which 
opinion  was  no  sooner  afoot,  but  they  turned  Domine 
into  Domina,  Lord  into  Lady ;  and  so  in  the  church 
of  Rome  the  Virgin  Mary  hath  more  devotees  vowed 
to  her  service  than  Christ  hath ;  she  hath  more  temples 


Ver.  18,  19.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


243 


dedicated  to  her  honour  than  Clirist,  and  far  more 
miracles  ascribed  to  her  than  to  Christ.  Yea,  they  shame 
not  in  print  to  tell  the  world  that  she  hath  saved  some 
from  hell,  whom  her  Son  had  condemned  thither,  and 
she  hath  released  many  from  hell  whom  her  Son  had 
already  sent  thither.  I  only  allege  against  them  the 
plain  words  of  our  Saviour :  John  xvii.  2,  '  Thou  hast 
given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him.' 

Therefore  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  scribes  and 
pharisees,  the  poisonous  doctrines  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  which  take  salvation  out  of  the  hands  of  God, 
and  ascribe  the  donation  thereof  to  creatures. 

This  was  wont  to  be  called  idolatry  in  the  sermons 
and  writings  of  the  learned,  to  invocate  the  Virgin 
Mary,  as  they  do  in  their  rosaries  and  litanies  of  the 
holy  virgin.  Mother  of  mercy,  gate  of  heaven,  our 
salvation,  she  that  hath  bruised  the  head  of  the  ser- 
pent !  They  make  their  vulgar  Latin  Bible  say  so. 
Ipsa  conteret  caput  tuiim. 

There  be  two  psalters,  both  printed  in  Paris,  in 
French,  and  set  forth  with  the  approbation  of  the 
Sorbonne :  one  called  St  Bonaventure's  Psalter,  in 
which,  wheresoever  God  is  named,  for  Domintis  they 
have  put  Domina ;  printed  in  anno  1601.  The  other 
Psalter  is  digested  into  fifteen  demands,  printed  the 
same  year,  with  the  same  approbation,  wherein  the 
Virgin  Mary  is  called  the  first  cause  of  our  salvation, 
the  finder  out  of  grace,  and  putteth  her  before  Christ, 
even  in  gloria.    Gloria  Virtjini  Marin,  et  Jesu  Christo! 

What  think  you  ?  Doth  that  church  wish  the  sal- 
vation of  any  man  in  good  earnest,  that  swerveth  us 
from  the  God  of  our  salvation,  and  directeth  us  to  seek 
it  from  a  creature '? 

Yet  this  is  the  religion  which  is  now  grown  in 
fashion  with  many  in  these  doubtful  and  giddy  times, 
which,  as  it  robs  God  of  one  of  his  highest  preroga- 
tives, and  doth  divest  him  of  his  power  of  salvation, 
so  the  professors  thereof  will  find  it  a  thief  in  their 
things  temporal ;  for  in  ordine  ad  Deum,  the  church 
will  engross  all ;  the  apostles  of  that  church  will  not 
be  content  till  all  be  laid  at  their  feet. 

Let  me  commend  to  you  the  king's  majesty's  con- 
fession of  his  faith,  published  in  Latin  and  in  English, 
directed  to  ail  Christian  kings.  Li  this  particular  his 
words  are,  '  For  the  blessed  virgin  Mary,  I  yield  her 
that  which  the  angel  Gabriel  pronounced  of  her, 
that  she  is  blessed  amongst  women,  and  that  which 
she  prophesied  of  herself  in  her  Canticum,  that  all 


generations  shall  call  her  blessed ;  I  remember  her  as 
the  mother  of  Christ,  whomof  our  Saviour  took  his 
flesh,  and  so  the  mother  of  God,  since  the  divinity 
and  humanity  of  Christ  are  inseparable  ;  and  I  freely 
confess  that  she  is  in  glory  both  above  angels  and  men, 
her  own  Son,  that  is  both  God  and  man,  only  excepted. 
But  I  dare  not  mock  her  and  blaspheme  God,  calling 
her  not  only  Diva,  but  Dea,  praying  her  to  command 
and  control  her  Son,  who  is  her  God  and  her  Saviour. 

You  see  what  opinion  his  majesty  hath  of  the  doc- 
trine and  practice  of  Rome.  Li  this  point  he  doth 
call  it  mocking  of  her,  and  blaspheming  of  God,  to 
ascribe  salvation  to  her,  or  to  seek  it  from  her. 

I  hope  you  have  lived  too  long  in  the  light  of  the 
gospel  to  be  taken  with  any  of  these  baits,  and  to  be 
befooled  with  any  of  these  enchantments  of  palpable 
heresy.  I  hope,  if  an  angel  from  heaven  should  come 
and  teach  you  this  doctrine,  to  seek  your  salvation 
anvwhere  else  but  from  God,  you  would  answer  him 
as  Xehemiah  did  answer  Sanballat,  Neh.  vi.  8,  •  There 
is  nothing  as  thou  sayeet,  but  thou  feignest  it  out  of 
thine  own  heart.' 

Beloved,  let  all  that  love  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  holy 
truth,  join  as  one  man  against  popery,  and  seek  to  the 
light  of  the  word  whilst  it  shineth  upon  us,  that  we 
may  not  lose  the  way  of  salvation,  which  that  word 
revealeth.  Popery  robbeth  the  church  of  this  word, 
and  putteth  this  candle  under  a  bushel.  It  sendeth 
us  the  wrong  way  for  salvation,  and,  like  the  blind 
Aramites,  it  leadeth  them  into  the  midst  of  Samaria, 
even  putteth  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies. 

God  did  much  for  this  land  when  he  gave  us  this 
light.  Let  not  our  unthankfulness  to  him,  or  our 
peevish  waj'wardness  amongst  ourselves,  or  our  evil 
and  tmworthy  conversations,  forfeit  this  light  or  re- 
move our  candlestick. 

So  long  as  we  know  where  our  salvation  is  settled, 
and  who  hath  it  in  keeping  for  us ;  so  long  as  we  look 
that  way,  and  direct  all  our  obedience  and  worship, 
our  thanks  and  praise  that  way,  we  are  safe ;  for 
'  blessed  is  the  people  that  be  in  such  a  case ;  blessed 
is  the  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord ; '  for  ipse  est  qui 
dot  salutem. 

2.  Groimd  of  their  hope :  '  The  Lord  is  my 
strength.' 

This  comfort  supporteth  in  affictions,  and  this  is 
that  which  is  our  ability,  of  which  the  apostle  saith, 
1  Cor.  X.  13,  *  But  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able.'     For  what 

331 


2U 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  III. 


are  we  able  ?  Surely,  of  ourselves,  to  nothing  that  is 
good  for  us.  The  name  of  man,  ever  since  the  fall  of 
man,  hath  been  a  name  of  impotency  and  weakness : 
Isa.  ii.  22,  '  Cease  ye  from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his 
nostrils,  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of?' 
Christ  hath  told  us,  Si)te  me  niJril  ]wtestis  facere: 
1  Sam.  ii.  9,  '  For  by  strength  shall  no  man  prevail.' 
Ps.  Ixxi.  10,  '  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord ; 
and  I  will  make  mention  of  thy  righteousness,  even  of 
thine  only.' 

Doct.  The  words  of  my  text  are  doctrinal :  The 
Lord  is  the  strength  of  his  church. 

Consider  this  which  way  you  will. 

1.  In  €0  quod  siimus,  in  that  we  are  ;  in  him  we  live. 

2.  In  CO  quod  facimus,  in  that  we  do ;  in  the  good 
that  we  do,  he  doth  it  himself:  Isa.  xxvi.  12,  '0 
Lord,  thou  hast  wrought  all  our  works  in  us.' 

The  skill  that  we  have  in  our  several  professions, 
and  trades,  and  mysteries,  it  is  his  Spirit  that  giveth 
it.  The  strength  that  we  have  to  labour  in  our  several 
callings  is  his  strength;  and  that  blessing  was  in- 
cluded in  the  curse  of  man  :  Gen.  iii.  19,  *  Thou 
shalt  eat  thy  bread  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face ; '  that 
God  would  give  man  strength  to  earn  his  bread,  and 
his  labour  should  be  his  physic  ;  it  should  make  him 
breathe  out  evil  and  noxious  vapours  in  his  bod}', 
which  might  offend  health,  in  sweat.  And  if  we  con- 
sider with  what  coarse  fare,  and  little  rest,  and  mean 
apparel  the  labouring  man  doth  pass  through  great 
labour,  we  cannot  but  acknowledge  that  experience 
hath  sealed  this  doctrine,  that  God  is  the  strength  of 
man;  for  man  layeth  on  load  upon  man,  and  they 
that  live  at  ease  feel  not  the  burdens  that  they  do  lay 
upon  their  brethren. 

God  is  our  strength,  in  eo  quod  jiatimur,  in  that  we 
suffer ;  for  could  we  forethink  ourselves  able  to  bear  that 
sorrow  and  misery  which  captivity  and  war  doth  bring 
upon  us  ?  Do  you  not  hear  some  say  they  cannot  eat 
such  and  such  meat,  they  cannot  rise  early,  they  cannot 
brook  the  air,  their  tender  flesh  cannot  endure  any  hard- 
ness ?  Can  such  endure  to  spend  their  whole  time  in 
praising  the  goodness  of  God  toward  them  for  his  great 
mercy,  that  he  putteth  them  not  to  it  to  try  what  they 
can  suffer  ?  Let  them  hear  the  prophet  Jeremiah  com- 
plain :  Ijam.  iv.  2,  5,  '  The  precious  sons  of  Sion, 
comparable  to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  esteemed  as 
earthen  pitchers  !  They  that  did  feed  delicately  are 
desolate  in  the  streets ;  they  that  were  brought  up  in 
scarlet  embrace  dunghills.'  The  women  fed  on  their 
332 


own  abhorments,  and  did  eat  their  own  unripe  fruit, 
children  of  a  span  long.  Lam.  ii.  20,  such  as  were  so 
tender  that  they  could  scarce  endure  to  touch  the 
ground  of  the  street  with  the  soles  of  their  shoes ; 
to  such  God  sent  word  that  '  her  own  feet  should 
carry  her  afar  off  to  sojourn." 

When  it  shall  please  God  to  turn  the  wheel  of  pro- 
vidence, and  to  set  princes  and  high  persons  in  the 
rank  of  common  men,  in  the  condition  of  miserable 
and  distressed  men,  tender  hands  will  learn  to  labour, 
and  God  will  give  strength. 

The  ordinary,  the  extraordinary,  the  outward,  the 
inward,  the  expected,  the  sudden  calamities  of  life  are 
manifold.  To  bear  them  all  with  patience,  to  digest 
them  with  cheerfulness,  to  turn  them  into  the  nourish- 
ment of  our  faith  and  hope,  this  is  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  in  us.  Our  soul  would  soon  grow  weary  of  them, 
if  God  did  not  establish  our  hearts  ;  for  the  sense  of 
evils  incumbent,  and  the  fear  of  evils  ingruent,  would 
soon  distract  and  distemper  us,  if  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  did  not  sustain  us. 

Use.  This  doctrine,  which  informeth  us  whence  we 
have  our  strength,  directeth  us  also  in  the  use  of  it, 
for  so  God  himself  hath  taught  us :  Deut.  vi.  5,  '  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  might.'  We  must  put 
our  whole  strength  to  his  service,  and  to  the  obedience 
of  his  law,  Luke  x.  27. 

All  other  use  of  our  strength  for  this  life  is  subordi- 
nate to  this,  for  they  mistake  their  own  creation  that 
think  they  were  made  for  themselves,  and  employ 
their  wits,  and  time,  and  strength,  to  support,  to 
adorn,  and  to  make  pleasant  and  easy  this  temporal 
life  of  ours. 

Christ  saith,  that  this  love  of  God  must  be  i^  okrjs 
Ttii  iGyrjoc,  (ToD,  with  all  our  strength. 

1.  Some  abuse  their  strength  to  oppression  and 
spoil,  to  wrong  their  brethren  :  so  Babylon  is  called 
the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth,  for  God  did  use  these 
Chaldeans  as  the  rods  of  his  fury,  to  punish  the  trans- 
gi'essing  nations ;  but  there  came  a  time  when  this 
hammer  was  cut  asunder  and  broken:  Jer.  1.  23,  *  How 
is  the  hammer  of  the  whole  earth  cut  asunder  and 
broken  ?  How  is  Babylon  become  a  desolation  among 
the  nations  ?  I  have  laid  a  snare  for  thee,  and  thou 
art  also  taken,  0  Babylon,  and  thou  wast  not  aware ; 
thou  art  found,  and  also  taken,  because  thou  hast 
striven  against  the  Lord.' 

Let  the  oppressors  of  their  brethren  consider  this ; 


Ver.  18,  19.] 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


2-t5 


the  snare  of  God  is  fall  of  danger,  for  it  hath  three 
dangers  in  it. 

1.  To  catch  suddenly  :   '  thou  wast  not  aware.' 

2.  To  hold  fast :  *  thou  art  taken.' 

8.  To  destroy  ;  for  they  that  are  taken  in  the  snare 
of  God  are  at  his  mercy,  in  his  power  :  Ps.  xi.  6, 
*  Upon  the  wicked  he  will  rain  snares,  fire,  and  brim- 
stone, and  an  horrible  tempest ;  this  shall  be  the  por- 
tion of  their  cup.' 

2.  Some  give  their  strength  to  women,  and  by  un- 
chaste and  lewd  conversation  weaken  those  bodies, 
and  defile  the  temples  of  God,  where  God's  Holy  Spirit 
should  dwell.  It  was  the  advice  which  Bathsheba, 
the  mother  of  Solomon,  gave  to  her  beloved  Lemuel, 
and  she  putteth  it  home  in  a  mother's  holy  passion  : 
Prov.  xxxi.  2, '  WTiat,  my  son !  and  what,  the  son  of  my 
•womb  !  and.  what,  the  son  of  my  vows  !  Give  not  thy 
strength  to  women,  nor  thy  ways  to  that  which  de- 
stroyeth  kings.'  It  seemeth  that  Solomon  had  taken 
out  his  mother's  lesson,  for  he  giveth  all  that  fear  God 
warning  to  take  heed  of  the  strange  woman,  for  he 
saith,  Prov.  vii.  26,  27,  '  She  hath  cast  down  many 
wounded ;  yea,  many  strong  men  have  been  slain  by 
her.  Her  house  is  the  way  of  hell,  going  down  to  the 
chambers  of  death.' 

3.  Some  give  their  strength  to  drunkenness ;  they 
have  a  woe  for  their  labour  :  Isa.  v.  11,  '  Woe  unto 
them  that  rise  up  early  in  the  morning,  that  they  may 
follow  strong  drink,  that  continue  till  night,  till  wine 
inflame  them.' 

4.  Some  give  their  strength  to  covetousness,  some 
to  pride,  some  to  their  bellies,  some  waste  and  con- 
sume their  strength  in  idleness ;  God  gave  them  not 
their  strength  to  any  of  these  evil  ends.  It  is  his 
strength  that  they  abuse,  and  he  calleth  for  all  of  it  in 
his  service. 

Methinks  the  apostle  doth  plead  for  God  very  rea- 
sonably ;  and  therein  he  teacheth  us  to  try  ourselves, 
■whether  we  be  innocent  or  faulty  in  this  :  Rom. 
vi.  19,  '  As  you  have  yielded  your  members  servants 
to  uncleanness,  and  to  iniquity,  to  iniquity ;  so  now 
yield  your  members  servants  to  righteousness  unto 
holiness.' 

It  is  *  unreasonable,  when  God  desireth  but  the  same 
service  done  to  him,  that  made  and  preserveth  us, 
and  would  save  us,  that  we  give  to  Satan,  who  goeth 
about  Uke  a  roaring  lion  to  destroy  us ;  and  it  is  a 
good  way  between  God  and  conscience,  to  try  our 
*  Qu.  '  Is  it '  ?— Ed. 


hearts,  whether  we  have  done  our  God  the  right  that 
we  should  do  him  in  our  strength  ;  for  have  we  had 
as  great  delight  in  the  Bible,  and  have  we  read  that 
with  as  much  diligence  as  we  have  read  other  books 
of  delight  and  pleasure  ?  Have  we  heard  the  word 
with  as  much  attention  and  profit  as  we  have  heard 
other  vain  and  wanton  tales  ?  Have  we  bestowed  as 
many  private  hours  in  prayer  as  we  have  done  in 
game  ?  Have  we  as  much  delighted  in  the  Lord's 
supper,  the  soul's  feast,  as  we  have  done  in  the  feasts 
and  banquets  of  the  body  ?  Xay,  have  we  not  usurped 
some  of  God's  day  for  our  temporal  business,  and 
neglected  the  church  assembly,  and  the  ministry  of 
the  word,  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  game,  and  sleep,  and 
take  our  ease '?  "Would  we  have  done  so,  if  some 
command  from  some  superior  powers  had  commanded 
us  any  special  service  ? 

This  is  the  way  to  try  us.  Surely  we  have  not 
given  our  whole  strengh  to  the  Lord  if  we  have  done 
these  things  ;  and  therefore,  unless  we  redeem  the 
time,  and  amend  our  ways,  cur  consciences  will  tell 
us,  that  his  servants  we  are  whom  we  obey;  and  the 
servants  of  sin  must  look  for  the  wages  of  sin,  that  is 
death. 

But  let  us  do  no  more  so ;  seeing  the  Lord  is  our 
strength,  let  our  strength  be  the  Lord's;  let  it  serve 
him  for  himself,  our  brethren  for  his  sake. 

Use  2.  Another  use  of  this  point  I  learn  from  the 
song  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  and  of  the  children 
of  Isx'ael  after  they  came  out  of  the  Red  Sea:  Exod. 
XV.  2,  '  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  song.'  Let  him 
that  is  our  strength,  be  our  song  also ;  that  is,  let  us 
praise  him  with  joy  and  thanksgiving  ;  it  is  the  honour 
that  David  giveth  to  the  Lord :  as  his  strength  is 
always  from  him,  so  he  promiseth,  *  My  song  shall  be 
always  of  him.'  And  he  desireth  that  his  mouth  may 
be  filled  with  his  praise  all  the  day  long ;  these  be 
called  '  the  calves  of  the  lips  '  of  them  that  confess 
his  name ;  they  are  sacrifices  of  righteousness,  and 
they  please  God  better  than  bullocks  that  have  horns 
and  hoofs.     This  is  ?.oy/x;j  Xarava,  reasonable  service. 

Use  3.  It  followeth  there,  and  it  is  another  use  of 
this  point,  '  The  Lord  is  my  strength  :  I  will  prepare 
him  an  habitation.' 

In  which  words,  though  literally  there  be  a  pro- 
phetical reference  to  the  tabernacle  of  God,  which 
God  did  after  appoint  to  be  erected  and  consecrated 
to  his  special  worship,  and  further  yet,  to  the  building 
of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  joy  of  all  the  earth  ; 

333 


246 


MARBURY  ON  HABAKKUK. 


[Chap.  IIL 


yet  in  thankful  retribution  to  God  for  the  strength 
that  we  have  from  him,  every  faithful  soul  must  within 
itself  erect  an  habitation  for  God  and  his  Anointed. 

Know  you  not  that  your  bodies  are  the  temples  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Doth  not  Christ  dwell  in  us  by 
faith  ?  Is  not  the  soul  the  body  of  the  church  ?  Is  not 
the  understanding  and  intellectual  part  the  holy  of 
holies,  the  chancel  of  the  church,  where  the  glory  of 
God  dwelleth,  and  where  the  memorials  of  his  mer- 
cies are  kept  ?  Is  not  the  heart  the  altar  whereupon 
all  our  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving,  and  the  incense  of 
our  prayers,  are  burnt  ?  Is  not  the  mouth  of  them  that 
confess  his  name  the  beautiful  porch  of  this  temple  ? 
Doth  not  Christ  stand  at  our  doors  and  knock,  and  de- 
sire our  entertainment  ?  Oh  let  us  receive  him  ;  he 
is  our  strength  ;  there  is  not  a  stronger  man  to  come 
in  and  bind  him,  and  cast  him  out.  That  day  we  re- 
ceive him,  that  day  is  salvation  come  home  to  our 
house.  Let  him  not  come  in  as  a  guest  and  sojourner, 
to  tarry  a  night  and  be  gone  ;  let  him  have  the  rule 
of  the  house.  Christ  will  then  tell  us  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  within  us  ;  and  where  he  ruleth,  there 
is  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding. 

3.  The  next  ground  of  their  hope  is  a  strong  faith, 
that  *  he  will  make  my  feet  like  hinds'  feet ;'  that  is, 
he  will  give  me  a  swift  escape  out  of  all  my  affliction, 
and  I  shall  come  again  out  of  captivity. 

Doct.  The  Lord  will  loose  the  bonds  of  his  church, 
and  give  her  deliverance  out  of  all  her  troubles.  This 
is  a  good  ground  of  hope. 

Beason  1.  Because  it  is  one  of  God's  honourable 
titles  to  be  a  Deliverer ;  so  is  he  called  in  this  18th 
Psalm,  ver.  2,  from  whence  these  words  are  taken. 
Bo  Ps.  Ixx.  5,  '  Thou  art  my  help  and  my  deliverer.' 
Thus  David  honoureth  God  with  that  great  title,  for 
it  includeth  a  confession  of  praise,  both  of  the  power 
of  God,  able  to  deliver,  and  of  his  wisdom  and  love, 
applying  that  power  to  the  comfort  of  his  afflicted 
church. 

Beason  2.  Because  it  was  the  office  of  his  Anointed, 
the  Son  in  whom  he  was  well  pleased,  to  deliver  his 
people  from  the  hands  of  all  their  enemies.  *  He 
gave  redemption  to  his  people.'  '  He  shall  save  his 
people  from  all  their  sins.'  He  confesseth  it  his 
errand  hither  :  Isa.  Ixi.  1,  'He  hath  sent  me  to  bind 
up  the  broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  cap- 
tives, and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
bound.' 

Beason  3.  Because  God  knoweth  the  weakness  of 
334 


his  church,  and  though  he  chasten  them  with  the  rods 
of  men,  yet  will  he  not  take  his  mercy  utterly  from 
them,  Ps.  cxxv.  3,  '  lest  the  righteous  should  put  forth 
their  hand  unto  wickedness.' 

Use.  This  hath  special  virtue  to  comfort  us  ;  both, 
1,  generally,  in  our  whole  life ;  and,  2,  especially  in 
the  several  crosses  and  distresses  incident  to  the  body 
of  the  church,  or  any  member  of  the  body  ;  3,  and 
individually  to  each  particular  person,  in  their  per- 
sonal vexations  and  unrest. 

1.  For  the  general  calamities  incident  to  life.  Job 
saith,  '  Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  hath  but  a  short 
time  to  live,  and  is  full  of  misery.'  If  a  man  have 
no  time  of  respiration  from  sorrow  ;  if  his  body  be  in 
sickness,  his  mind  in  grief,  his  estate  in  poverty,  his 
person  in  prison,  suppose  him  as  much  afflicted  as  his 
time  and  strength  can  bear,  yet  death  determineth  all, 
and  setteth  the  oppressed  and  the  prisoner  free,  as 
Job  saith. 

2.  The  church,  or  any  part  of  it,  be  it  afflicted  and 
driven  into  corners,  persecuted,  as  in  the  time  of  the 
bloody  persecutions,  and  as  at  this  day,  the  protest- 
ants  are  cruelly  pursued  both  in  our  neighbour  France, 
and  in  the  Palatinate,  and  in  Bohemia,  ministers 
banished  as  raisers  and  strivers*  of  sedition,  which 
was  laid  to  the  charge  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  after  of  St 
Paul ;  the  Lord  hath  ever  heretofore  been  a  deli- 
verer of  his  church,  and  his  hand  is  not  shortened  ; 
our  hope  is,  that  he  will  also  make  his  saints'  hearts 
glad  by  a  timely  deliverance,  and  will  give  them  hinds' 
feet  to  escape  from  the  arrow  that  fleeth  after  them  by 
day,  and  from  the  dogs  that  hunt  and  pursue  them 
with  open  mouth. 

3.  In  the  case  of  personal  grievances,  how  can  we, 
either  in  dangers  feared  or  in  oppressing  griefs  and 
pains,  receive  any  peace  to  our  souls,  but  in  the  faith 
of  deliverance,  believing  that  no  miseries  can  so 
environ  us,  but  that  there  may  be  found  an  open  way 
out  of  them  ?  So  David  saith,  '  Many  are  the  troubles 
of  the  righteous,'  Dominus  ex  omnibus  liberat. 

Use  2.  This  admonisheth  the  afflicted  to  call  upon 
God  for  this  deliverance,  and  to  seek  it  nowhere  but 
in  his  hand.  Woe  be  to  them  that  go  to  Egypt  for 
help  ;  it  was  the  undoing  of  Israel,  their  trust  in  the 
broken  staff  and  reed  of  Egypt.  And  they  that  trust 
to  idolatrous  nations  to  help  them  in  their  distresses 
and  wants,  thrust  thorns  into  their  own  eyes,  and 

*  Qu.  '  stirrers ' '? — Ed. 


Ver.  18,  19.] 


ilARBURT  ON  HABAKKUK. 


2-tr 


goads  into  their  own  sides,  and  their  tmst  shall  be 
tiieir  ruin.  Israel  did  find  it  so,  and  smarted  sharply 
for  it. 

Use  3.  This  also,  as  all  other  favours  of  God,  either 
possessed  or  expected,  doth  awake  us  to  a  dutv  of 
service  of  our  God  ;  for  we  are  sen-i,  quasi  servati,  and 
we  must  serve  him  that  we  may  be  delivered  out  of 
all  our  fears  and  griefs  ;  and  being  delivered  from  the 
hands  of  all  our  enemies,  we  must  serve  him  in  hoU- 
ness  and  righteousness. 

Then  shall  our  feet  be  like  hinds'  feet,  to  run  away 
lightly  out  of  all  our  afflictions.  More  yet  we  shall 
say,  '  Our  soul  is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  fowler ;  the  snare  is  broken,  and  we  are  escaped,' 
Ps.  cxxiv.  7. 

4.  The  last  ground  of  hope  is  restitution  :  •  He 
will  make  me  to  walk  upon  my  high  places  ;'  that  is, 
he  will  restore  his  church  again  to  their  own  pleasant 
land,  and  replant  them  in  the  inheritance  of  their 
fathers. 

He  calleth  this  land  high  places,  as  you  have 
heard,  because  it  was  a  choice  country,  blessed  with 
plenty,  and  finitftil  with  all  abundance.  Though 
they  have  been  long  banished  from  it,  yet  now  they 
are  persuaded  of  a  restitution. 

Doct.  God  is  the  restorer  of  the  church,  and  he 
will  renew  the  face  and  glory  of  it. 

Beason  1.  In  respect  of  his  eternal  love ;  for  though 
his  justice  do  smite  it  with  some  temporal  chastise- 
ment, yet  he  cannot  be  always  chiding,  neither  doth 
he  reserve  his  anger  for  ever. 

Season  2.  In  respect  of  his  promise  made  to  Abra- 
ham ;  for  that  he  often  remembereth,  and  his  promise 
to  David. 

Beason  3.  In  respect  of  his  word,  that  he  hath 
sent  by  his  holy  prophets,  who  have  from  the  mouth 
of  God  promised  them  return  and  replantation. 

Beason  4.  In  respect  of  their  enemies  ;  by  whom 
he  punisheth  his  church,  for  they  must  both  feel  the 
wrath  of  God  in  the  sense  of  their  own  judgments, 


and  in  the  envy  at  the   prosperous   estate   of  the 
church. 

Use.  Observe  it  here  for  a  matter  of  great  joy  in 
the  church,  to  be  restored  to  that  which  formerly  they 
enjoyed  ;  for  it  teacheth  us  to  value  and  prize  present 
blessings  and  favours  of  God  at  a  higher  rate  than  we 
do,  lest  God  do  take  them  from  us,  to  teach  us  by 
their  want  how  precious  and  how  sweet  they  were. 

Do  not  we  see  some  ambitious  men  climbing  and 
aspiring  still  higher  and  higher,  who  being  suddenly- 
cast  down,  sit  looking  up  to  the  rooms  which  they 
held ;  and  though  not  contented  with  them  in  posses- 
sion, would  now  think  it  a  great  honour  to  be  restored, 
saying  as  Job  saith,  chap.  xxix.  2,  *  Oh  that  I  were 
as  in  months  past,  as  in  the  days  when  God  preserved 
me  ;  when  his  candle  shined  upon  my  head.' 

Even  so  is  it  in  the  spiritual  favours  and  graces  of 
God  ;  for  many  times  the  elect  of  God,  by  evil  hus- 
banding these,  do  lose  them,  so  that  they  have  no 
feeling  of  the  love  of  God,  and  hardness  overgrows 
their  hearts,  blindness  benights  their  tmderstanding, 
sin  surpriseth  all  their  instruments  of  action,  and 
maketh  their  members  the  weapons  of  iniquity,  to 
work  iniquity.  "When  these  come  again  to  themselves, 
as  the  prodigal  did,  then  they  would  ask  no  more  of 
their  father  but  that  they  might  be  admitted  into  the 
house  as  servants. 

David  had  a  great  defection  &om  God  in  the  matter 
of  Uriah  the  Hittite,  and  slept  in  it  the  most  part  of 
a  year ;  but  recovering  himself  a  Uttle,  as  one  awaked 
after  drunkenness,  and  finding  himself  in  the  dark, 
the  light  of  God's  countenance  eclipsed,  then  he 
prays,  Ps.  li.  12,  '  Restore  tmto  me  the  joy  of  thy 
salvation.' 

Therefore,  whilst  the  stm  shineth  upon  our  taber- 
nacle, let  us  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  serve  him,  that 
our  time  may  run  no  other  but  sunshine  days,  in  the 
cheerful  light  of  God's  countenance. 

3.  The  dedication  of  this  psalm  to  the  use  of  the 
church  is  spoken  of  at  large  at  the  first  verse. 


335 


^ 


AN  ALPHABETICAL  TABLE  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  HEADS  CONTAINED 
IN  THIS  PRECEDENT  COMMENTARY." 


Adam's  sin  did  not  yiolate   God's  glory    so   much  as   the 

woman's,  134. 
A  double  plainness  of  Scriptare,  rational  and  spiritual,  187- 
Adrian  the  sixth,  his  allegory  applied,  21. 
Affection  of  love  most  vehement  in  a  woman,  196. 
Afflictions  of  the  church  are  such  a  deading  to  it,  that  unless 

it  were  quickened  with  some  beams  of  grace,  it  would  be  a 

burden  to  it  more  than  it  could  bear,  172. 
Afflictions  of  this  life  cannot  separate  the  society  of  the  faith- 
ful, 157. 
A  good  conscience  declares  a  man's  faith  to  himself,  and  a 

godly  conversation  to  others,  102. 
Alexander  excused  by  his  flatterers  for  killing  of  Clitus,  145. 
All  churches  wherein  Christians  meet  to  call  upon  God  are 

temples  of  God's  presence,  152. 
All  evil  actions  are  justly  judged  by  the  intentions  of  their 

agents,  but  good  actions  are  not  so,  38. 
All  excess  in  drinking  is  drunkenness,  137, 
All  God's  favours  to  men  proceed  from  his  love  towards  such 

as  are  thankful  for  them,  184. 
All  injuries  we  do   to  our  brethren  are  done   with  God's 

privity,  39  ;  and  so  are  all  treasons  and  conspiracies,  58. 
Aicbition  came  in  with  sin,  and  cannot  be  without  sin,  123. 
Ambition  is  an  inordinate  desire  of  honour,  122. 
Ambition  is  painful,  128. 
Ambition  puts  us  out  of  the  way  of  life,  123. 
Ancientness  of  writing,  72. 
As  God    brought  Israel   into  the   land  of   Canaan  by  the 

sword,  so  by  the  sword  he  driveth  them  out,  214. 
As  personal  sins  have  personal  chastisements,  so  epidemical 

sins  have  popular  punishments,  34. 

BiBtLox  taken  by  storm  on  a  day  of  feasting,  112. 

Behold,  a  word  to  move  attention,  84. 

Beholding  without  regarding,  is  but  a  kind  of  gazing,  30. 

Benefits  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  90. 

Better  apta  than  alta  sapere,  75. 

Bloodguiltiness  consists  not  in  bloodshedding  only,  125. 

Boldness  in  sinning,  16. 

Calvln-'s  judgment  of  Habakkuk,  57. 

*  Tliis  table  contains  the  principal  matters  discussed  in  the  Com- 
mentary oa  Hab  ikkuk.  The  synopsis  at  the  close  of  that  on  Obadiah 
serves  the  purposes  of  an  index  to  it,  as  it  seems  to  have  been  intended 
by  the  Author  to  do — Ed. 


Catesby's  speech  concerning  the  gunpowder  treason,  190. 

Cautions  to  order  and  regulate  our  judgment  and  life  con- 
cerning righteousness,  91. 

Charity  is  the  bond  of  peace,  only  to  the  children  of  peace,  62. 

Christ  descended  into  hell,  187. 

Christ  took  the  burden  of  our  sins  upon  him,  9. 

Christ  took  upon  him  our  infirmities,  but  not  our  sinful  ones, 
27. 

Christ  was  always,  before  the  gospel,  and  even  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  the  hope  of  all  the  ends  of  the 
world,  217. 

Christian  charity  and  common  justice,  great  props  of  a  com- 
monwealth, 22. 

Church  music  ancient,  and  of  holy  tise,  161. 

Comfort  in  afflictions,  groweth  out  of  a  right  understanding 
of  the  will  and  purpose  of  God  therein,  173. 

Commination  of  God's  judgments  makes  the  church  of  God 
to  fear,  227. 

Committers  of  sin  are  of  two  sorts,  127- 

Complaint  is  a  part  of  prayer,  19  ;  the  reasons  thereof,  20. 

Confession,  threefold,  88. 

Consideration  of  former  mercies  strengthens  faith  in  present 
troubles,  176,  183. 

Contempt  of  the  law  brings  in  licentiousness  and  custom  of 
sinning,  18. 

Contempt  is  a  provocation  which  moreth  God  to  severe 
judgment?,  37. 

Contempt  is  most  grievous  to  man's  generous  nature,  i6. 

Corruption  of  justice,  a  dangerous  sign  of  a  drooping  com- 
monwealth ;  reasons  for  it,  25, 

Coveiousness  a  fruitful  sin  ;  usury,  rapine,  fraud,  bribes,  and 
simony  are  its  daughters,  124. 

Covetousness  is  ambition's  handmaid,  124. 

Covetousness  is  an  inordinate  desire  of  the  wealth  of  this 
world,  123. 

Cruelty  manifold,  125. 

Cruelty  is  a  companion  of  ambition  and  covetousness,  125. 

Cry  of  a  prophet  is  a  loud  cry,  12. 

Cry  of  blood,  11. 

Cushan  is  Ethiopia,  so  called  from  Cush  the  son  of  Ham. 
188. 

Cyrus  angry  with  the  river  Gyndes,  197. 

David's  psalms  a  common  store-house  of  good  learning,  235. 
Description  of  repentance,  231. 

337 
Y 


250 


ALPHABETICAL  TABLE. 


Desire  is  the  whetstone  of  prayer,  82. 

Despisers  punished  with  scorn  and  contempt,  40. 

Devil,  author  of  idolatry,  tempter  to  it,  and  promoter  of  it, 
46. 

Distressing  of  the  poor  a  grievous  and  provoking  sin,  221. 

Distrust  in  God,  the  mother  sin  of  all  evil  ways,  120. 

Divers  ways  to  spend  the  time  well,  83, 

Doctrine  of  faith  most  necessary  to  salvation,  94. 

Drunkards,  the  pictures  of  proud  men,  109. 

Drunken  men  cannot  pray  as  they  ought,  139. 

Drunken  men  mentioned  in  Scripture,  137. 

Drunkenness,  a  disease  of  former  ages,  but  now  grown  epi- 
demical, 140. 

Drunkenness,  a  horrible  sin,  confessed  by  all  men  to  be  a 
sin,  137. 

Duties  to  be  performed  in  the  church,  154. 

Eastern  winds  most  unwholesome  in  Judea,  31. 

Eternity  of  God,  50. 

Every  child  of  God,  and  member  of  the  church,  ought  to  pray 
for  the  whole  body  of  the  church,  169, 

Every  man's  mind  is^himself,  39. 

Every  sin  is  a  trespass  against  God,  51. 

Expostulations  and  contestations  with  God  in  our  prayers 
are  lawful,  26 ;  objection  against  it,  and  solution  of  the 
objection,  ib-;  reasons  for  confirmation  thereof,  28. 

Faith  defined,  94. 

Faith,  how  it  may  be  gotten,  95  ;  how  proved,  102  ;  how  pre- 
served, 103  ;  how  used,  104. 

Faith  in  Christ  takes  away  the  horror  of  the  terror  of  the 
Lord,  189. 

Faith  not  rightly  grounded  is  presumption,  53. 

Faith  useful  both  in  prosperity  and  adversity,  106. 

Faith  useful  in  the  natural  life,  104 ;  in  the  spiritual  life, 
106 ;  and  in  the  eternal  life,  106. 

Faithful  men,  who  worship  God  with  fear  and  trembling, 
how  they  ought  to  be  taught,  169. 

Faith's  greatness  and  its  effects,  94. 

Fear  mingled  with  faith  is  no  sin,  27. 

Fear  is  a  proper  passion  of  a  true  believer,  and  is  inseparably 
joined  with  saving  faith,  167. 

Few  seek  the  true  use  of  riches,  117. 

Figurative  speeches  are  in  use  in  Scripture,  185. 

Giving  of  alms  doth  not  purify  ill-gotten  goods,  131. 

God  bringeth  all  the  labours  of  the  ungodly  to  loss  and  vanity, 

yet  the  ungodly  perceive  it  not,  130. 
God  can  make  good  use  of  the  vices  of  men,  and  make  wicked 

men  serve  for  instruments  of  his  will,  35. 
God  doth  hear  the  complaints  of  such  as  have  just  cause  to 

complain  of  violence,  to  execute  his  judgments  upon  them 

that  offend,  32  ;  reason.s  thereof,  33. 
God  doth  himself  take  notice  of  the  people's  sins,  and  ac- 

quainteth  his  prophets  and  ministers  therewith,  15. 
God  foreknoweth  the  sins  of  men,  43. 
God  hath  taken  upon  himself  the  care  of  the  preservation 

of  his  church,  217 ;  therefore  we  need  seek  no  further  for 

it,  218. 
338 


God  in  Christ  is  the  rest  of  his  church,  220. 

God  in  his  judgment  maketh  the  ungodly  rods  to  punish 
one  another,  219. 

God  is  above  all  second  causes,  210. 

God  is  armed  with  instruments  of  vengeance  to  punish  sin, 
179. 

God  is  a  sincere  searcher  and  punisher  of  sin,  and  his  jus- 
tice and  truth  cannot  fail,  65. 

God  is  author  of  all  actions,  but  not  of  the  evil  of  them,  38. 

God  is  author  of  punishment,  53. 

God  is  eternal  in  himself,  in  his  essence,  and  eternal  in  pro- 
vidence in  respect  of  his  creatures,  51. 

God  is  glorified  in  the  shame  of  the  proud,  126. 

God  is  glorious,  and  jealous  of  his  glory,  133. 

God  is  glorious  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  181. 

God  is  holy,  therefore  the  punishments  of  his  church  are  for 
its  correction  only,  52. 

God  is  not  so  glorious  in  anything  that  he  hath  wrought, 
as  in  his  church,  171. 

God  is  sooner  stirred  to  mercy  than  provoked  to  anger,  43. 

God  is  the  author  of  faith,  95. 

God  is  the  restorer  of  his  church,  and  will  renew  the  face  and 
glory  of  it,  247. 

God  is  the  strength  of  his  church,  243 ;  both  in  that  we  are, 
and  in  that  we  do,  and  in  that  we  sufiFer,  244. 

God  is  to  be  worshipped  outwardly  as  well  as  inwardly,  150 
and  154. 

God  is  without  variableness  or  alteration,  201. 

Godliness  hath  the  promises  of  this  life  and  of  the  life  to  com6, 
24. 

God  loves  to  be  solicited  for  mercy,  50. 

God  must  have  the  glory  of  his  own  great  works,  198. 

God  never  forsaketh  us  till  we  forsake  him,  231. 

God  never  had  mercy  enough  to  swallow  or  consume  either 
his  justice  or  his  truth,  180. 

God  never  layetb  his  rod  upon  those  creatures  which  he 
hath  ordained  for  the  service  of  man,  but  to  punish  man, 
for  he  hath  no  quarrel  to  them,  197. 

God  punisheth  one  evil  nation  by  another,  232. 

God  punisheth  sin  by  sin,  144. 

God  signifieth  his  will  in  divers  ways,  77 ;  and  his  will  is 
twofold,  78. 

God  sometimes  declareth  his  power  openly,  to  the  comfort 
of  his  church  and  terror  of  its  enemies,  202. 

God  sometimes  suspends  the  success  of  his  servants'  prayers, 
15. 

God  taketh  offence  at  such  as  are  lifted  up,  86. 

God  walketh  with  the  righteous,  and  contrary  to  the  un- 
righteous, 131. 

God  will  have  his  church  taught  his  ways  in  all  ages  thereof, 
73. 

God  will  not  suffer  us  to  be  tempted  further  than  he  thinks 
fit,  172. 

God's  care  and  providence  stoopeth  so  low  as  to  the  regard  of 
cattle,  146. 

God's  certain  knowledge  of  our  evils  will  bring  forth  a  cer- 
tain judgment  to  punish  them,  44. 

God's  children  in  afflictions  are  not  discouraged  in  their 
faith  of  God's  mercy,  52. 


ALPHABETICAL  TABLE. 


251 


God's  church  is  God's  work,  both  in  respect  of  its  calling,  and 
of  his  perpetual  presence  in  it,  170. 

God's  creatures  and  his  word  are  two  books,  wherein  his 
wisdom  is  set  forth  to  the  soul,  135. 

God's  extraordinarj'  mercies  must  be  often  remembered,  223. 

God's  eyes  are  pure,  54. 

God's  justice  doth  not  spare  his  own  people  if  they  do  pro- 
voke him,  33. 

God's  love  to  be  solicited  for  mercy,  50. 

God's  love  to  his  church  is  eternal  as  himself  is,  47. 

God's  mercy  and  otir  obedience  are  motives  of  re-establishing 
his  protection  upon  his  church,  178. 

God's  mercy  in  giving  must  not  destroy  his  justice  in  punish- 
ing of  evil  doers,  231. 

God's  ministers  may,  by  their  prayers,  awake  God's  judg- 
ments against  unrepenting  sinners,  13. 

God's  power  shewed  in  the  terror  of  the  wicked,  proves  that 
thei»  is  a  God,  188. 

God's  promises  are  either  for  this  life,  or  for  the  life  to  come, 
206. 

God's  promises,  made  to  Israel,  were  all  limited  with  condi- 
tion of  their  obedience,  33  and  40 ;  and  so  are  all  God's 
promises  to  his  children,  40.  ' 

God's  promises  run  in  semine,  73. 

God's  secrets  revealed  only  to  them  that  fear  him,  186. 

God's  servants  fight  against  sin  by  prayer,  12. 

God's  word  must  minister  matter  to  our  prayers,  166. 

God's  wrath  and  judgments  are  a  burden  to  him,  and  so  is 
his  word  threatening  judgment,  10, 

God's  wrath  and  judgments  are  a  burden  to  the  people  to 
whom  they  are  sent,  both  to  the  penitent  and  to  the  im- 
penitent, 11. 

God's  wrath  and  judgments  are  a  burden  to  the  prophet  that 
utters  them,  in  respect  of  his  fidelity  to  him  that  sends 
him,  10  ;  and  in  respect  of  his  zeal,  ib.  ;  and  in  respect  of 
his  compassion,  i6. 

Good  covetousness,  119;  evil  covetousness  is  joined  with  am- 
bition, ib. 

Good  use  is  to  be  made  of  some  temptations,  35. 

Greatness  and  power  are  fearful  to  the  common  man,  yet  he 
will  search  into  the  actions  of  the  highest,  118. 

Grief  mingled  with  faith  is  no  sin,  27. 

Hahakkuk  signifieth  an  embracer,  a  wrestler,  2 ;  the  time  of 

his  prophecy  is  not  expressed,  ib. 
Hatred  a  cause  of  contention,  17. 
Hearers  ought  to  pray  for  their  teachers,  69. 
Hearing  and  understanding  the  word  is  a  means  to  increase 

faith,  96. 
Hearing  the  word  profiteth  nought  without  faith,  95. 
Heathens'  gods  not  jealous  of  their  glory,  134. 
He  that  willeth  the  same  thing  as  God  willeth,  and  doth  the 

same  thing  God  would  have  done,  sinneth,  unless  he  doth 

it  in  the  same  manner  and  for  the  same  end  which  God 

projecteth,  39. 
Horns  in  Scripture  signify  strength,  175. 
How  drunken  folks  are  said  to  discover  their  nakedness, 

141. 
How  far  we  may  complain  to  God  against  our  brethren,  12. 


How  God  is  said  to.  have  eyes  and  other  parts  of  a  man's 
body,  54 ;  and  how  he  is  said  to  see,  hear,  &c.,  185. 

How  God  is  said  to  repent,  76. 

How  God  was  said  to  have  divided  the  land  of  Canaan 
amongst  the  children  of  Israel,  181,  185. 

How  God's  righteousness  is  revealed  in  the  gospel,  107. 

How  man  ought  to  carry  himself  in  his  dominion  over  beasts, 
145. 

How  many  ways  men  abuse  their  strength,  244. 

How  many  ways  spiritual  enemies  assault  the  church,  240. 

Idolatbt  a  grievous  sin,  t6. 

Idolatry  amongst  Christians,  148. 

Idolatry  defined  and  described,  147. 

Idolatry  in  the  church  of  Rome  in  worshipping  the  consecrated 

host,"  149. 
If  to  omit  a  duty  be  a  sin,  the  committing  of  a  contrary  evil 

must  needs  be  abominable,  140. 
If  we  find  in  ourselves  an  elevation  above  our  pitch,  it  is  a 

certain  symptom  of  a  diseased  soul,  87. 
Ill-gotten  goods  bring  such  a  sin  upon  a  man  as  cannot  be 

purged  but  by  repentance  and  restitution,  131. 
Image-worship  crept  into  the  church  of  Bome  by  little  and 

little,  148. 
Imprecations  forbidden,  13. 
In  all  our  considerations  of  the  carriage  of  things  under  the 

government  of  God's  providence,  howsoever  the  effects  may 

seem  strange  to  us,  we  must  not  question  either  the  wisdom, 

justice,  or  goodness  of  God,  57- 
Ib  all  wars,  God  is  Lord  of  hosts,  and  general  of  the  armies 

that  fight  his  quarrels,  and  he  ordereth  all  wars,  214. 
Inconveniences  of  rapine,  124. 
Infirmities  of  God's  servants  twofold,  27- 
Ingredients  of  a  saving  faith,  by  a  dissection  of  the  wotd_^de», 

86. 
Inordinate  zeal,  what  it  is,  29. 
Iniquity  knoweth  no  measure,  42. 
In  reading  of  holy  Scripture,  we  ought  carefully  to  observe 

what  is  spoken  literally,  and  what  figuratively,  186 ;  and 

not  to  make  figures  where  none  are,  187  ;  nor  understand 

that  literally  which  is  figurative,  188. 
In  the  church  of  God  there  will  always  be  some  will  argue 

against  God,  70. 
In  the  last  calling  of  the  Jews,  their  commonwealth  shall  be 

restored,  183. 
Israel,  a  type  of  God's  church  on  earth,  196. 
It  was  no  small  part  of  Christ's  passion,  to  be  scorned  and 

derided  of  his  enemies,  116. 
It  is  a  singular  wisdom  to  use  the  fulness  of  prosperity  well, 

42 ;  and  a  great  measure  of  grace  is  required  thereto,  ib. 

Jekcsalem  and  the  temple  shall  lie  desolate  until  the  second 

coming  of  Christ,  183. 
Jewish  feasts  were  instituted  for  remembrances  of  favours 

received  from  God,  224. 
Jotham's  parable,  233. 
Joy  dUateth  the  heart,  237. 
Joys  of  the  ungodly  compared  to  a  candle,  239. 
Judgment  beginneth  at  the  house  of  God,  34,  229. 

339 


252 


ALPHABETICAL  TABLE. 


Jnst  man  defined,  85. 
Justification  by  faith  only,  107. 

Keeping  silence  a  sign  of  reverence  and  submission,  147. 
Knowledge  of  God's  glory  an  excellent  knowledge,  135 ;  and 

the  pursuit  of  this  knowledge  is  a  labour  which  well  reward- 

eth  itself,  135. 

Land  of  Canaan,  not  above  300  miles  in  length,  and  160  in 

breadth,  226 ;  the  fruitfulness  of  it  shewn,  ib. 
Logic  and  rhetoric  requisite  and  necessary  in  a  minister,  187. 

Malice  may  be  in  looking  into  the  vices  of  brethren,  though 

it  pretendeth  desire  of  reformation,  15. 
Manna  and  water  out  of  the  rock  were  types  of  our  Lord's 

supper,  and  the  children  of  Israel's  passage  through  the 

Red  Sea  a  type  of  baptism,  224. 
Man  in  mercy  cometh  nearest  God's  image,  49. 
Man  is  but  earth,  and  gold  but  clay,  112. 
Man  is  mutable,  God  unchangeably  just,  40. 
Man's  state  in  his  innocency,  97. 
Matter  of  thanksgiving  is  an  acknowledgment  of  all  benefits, 

183. 
Means  to  get  an  upright  soul,  88. 
Men  and  angels  have  their  eternity  from  God,  51. 
Mercy  is  the  most  glorious  attribute  that  God  hath,  174. 
Mercy  the  soul  of  the  world,  49. 
Ministers  have  a  necessity  laid   upon  them  to  preach  the 

word,  96. 
Ministers  m'ly  in  general  reprove  sin,  but  not  particularise 

any  man.  29. 
Ministers  must  maintain  God's  cause  against  all  contradic- 
tions, 70. 
Ministers  must  not  only  watch,  but  also  give  warning,  68. 
Ministers  ought  to  be  first  seers,  and  then  speakers,  66. 
Ministers  ought  to  open  to  the  church  of  God  the  whole 

counsel  of  God,  74. 
Miseries  of  afflicted  men  make  them  forget  comfort*,  174. 
Monarchy  of  the  Assyrians  lasted  1300  years,  113. 
Moses  charged  by  heathens  to  be  a  magician,  195,  198. 
Motives  inducing  us  to  bless  those  that  persecute  us,  and 

pray  for  those  that  hate  us,  36. 

No  counsel  or  strength  can  prevail  against  God,  nor  any  pre- 
scription, 182. 

No  lesson  so  hard  for  a  child  of  God  to  take  out  as  to  take 
up  Christ's  cross,  172. 

No  man  simpliciter  atheos,  but  acknowledgeth  some  divine 
ruling  power,  45,  147,  188. 

No  man  would  do  service  where  nothing  is  to  be  gained 
by  it,  148. 

No  oratory  nor  eloquence  comparable  to  the  holy  elocution 
of  Scrip'ture,  186. 

No  inherent  holiness  in  churches,  151. 

Nothing  ought  to  be  so  dear  to  us  as  the  glory  of  God,  134. 

Not  that  we  have,  but  what  we  dispose  of,  maketh  us  friends 
in  the  day  of  the  Lord,  127. 

Obedience  to  God  assures  and  gains  all  good  things  to  us,  231. 
340 


Objections  against  church  music  answered,  161. 

Occasion  of  offence  to  be  avoided,  20. 

Oracles  ceased  at  Christ's  coming,  80. 

Original  sin,  what  it  is,  98, 

Out  of  natural  and  moral  ways  of  life  there  is  a  wisdom  of 

God  to  be  learned,  59. 
Outward  things  unsanctified  to  the  owner  liave  no  power  to 

establish  the  heart,  42. 
Overcharge  of  the  heart  with  drink  is  drunkenness,  137. 
Overweening  of  our  fellow-creatures  is  and  hatii  been  a  cause 

of  idolatry,  210. 

Papists  idolaters,  148. 

People  without  a  ruler  are  unhappy,  60. 

Poetry  ancient,  and  of  use  in  the  church,  159. 

Polygamy  unlawful,  199. 

Praising  of  God  in  hymns  and  songs  ancient,  and  much  used 

in  the  church,  159. 
Prayer  a  faithful  messenger,  173. 

Prayer  hath  the  same  force  now  as  it  had  in  former  times,  213. 
Prayer  is  a  help  to  him  that  prayeth,  a  sacrifice  to  God,  a 

scourge  to  the  devil  and  his  agents,  84. 
Prayer  ought  to  be  fervent  and  continual,  14,  as  well  in  zeal 

of  God's  glory  as  for  our  own  necessities,  14. 
Prayer,  the  word,  and  the  sacraments  are  means  to  preserve 

faith,  103. 
Prayer,  what  it  is,  19. 

Preparation  required  in  those  who  go  to  church,  153. 
Pride  a  cause  of  strife,  17. 

Pride  consists  in  three  things:  in  thinking  too  well  of  our- 
selves, contemptibly  of  others,  boasting  and  glorying  in 

vain  ostentation,  109. 
Pride  is  the  ground  of  insatiableness,  109. 
Pride  the  ruin  of  charity,  justice,  temperance,  and  religion, 

110. 
Profane  and  carnal  men,  how  they  ought  to  be  taught,  168. 
Profane  men's  hearts  are  hardened  with  custom  of  sinning, 

168. 
Proofs  of  a  sincere  faith,  103. 
Prophets,  apostles,  and  ministers  of  the  word,  are  the  fittest 

persons  to  be  used  for  direction  of  devotion,  158. 
Prosperity  of  this  world  fills  the  hearts  of  men  with  pride  and 

vain  estimation  of  themselves,  63. 
Proud  men  resemble  death  and  hell,  110. 
Punishment  in  its  nature  is  evil,  yet  God  may  work  good  out 

of  it,  33. 
Punishment  of  idolatry,  149. 
Punishments  of  ambition,  125  ;  they  consult  shame  to  their 

own  house,  125;  sin  against  their  own  souls,  127;  labour 

in  vain  and  without  success,  128. 
Punishments  of  drunkenness,  141  ;  who  will  punish  it?  God, 

142 ;  how  he  will  punish  it,  143 ;  why  he  will  punish  it,  115. 
Punishments  of  pride,  111;  just  reprehension,  115;  derision, 

116;  spoil  and  destruction,  118. 

Quantity  of  the  fault  is  the  measure  of  the  judgment,  9. 

Reading  of  Scripture  good,  to  make  us  understand  what  the 
Lord  hath  done  in  former  ages,  198. 


ALPHABETICAL  TABLE. 


253 


Reasons  why  ambition  makes  men  unhappy,  123. 

Religion  contemned  is  a  sign  of  a  diseased  and  desperate 

state,  reasons  thereof,  22. 
Religion  hath  the  bowels  of  compassion,  and  they  hare  no 

religion  that  have  no  mercy,  49. " 
Religion  is  the  knot  of  true  union  that  knitteth  ns  to  Grod, 

and  uniteih  us  to  one  another,  40. 
Religion  in  the  head  is  speculation,  in  the  heart  affection,  in 

the  hand  action,  225. 
Religion  the  best  bond  of  brotherhood,  62. 
Remedies  against  drunkenness,  138. 
Remedy  for  man's  fall,  which  is  Christ,  101. 
Rich  men's  duties  to  the  poor,  221. 

Salvation  only  of  God,  104. 

Salvation  is  a  work  of  power,  242  ;  of  glory,  ib. ;  of  mercy,  to. 

Satan  is  but  God's  instrument  in  afflicting  of  the  church,  190. 

Satan  suggesteth  that  the  way  of  righteousness  is  painful,  129. 

Satan's  chiefest  temptation  is  by  blemishing  of  God's  glory, 
133. 

Satan's  suggestions,  that'God  is  merciful,  animates  sinners 
to  do  evil,  179. 

Seekers  of  strife  condemned,  17. 

Selah,  what  it  signifieth,  175. 

Self-conceited  men,  how  they  ought  to  be  taught,  168. 

Self-opinion  is  a  kind  of  spiritual  drunkenness,  168. 

Senseless  and  lifeless  creatures  are  subject  to  God's  will,  204, 
210 

Service  performed  to  God  without  zeal  is  without  life,  28. 

Set  prayers  both  lawful  and  necessary  to  be  used,  158. 

Shame  rather  hardeneth  than  reformeth  a  sinner,  13. 

Sharp  and  satirical  tartness  not  always  unlawful,  117. 

Shigionoth,  what  it  signifieth,  156. 

Signs  of  true  spiritual  joy,  238. 

Sin  is  a  burden  to  God,  to  men,  and  awakes  God's  ven- 
geance, 8. 

Sin  is  like  leaven,  a  little  soureth  the  whole  lump,  93, 127. 

Sin  is  that  which  parteth  God  and  us,  215. 

Sins  committed  against  the  law  of  God  are  done  against  the 
committers'  souls,  127. 

Sincere  faith  cannot  be  lost,  143. 

Sins  grow  in  clusters,  and  one  sin  begetteth  another,  119 ; 
examples  thereof,  120. 

Sins  of  omission,  99 ;  of  evil  motion,  100 ;  of  evil  affection 
and  of  evil  action,  100. 

Sins  seen  in  others  moves  man  to  a  loathing  of  sin,  and  to 
charity,  35. 

Six  signs  of  ensuing  judgment,  215. 

Sometimes  God  taketh  away  from  his  children  their  feeling 
of  his  love,  and  of  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  178. 

Soals  in  heaven  wait  upon  the  performance  of  God's  pro- 
mises, 82. 

Stephen's  prayer  at  his  death  a  means  of  Paul's  conversion, 
50. 

Suggestions  to  sin  lay  their  foandatioa  upoa  some  unworthy 
opinion  of  God,  133. 

Teaching  by  familiar  resemblances  is  much  used  in  both  Tes- 
taments, 59. 


Tears  of  bitterness  are  the  blood  of  the  soul,  128. 

Temples  and  churches  necessary,  161. 

Temples  not  built  in  two  hundred  years  after  Christ,  150. 

Temporal  things  can  afford  no  true  content,  23. 

Temporal  things  have  but  a  resemblance  of  good  and  evil, 
spiritual  favours  are  real,  239. 

Thanksgiving  ought  to  be  joined  with  prayer,  139. 

Thanksgiving  is  a  work  of  justice,  which  puts  us  in  mind  of 
our  nnableness  to  requite  God,  and  cf  our  unworthiness, 
184. 

The  best  frame  of  thanksgiving  is  that  which  maketh  particu- 
lar commemoration  of  God's  mercies,  183. 

The  Chaldeans'  armies  the  troops  of  God,  232. 

The  Chaldeans  raised  by  God  against  the  Jews,  30. 

The  church  of  God  hath  a  special  interest  in  the  power  and 
protection  of  God,  178. 

The  church's  plea  in  affliction  is  for  mercy,  174 

The  contemplation  of  God's  ju>tice,  in  punishing  the  sins  of 
his  church,  of  his  vengeance  in  revenging  the  quarrels  of 
it,  of  his  mercy  in  healing  the  wounds  of  it,  give  the  faith- 
ful occasion  to  resort  to  God  by  prayer,  156. 

The  delivery  of  God's  church,  and  his  vengeance  upon  her 
enemies,  gives  honour  to  the  name  of  God  upon  earth,  132. 

The  devil  knew  where  Moses  was  buried,  212. 

The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  prevaileth 
much,  212. 

The  elect  sin  against  their  own  souls  in  regard  of  the  fault, 
127 ;  and  also  in  regard  of  the  punishment,  127. 

The  fear  of  the  wicked  shall  come  upon  himself,  126. 

The  general  apprehension  of  God's  mercy  in  Christ  will  not 
justify  a  man  in  the  sight  of  God,  241. 

The  house  of  the  righteous  shall  stand,  126. 

The  knowledge  of  God's  glory  consisteth  in  the  true  considera- 
tion of  his  justice  and  mercy,  134. 

The  law  sheweth  us  how  much  we  are  in  God's  debt,  229. 

The  Lord  will  loose  the  bonds  of  his  church,  and  give  her 
deliverance  out  of  her  troubles,  246. 

The  poor  are  under  God's  protection,  and  his  own  flesh,  221. 

The  saints  of  God  have  their  sorrows  on  earth,  yet  they  always 
rejoice  in  the  Lord,  238. 

The  same  hand  that  put  the  children  of  Israel  in  possession 
of  the  land  of  Canaan,  put  them  out  again,  231. 

The  sense  of  Scripture  is  the  soul  thereof,  187. 

The  soul  of  prayer  is  the  holy  zeal  of  him  that  prayeth,  20. 

The  sound  of  God's  word  preached  cannot  be  truly  heard  by 
us,  unless  he  open  our  hearts,  16. 

The  sting  of  the  first  sin,  133. 

The  truth  of  God  is  a  good  ground,  because  the  word  of  God 
is  a  sure  word,  201. 

The  very  elect  are  shaken  with  fear,  228. 

The  way  to  avoid  contempt  is  humility,  41. 

The  welfare  of  the  church  is  the  .grief  and  vexation  of  her 
enemies,  189. 

There  is  no  peace  to  a  wicked  man,  9. 

There  is  such  a  concatenation  of  duties  of  religion  and  justice, 
that  he  that  offendeth  in  one  breaketh  the  chain,  120. 

They  that  joy  in  the  Lord,  rest  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice  in 
nothing  otherwise  than  as  a  means  to  serve  the  Lord,  and 
because  God  is  Lord,  238. 

341 


254 


ALPHABETICAL  TABLE. 


They  who  are  sealed  with  the  Spirit  of  promise  have  their  in- 
firmities, lapses,  and  relapses,  yet  sin  not  to  death,  34. 

They  who,  fulfilling  the  will  of  God,  which  they  know  not,  do 
fulfil  their  own  will,  which  they  aim  at,  are  not  rewarded, 
but  rather  punished  for  it,  38. 

Those  whom  God  useth  as  his  rods  are  limited,  42. 

Though  the  church  of  God  live  under  the  cross  for  a  time,  it 
shall  not  be  always  so,  41. 

Three  notes  of  a  lawful  promise  and  oath,  202. 

Three  special  benefits  of  a  godly  life,  23. 

To  know  the  glory  of  God  here  on  earth,  we  must  observe 
the  course  of  his  judgments,  135. 

To  make  others  drunk  is  a  more  grievous  sin  than  drunken- 
ness, 139. 

Uncharitableness  corrupteth  a  commonwealth,  and  makes 

all  God's  servants  complain,  21. 
Ungodly  men  have  no  bowels,  65. 
Ungodly  men  outrageous  when  they  find  a  way  open  to  their 

violence,  60. 
Unrighteous  men's  labours  described,  129. 

Vain  repetitions  not  to  be  used  in  prayer,  169. 

Vanity  of  idolatry,  146. 

Voluntary  and  involuntary  drunkenness,  142. 

Want  of  faith  the  true  cause  of  idolatry,  45. 

"Want  of  zeal  a  sin,  28. 

Way  to  hell  all  down  hill,  yet  very  uneasy,  285 ;  and  that  is 

gotten  by  it  is  but  mere  vanity,  129. 
We  must  believe  God's  promises,  whatsoever  appearances  do 

put  in  to  persuade  us  to  the  contrary,  81. 
We  must  not  think  long  to  tarry  God's  leisure,  80 ;  to  avoid 

these  two  evils,  of  murmuring  against  God,  or  seeking  un- 
lawful means  to  accomplish  our  desires,  ib. 
We  must  search  out  and  confess  the  true  cause  of  all  the  good 

that  God  doth  to  us,  199. 
We  ought  not  be  too  busy  to  search  into  the  ways  of  God,  to 

know  things  to  come,  80. 
We  ought  not  to  limit  God  to  a  set  time  for  our  deliverance, 

nor  to  any  set  means  nor  measure  of  affliction,  62. 
We  ought  to  avoid  causes  of  complaint,  21. 


We  ought  to  give  the  whole  glory  and  praise  for  all  good  to 

God,  and  thanks  to  creatures  as  ministers  and  instruments 

of  God,  184. 
What  duty  is  owing  to  him,  150. 
What  is  meant  by  the  midst  of  years,  164. 
What  is  meant  by  the  works  of  God,  163. 
Whatsoever  God  hath  decreed  or  spoken  shall  certainly  take 

effect  in  the  appointed  time,  76. 
What  use  may  be  made  of  David's  Psalms,  in  our  frequent 

reading  and  meditation  of  them,  235. 
When  God  putteth  his  hand  to  spoiling  the  oppressor,  he 

will  spoil  him  in  all  that  he  trusted  in,  118. 
When  God  undertaketh  a  work,  he  accommodateth  all  fit 

means  (though  lie  need,  none)  for  a  full  execution,  37. 
Whensoever  God  punisheth,  there  is  a  fault  deserving  that 

punishment,  114 ;  objections  to  the  contrary  answered,  116. 
When  we  pray  that  God's  will  may  be  done,  we  must  also 

pray  that  it  may  be  done  for  the  same  cause,  39. 
Where  God  is,  150. 
Where  God  loveth  a  people,  his  fovour  runneth  in  a  full 

stream  in  the  channel  of  his  church,  212. 
Where  religion  is  despised,  the  courts  of  justice  must  needs 

be  corrupt,  18  ;  and  power  and  authority  degenerate  into 

tyranny  and  oppression,  ib. 
Where  there  is  the  true  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  no  temporal 

aflHiction  can  extinguish  or  eclipse  it,  235. 
Wheresoever  there  is  election,  there  is  unction,  209,  219. 
Whether  every  oath  ought  to  be  kept,  202. 
Whether  we  ought  to  swear  at  all,  202. 
Whom  God  pardoneth,  Satan  tempteth  most,  44. 
Whosoever  gives  divine  worship  to  a  creature  is  an  idolater, 

45. 
Wicked  men  have  no  peace,  42. 
Wicked  men  rejoice  at  the  church's  sorrow,  61. 
Woe  to  the  man  which  gathereth  not  his  own,  123. 
Written  Scripture  sufficient  for  salvation,  73. 

Xerxes,  angry  with  the  sea,  causeth  it  to  be  beaten  with 
stripes,  197. 

Zeal  against  crying  sins  of  the  time  is  discreet  and  necessary, 
29. 


END    OF    COMMENTAEY    ON   HABAKKUK. 


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